Ka Pe‘ahi Lono: Monthly Message for February 2025
Date/Time sent: 02/03/2025 12:00 pmUH West Oʻahu Value Proposition
We prepare 21st Century leaders, career creators through integrated, transdisciplinary programs where learners and teachers, together, discover and innovate and engage diverse communities to create a vibrant and socially just world.
Hoʻokāhi ka ilau like ana (Wield the paddles together)
Aloha mai kākou e UH West Oʻahu ʻOhana!
新年快乐 – Happy Chinese New Year
Xīnnián hǎo (新年好) New Years goodness
This is the year of the wood snake – a year that will be marked by wisdom, transformation and renewal, creativity, and subtle power. While we are experiencing a time of chaos and unpredictability, the wood snake offers us the opportunity to exercise the quiet strength and influence, deep reflection and renewal that leads to careful and strategic planning. It is a time of challenge that we can meet with resilience, adaptability, and quiet strength. Indeed, our collective wisdom and action will support our efforts to live into UH West Oʻahu’s kāhea for 2025.
He maka au, he upena kākou (I am an eye, we are a net).
As a regional public university (RPU) and an anchor institution located on the Westside of Oʻahu, we serve the largest population of Native Hawaiians, Filipinos, Pacific Islanders, and many underserved families — all whom bring the brilliance of their rich ancestral stories and skills to our little corner of Honouliuli. Collectively we work daily to live into our pahuhopu (values/principles) that embraces equity and upward mobility, access to resources that strengthens resilience, and as both a civic and economic anchor we advance community prosperity. Indeed, we know that our actions today will have long-lasting effects on our students, their families, and communities. So as we reflect on our contributions as members of our Pueo learning community, let’s ask ourselves:
How can we, individually and collectively, engage the abundance of life’s wonders that comes from the diversities of our knowledge wells, programs and services, and our cultural uniqueness to uplift and inspire?
Our kāhea/our clarion call for 2025 is to be that beacon in West Oʻahu that gives hope and opportunity. Mahalo hou for all you do to ensure that we pūpūkahi i holomua!
February is also the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day. It is a day that we express our love and appreciation for family, friends, our children and siblings, our pets, and so on – a celebration filled with hugs, chocolate, and roses. However you celebrate this “Hallmark” moment, I wish you all a day filled with the warmth and embrace of the magic of aloha. So, back by popular demand:
Speak Your Aloha
Share these affirmations. It is a great way to manifest aloha. Try these in ʻōlelo Hawai‘i!
I love you – Aloha wau iā ʻoe
I am proud of you – Haʻaheo au iā ʻoe
I am thankful for you – Mahalo au iā ʻoe
You’re my cherished friend – ʻO ʻoe kuʻu hoapili
You look great today – Nani loa ʻoe i kēia lā
You are strong – Ikaika ʻoe
You are important – Koʻikoʻi ʻoe
I am here for you – Aia au me ʻoe
You are kind – ʻOluʻolu ʻoe
I believe in you – Hilinaʻi au iā ʻoe
E ʻeleu mai ʻoukou! Step lively, let’s move together!
E mālama pono!
Maenette Benham, Chancellor
Health and Well-Being Reminder
Keep in mind, kūkūlu kaiāulu! Please strengthen our community with your passions, respect for one another, and patience! Please respect an individual’s personal choice to wear a face mask. Mahalo to everyone, for your patience and empathy, your good work and commitment to care for one another!
Availability of Naloxone Kits
Just as some of us carry an EpiPen to address severe allergic reactions, you can now carry a naloxone (also known as Narcan) kit that can temporarily reverse the harmful effects of an opioid overdose and save a person’s life. Please know that the effects of naloxone wears off within 30-45 minutes so calling 911 is imperative. See this Steps of Naloxone Administration. Should you have any questions about Naloxone, please contact our school nurse, RN Stacey Kelly skelly3@hawaii.edu. Also go to our website.
COVID – Please continue to be vigilant
Although we are no longer in a public health emergency in regard to the COVID-19 virus please stay vigilant. Health officials are keeping watch on the latest variants and any rise in cases and their potential for causing serious illness.
If you test positive for COVID-19:
- Isolate for 5 days.
- After 5 days, you may return to work or classes if you have been fever-free for 24 hours.
- Wear a mask for an additional 5 days around others.
You can notify your instructor or supervisor that you tested positive for COVID-19 or that you have been exposed but it is not required. You should let them know if you will be out sick as you would for any other illness that would cause you to miss class or work time. Masking is optional on campus and in offices, except where required, for example, in certain healthcare-related clinical situations. Again, please respect an individual’s personal choice to wear a face mask.
Important Highlights
Every project, big or small, leads to new experiences and teaching moments that enable us to continue to do what we love – and for that we are so grateful. (Gratitude Statement)
Here are our January highlights you might have missed:
- UH West O‘ahu student fellows ‘amazing examples of young leaders’
- Spring 2025 Convocation marks start of semester for UH West O‘ahu
- UH West Oʻahu band performs at prestigious event
Please provide your feedback on January’s Convocation and Professional Development Day
Here is the link to the survey: https://hawaiiwestoahu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e8wn5VS2ldSiPOu
Survey will close on Monday, Feb. 17.
Here are some helpful links to help you stay informed:
Makahaiwaʻa – Weekly newsletter (emailed to students, faculty, staff on the first business day of each week). Includes weekly highlights, health, and safety reminders, UH System messages, etc.
Ka Puna O Kaloʻi – Online campus news site
Impact Reports – Campus highlights covering topics such as summer bridge programs, workforce development data, etc.
Communications Request Form (for faculty/staff submissions only) – Submit here to publicize events, honors, announcements campuswide.
Current Students – Information for students about registration, financial aid, and support services, among other topics relevant to UH West Oʻahu students.
Faculty/Staff – Information about campus departments, faculty/staff directory, and faculty resources, among other topics relevant to UH West Oʻahu employees.
Here are some dates to put on your calendar:
March 14-15 – E-Sports Tournament
March 17-21 – Spring Break
April 5 – Onizuka Day hosted at UH West Oʻahu
May 2 – Last day of Spring 2025 Instruction
May 10 – Commencement
Hana Lawelawe: On Leadership
I wanted to take a moment to celebrate the brilliant work of so many on our campus and in our communities who will be celebrating this month, Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. There are so many activities that you, your students, your family, and friends can participate. If you get a chance visit with our faculty, staff, and students in our Naūlu Center or spend a moment with Aunty Manu Meyer!
Here is a resource and an opportunity where you can celebrate as well as contribute to help ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi thrive. See Lauleo in English and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi.
Hoʻomanaʻo Mai
FERPA Reminder from the Office of the VP for Academic Strategy
Aloha UH Faculty, Staff, and Administrators:
Welcome to the start of the new semester! The University of Hawaiʻi is responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of student education records and monitoring the release of information from those records, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
UH employees with access to student education records have a legal responsibility to protect the privacy of students by using information only for legitimate educational reasons to instruct, advise, or otherwise assist students. FERPA also assures certain rights to students regarding their education records. These rights do not transfer to parents, guardians, spouses, or other family members without the express written permission of the student.
What is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (also known as the Buckley Amendment), affords students four primary rights with respect to their education
records. They have the right to:
1. Inspect and review their education records;
2. Have some control over the disclosure of information from their education records;
3. Seek to amend incorrect education records;
4. File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office.
Learn more about how FERPA at:
datagov.intranet.hawaii.edu/ferpa/
datagov.intranet.hawaii.edu/ferpa-guidance-for-online-lectures-and-recordings/
Graduate Assistants’ and Student Employees’ Business Contact Information
Graduate assistants’ and student employees’ employment information, including their business contact information, are education records protected under FERPA. Graduate assistants are given the option to publish their business contact information in the UH Faculty/Staff Directory upon hiring and through the semesterly FERPA notice to students. In selected cases where student employees need to disclose their business contact information (e.g., for tutoring services), supervisors need to obtain prior written consent and maintain that consent on file. Form 7, Consent to Disclose Education Records to Third Party from UH Administrative Policy AP7.022 may be used. For further guidance, you or your supervisor may contact the Data Governance Office at datagov@hawaii.edu.
From the Office of the VP for Information & Technology/CIO
Data Privacy and Security Best Practices
Protect your UH username! Reduce the risk of your UH username from being compromised with the following best practices.
Use a unique password for each of your online accounts. When using your UH email and password on a third-party site, your UH login information is at risk. If the third-party site has a data breach, your UH username and password will be compromised. For example, many UH student accounts were exposed through a massive data breach within the education technology company Chegg in 2018. If you require your students to use a third-party application for class assignments, please advise them to create a unique password when signing up for the service.
Never re-use passwords that have been exposed. Once your login information has been exposed, hackers continue to have access to it.
Remain alert for phishing scams: https://www.hawaii.edu/infosec/phishing/
Follow Cyber Hygiene Best Practices: https://www.hawaii.edu/infosec/minimum-standards/cyber-hygiene/
Instructional Third-Party Online Tools
For faculty planning to use online tools in the classroom, check the Instructional Third-Party Online Tools for ITS’s review of the software. If the software you are interested in is not listed, submit an application for review.
Remind students to request deletion of their account and materials when the software product is no longer being used (i.e., when the class is over).
Note the ITS list of Third-Party Online Tools does not apply to units planning to use the tools for administrative purposes. For administrative use, refer to the Decision Tree for Institutional Data.
Instructional Tools with AI Features
Faculty and staff who use generative Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) software tools should be aware that any data inputted may be retained and may be potentially accessible by those models. Unless explicitly stated in the vendor’s terms of service and privacy policies, assume that any data you input becomes public information and could be retained forever. Do not input personally identifiable information (“PII”) and refrain from assigning classwork that requires students to submit PII (about themselves or others) or share data that are copyrighted, confidential, or proprietary.
Refer to the AI Decision Tree for more information. Whenever possible, use tools whose terms have been reviewed by ITS/Data Governance Office such as those listed on the Instructional Third-Party Online Tools or approved through the Data Governance Process (DGP).
Questions?
Email the UH Data Governance Office at datagov@hawaii.edu.
UH GOOGLE AND AI
We are excited to announce the availability of the Google AI Essentials course to all University of Hawaiʻi students and employees. This self-paced online course is designed to help you harness the power of generative AI tools to boost productivity, enhance decision-making, and foster creativity in your daily tasks.
Course Highlights:
- Duration: Complete the course in under 10 hours at your own pace.
- Content: Learn from AI experts at Google through engaging videos, hands-on activities, and practical applications.
- Curriculum Includes:
- Introduction to AI
- Maximizing Productivity with AI Tools
- The Art of Prompt Engineering
- Using AI Responsibly
- Staying Ahead of the AI Curve
Upon successful completion, you will earn a digital badge issued by Credly, which you can showcase on your professional profiles and resumes.
Enrollment Details:
Limited Licenses: The University has secured a limited number of licenses for this course, available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Course Access: Once registered, you will have 30 days to complete the training.
Renewal Option: Three days before your access expires, you will receive a reminder email with the option to renew the license for an additional 30 days.
Access the UH – Google AI Essentials Registration Page and follow the enrollment instructions. This is a valuable opportunity to develop in-demand AI skills and stay ahead in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. For assistance with technical questions, please contact the ITS Web Group at webhead@hawaii.edu.
From the Office of the VP for Research and Innovation
In FY 2024, University of Hawaiʻi faculty, staff, and students have again helped to set another extramural funding record with $615.7 million in total awards, marking the third consecutive year that we have topped over half-a-billion dollars in sponsored research funding. This important funding fuels our continuing goal to create a diversified, knowledge-based economy and workforce through basic research that is transformed into innovations of applied research to help make our islands and world a better place.
However, we are slowly beginning to receive informal communications from sponsoring agencies referring to the possible issuance of “stop work orders” and cancellations of advisory council meetings on certain federally funded research and education programs. The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) is in the process of inquiring with our federal contacts to help assess the overall impact this will have on UH’s federally supported programs. Unfortunately, there is considerable uncertainty currently surrounding the federal budget and its potential impact on research funding at UH and other institutions.
At this juncture, it is important to not overreact to the unknown and to “stay the course” until the situation unfolds. Most of the current freezes are only expected to be temporary as the new administration gets staff into place. Faculty are encouraged to continue to prepare and submit their federal proposals as usual until more information becomes available. To help our researchers and staff stay informed and up to date on this ever-evolving situation, we have created a page on the OVPRI website at https://research.hawaii.edu/new-administration-federal-funding-updates/.
We would also like to ask our PI’s to report any information that they receive from federal agencies that impacts their programs to Victoria Rivera, Assistant Vice President for Research Administration and Compliance, at riveravg@hawaii.edu. As we work together to navigate this uncertain and challenging federal funding landscape, our combined and coordinated efforts will help to maintain and advance the dedicated efforts of the UH research enterprise.