University of Hawaii West Oahu Seal

Bulletin No. 35

Date/Time sent: 01/25/2021 8:00 am

*Statement of Gratitude: From our 22 year-old poet laureate Amanda Gorman’s recital of her poem, “The Hill We Climb.”

Her first line:
When day comes, we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?

Her last verse:
When day comes, we step out of the shade of flame and unafraid.
The new dawn balloons as we free it.
For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.

Update COVID-19

Pueo Safety Promise card sample

Update on our USDOE CARES I funding (2020-2021)

If youʻre interested in learning more about our CARES funding program please go to our CARES Act Grant Funds page. In accordance with USDOE requirements we provide up-to-date information on the CARES funding we received. To review, we received one-time funding in three programmatic areas:

  • Tranche 1: Financial Aid Grants to Students. Financial Aid to students has been fully dispersed. Our website documents this action.

  • Tranche 2: Institutional financial support to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus

  • Tranche 3: Awarded to institutions identified as MSI (Minority-Serving Institutions) – aid to students and operations impacted by the coronavirus

Note that Tranches 2 and 3 currently funds the following: (1) student aid and student employment; (2) health and safety of our campus, e.g., facilities, PPE, etc., (3) mental health and student success (e.g., counseling, tutoring, accommodations, etc.); (4) IT and Distance Education, e.g., equipment, programs, supplies, professional development, other IT related costs; (5) faculty programs and professional development; and (6) payroll to support instructional faculty and staff in areas related to the pandemic and/or affected by it.

Expenses funded with CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) were based on the following:

  • Guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education on eligible expenses (CARES Act: Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund).

  • Consultation and collaboration with University and campus leadership and a variety of campus stakeholders to determine how to appropriately address the campus impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as health and safety, changes to instructional delivery, and student support efforts.

For more information about the funding please see:

Update on our Campus Work Groups

Mahalo nui to our campus ʻohana members who have volunteered to participate in one of our four (4) working groups. As the groups begin their work, we will post their discussions and actions both in the bulletin and on the Pueo Planning site. A list of work group membership is forthcoming. Should you still be interested in participating please reach out to Chris Neves at cabralch@hawaii.edu.