University of Hawaii West Oahu Seal

Bulletin No. 70

Date/Time sent: 10/25/2021 9:00 am

E ala! E alu! E kuilima!
Awaken! Come together! Join hands!

Statement of Gratitude

“We should certainly count our blessings,
but we should also make our blessings count!” ~ Neal A. Maxwell

Aloha mai kākou!

Please take the time to scroll through this weekly bulletin. The first message provides more information on RETURNING AND REVITALIZING THE LIFE OF OUR CAMPUS. This message is followed by important ANNOUNCEMENTS for both students and employees.

Haven’t been on campus for awhile? Interested in learning more about the new Academy for Creative Media at UH West Oʻahu facility? See this recently published video: https://youtu.be/jUNw9Ap3Xco

Mahalo nūnui for taking the time to review this week’s bulletin.
E mālama pono!
Maenette Benham, Chancellor

Revitalizing the life of our campus in Spring Semester 2022!

Students, employees, and visitors: It is essential that you download LumiSight UH to your smartphone. Register and upload all relevant COVID-19 information. Prior to coming to campus please check-in using your LumiSight UH APP remembering to respond to all health questions. BE PREPARED TO SHOW YOUR “GO GREEN” SCREEN at our campus verification stations. If for some reason you forgot to sign in, please do so before entering campus or see our friendly student assistants at any of the verification sites. They will assist you with signing in or getting a day pass. NOTE: you must have proof of COVID vaccination or negative COVID test to retrieve a day pass. Welina mai – Welcome to campus!

Mahalo nūnui to our faculty/instructors and staff who are working hard to move their courses (or sections of their courses) to on-campus/in-person instruction. Providing students with choices is essential to their academic and career success! Know that there are community of students who are required to take in-person courses, and many more who value the learning power of pilina (relationships) with peers and teachers.

Good News!

Support UH West Oʻahu’s Teacher Preparation efforts!

It is not too late to join our one hour On The Horizon webinar:

Kanu Kumu o ka ʻĀina: Planting Teacher of the Earth
Thursday October 28, 2021, 11 a.m. to noon

Featuring Dr. Cathy Ikeda, Education, Dr. Wela Yong (Math, Natural & Health Science), and alumnus ʻIlima Puou (Teacher Nānākuli Intermediate and High School). Come learn more about how these educators integrate ʻike, ʻōlelo, mele/oli, and nohona Hawaiʻi into their teaching and learning.

Graphic for On the Horizon RSVP page.

REGISTER ONLINE

For those interested in learning more about the implication of the Build Back Better Act in the US Congress – here is a snippet from the President of the American Council of Education. Many are asking about Federal Funding, in particular, how the Build Back Better Act might affect education. Here’s what we know:

This is from the American Council of Education, President to President Newsletter. I share it with you for your information.

“Free Community College, Other Higher Ed Provisions on the Chopping Block in Reconciliation Bill
Early last month, the House education committee unveiled its portion of the budget reconciliation bill—now known as the Build Back Better Act—which included $111 billion to provide two free years of community college; a large influx of funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and other minority serving institutions (MSIs); and other higher education priorities.

President Biden met with a range of lawmakers Tuesday to hash out what will realistically end up in the final bill, which reportedly will be in the range of $1.75 to $1.9 trillion in total spending and will largely focus on six items—none of them for our students or institutions. The final framework for the social-spending bill had yet to be released as of this writing, but it is clear progressives are having to cut many elements of their initial $3.5 trillion proposal to appeal to moderate lawmakers, including Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), who have pushed for a lower price tag on the bill.

We’re still trying to work out exactly what this means for the higher education provisions in the final package. It has been reported that it will include “scholarships for community college students,” but Hill staff on key committees don’t know any specifics of what that means precisely. Presumably, it could be either a) a new program just for community college students, b) an increase in the maximum Pell Grants that will be described as a “community college initiative,” or c) something completely different. Politico reported Wednesday that there was a discussion about doubling Pell Grants and boosting funding for workforce development and apprenticeships, but no concrete plans.

The significantly scaled-back package also drastically cuts funding for HBCUS, HSIs, and other MSIs, providing $2 billion out of the original $20 billion that President Biden requested. I know many HBCU presidents are working to get some of this money restored, and that some House members are listening. However, the outcome right now is unclear. And while we have no specific information about research funding, we believe that money is likely gone completely. Finally, on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Democrats have been denied twice by the Senate parliamentarian to include immigration reform provisions in the bill, and it’s not known if they will propose a third plan.

We are continuing to make the case to lawmakers of the importance of supporting our students and institutions in the final bill. While higher education stakeholders may have different views and priorities regarding the array of programs included in the legislation, all strongly believe retaining robust overall higher education funding is critical to accomplish our shared priorities. We should all have a firmer grasp of what to expect in the final bill next week.”