Ka Pe‘ahi Lono: Monthly Message for May 2025

UH 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!

In this month’s Ka Peʻahi Lono, we feature information about our 2025 Annual Commencement, a rousing “Mahalo!” gathering for retiring Dr. Ross Prizzia (nearly 50 years of service and a member of the first faculty of our campus), and a highlight from Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Harald Barkhoff and his “Howzit!” videos. So, please do take a moment to scroll through the final Ka Peʻahi Lono for the Academic Year 2024-25 (next one will be coming your way, August 2025).

First, mahalo nūnui kākou for all your efforts to strengthen the ʻupena (net) that links us all as we work to uplift our students and the communities we serve. There is much that has been accomplished! Here is a short list:

• We now have a revitalized Enrollment Management Team and Strategy – a playbook that we are working with daily.
• Under the skillful leadership of Executive Director of Strategic Directions, Assessment, and Accreditation Jessica Miranda and our assessment coordinators we have established a comprehensive accreditation and assessment process across all academic and non-academic units that align with our campus strategic imperatives, UH System Strategic Imperatives, WSCUC Standards, and professional program assessments. Through our use of the Weave software we now have a powerful tool for assessment and accreditation purposes and are able to use this tool to support our comprehensive effort (with UH West Oʻahu IR) to critically use date for improvment, reporting, and marketing.
• Each of our units — Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Administration — have increased their efficiency, are working on closing loops, and setting objectives for the next level of work.
• Finally, we are still working to increase on-campus student engagement to include in-person classes, conferences, workshops, and special events.

Indeed, there has been a good deal of productive work by directors, division chairs, lead faculty, and staff across all our units. While the work is on-going, let’s remember to celebrate our daily baby-step achievements.

Celebrating Dr. Ross Prizzia! 

You are invited to celebrate with colleagues, alumni, family, and friends Ross’s nearly 50 years of service to UH West Oʻahu!
Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2025
Time: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Place: C-225
RSVP for the party here. Sign up for the potluck here.

2025 Annual Commencement

Commencement is this Saturday, May 10! Time to celebrate the accomplishments of our brilliant graduates! This Commencement will again be celebrated at the SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center on the campus of UH Mānoa — we will bring our special west-side spirit and flair. Iʻll see YOU there!

Hereʻs a graduation reminder and update:

Some details to remember:

• Parking is free for everyone.
• Volunteers arrive at 6 a.m. for check-in and assignments. Volunteer breakfast available between 6 and 7 a.m.
• 7:45 a.m. Student Candidates begin to arrive and check in
• 8 a.m. Check-in for ALL faculty participating in the procession. Breakfast available to you and our VIPs/guests from 8 to 8:45 a.m. in the Edwin Wong Suite
• 8:45 a.m. EVERYONE begins lineup for procession
• 9 to 10:30 a.m. Ceremony
• 10:45 a.m. to noon Lei Giving at Ching Field

We’re delighted to present a celebration of our graduates’ accomplishments with lei-giving festivities at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex (football stadium) following the commencement program. Additionally, we are pleased to feature TWO student speakers, Tanya P. Pio, BA PUBA – General Public Administration and Matthew I. Schaefer, BS Cyber – Cyber Operations who will share their inspirational stories about their respective journeys. Our faculty marshals are Dr. Rebecca Romine and Dr. Ross Prizzia. And, at this commencement, Ross Prizzia will deliver the salutation from the faculty (everyone from 1976 to today).

We’re excited for our candidates for graduation and are grateful for our faculty, ambassador volunteers, and all those who will contribute to making this a memorable and uplifting experience for all. Check out our FAQs for Annual Commencement, for information on directions, parking, and what you can/cannot bring into the arena. Tickets and parking passes are NOT a requirement for this commencement.

Email uhwograd@hawaii.edu if you have any questions.

E ʻeleu mai ʻoukou! Step lively, let’s move together!

ANNOUNCEMENT – PLEASE CALENDAR:

Fall 2025 Convocation
DATE: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025
TIME: 8:30 a.m. to noon
ROOM: C-208

Morning coffee, tea, water, and snacks
Healthy lunch bento

Please scroll through this May Ka Peʻahi Lono to the Hoʻomanaʻo Mai section. There are several important reminders and a short list of summer campus repair and maintenance efforts.

Wishing you all good summer thoughts and adventures!

E mālama pono!
Maenette Benham, Chancellor

Important Highlights

Spring Impact Report

This semester’s Mo‘olelo Ho‘okō, Kupulau 2025 (Impact Report, Spring 2025), features the work of our federally-funded grants.

April’s Headlines

Check out a few of the articles featured in Ka Puna O Kaloʻi:

• Onizuka Day at UH West Oʻahu welcomes thousands
• UH West O‘ahu receives $2M grant award from Department of Justice
• Students present at math ed research conference in Texas

New Carnegie Classification

The new Carnegie Classification is out. John Stanley, Director of our Institutional Research office explains that the updated Carnegie Classifications provide a new framework for understanding the range of institutional missions and student outcomes across higher education. The Institutional Research Office plans to conduct a peer analysis using these classifications to gain deeper insight into institutional context, student success, and post-graduate earnings. This analysis will inform our strategic planning and enrollment management efforts.

UH West Oʻahu’s institutional classification was designated as “Professions-focused Baccalaureate Medium,” meaning that the majority of degrees are awarded in fields that are classified as pre-professional or career-aligned. This designation includes 53 institutions nationwide and replaces UH West Oʻahu’s previous designation of Baccalaureate Diverse Fields. UH West Oʻahu also earned a “Higher Access, Medium Earnings” in the first-ever student access and earnings classification.

Health and Well-Being Reminder

“An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.”
– Unknown

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!

Student Services
If you need to seek help during this uncertain time please reach out to UH West Oʻahu Mental Health Services. You are not alone! If you are interested in free mental health services, available for all UH West Oʻahu students, please email uhwotalk@hawaii.edu today. Individual treatment begins with an intake that helps us formulate a wellness plan tailored to your needs.

Faculty Services
Should you need support during this confusing and unpredictable time of change please reach out to UH West Oʻahu Human Resources.

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.

Hana Lawelawe: On Leadership

Featuring the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs’ “Howzit?”

Email interview with VC Barkhoff:

Q: Who thought of this? You?
A: The credit for the idea of “Howzit?” really needs to go to Dr. Don Betz, my mentor in the Academy for New Provost program put on by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). In one of our monthly meetings, we discussed the importance of communication and ways that I could improve my efforts by adding a layer of communication with a new method of delivery. Therefore, the purpose of “Howzit?” has never been to replace any existing methods of sharing information – such as newsletters – but rather to add a form that hopefully is uplifting, informative, collaborative, and fun. It’s basically meant as a quick check in and sharing of “What’s going on?” “What’s up?” “Howzit?”

I truly appreciate the work of (Director, Academy for Creative Media UH West Oʻahu) Sharla’s team of staff and students who produce and direct those videos This showcases the amazing work they are doing and the level of learning and training that is happening to prepare our students for their future jobs.

Q: Is it having the impact you anticipated?
A: The feedback so far has been extremely positive. Even people who have been with UH West Oʻahu for several years reported enjoying learning about other units within Academic Affairs and our campus. Sometimes, simply putting a face to some of the work that’s being done, learning about some “fun facts”, enjoying the success stories of faculty and staff makes a good impression. I have to say that in particular, it is the stories of our students that are the best. New members of our Academic Affairs ʻohana learned so much about our campus through their participation – introducing themselves and what they do through these videos.

Q: Will you continue to do this monthly news videos?
A: Yes, we are committed to continue to deliver Howzit? monthly during the academic year, and mahalo all the people who contribute to it. It is truly collaborative in nature.

Click to catch up on “Howzit?”

Hoʻomanaʻo Mai

Urgent Reminder from Human Resources

The annual Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment (COI) disclosures are reported and reviewed in an online form through Kuali Build. Please see below for general questions related to the Annual COI process.

By what date must I complete the COI form?

Deadline to complete the online COI form is May 15, 2025.

Who is required to complete the Annual COI form?

UH employees (faculty and staff, including Casual Hires) are required to complete the form. The following types of employees are NOT required to complete the annual disclosure:

– Student employees (through SECE)
– Graduate Assistants
– Non-compensated faculty
– UPW employees in Bargaining Unit 01 (blue collar)
– RCUH employees, or employees from other non-UH organizations
– Employees involved in research who have already completed the rCOI form

How do I access the form?

The link to the COI form is https://hawaii.kualibuild.com/app/63f54434e91d5f82e127a434/run (If link does not work, copy and paste this URL into your browser)
Guides for submitters and approvers, as well as FAQ’s addressing the process, may be found at the OHR website.

For more information and definitions, refer to University of Hawai’i Administrative Procedure 5.504, “Procedures for Disclosing Conflicts of Interest and Commitment.”

Please email systemhr@hawaii.edu with any questions.

Hawaiʻi Foodbank Food Drive

The Hawaiʻi Foodbank has kicked off its Annual State Employees Food Drive, which runs through May 9, 2025. The issue of hunger continues to be a major challenge facing our community, affecting those most vulnerable among us, and the University of Hawai‘i (UH) ʻohana is not immune from this issue.

According to The State of Food Insecurity in Hawai‘i 2023 study conducted by the Hawai‘i Foodbank, the issue of food insecurity certainly hits home for many of our students. The study found that 49% of young adults ages 18-29 were most affected by food insecurity, and concurrently, 44% of those currently enrolled in higher education were food insecure. Throughout the years, the Hawai‘i Foodbank has distributed food to the various campus food pantries across the University of Hawai‘i (UH) System, with 819,082 pounds of food distributed, so a donation to the Hawai‘i Foodbank is a donation to help those in our student population and others needing assistance and support.

Hawai‘i Foodbank’s state employees food drive’s goal this year is to raise $167,000 and 50,000 pounds of food (which would provide food for 500,000 meals).

The top 5 most wanted items:

• Financial contributions
• Canned healthy proteins
• Canned meals
• Canned vegetables or fruits
• Rice (5-10 lb. bags)

Please note that monetary donations are also being accepted via the Hawaiʻi Foodbank’s Online Donation page.

In 2024, UH employees accounted for over $53,000 and over 11,900 pounds of food for the Hawaiʻi Foodbank (which provided food for more than 125,666 meals), making UH one of the largest contributors among all State offices.

We look forward to continuing the UH’s long tradition of support for the Hawaiʻi Foodbank.
Please take a moment to consider contributing to assist those who are most in need.
Information about this year’s Food Drive can be found at http://www.hawaii.edu/offices/president/foodbank.

Mahalo!
University of Hawaiʻi

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.

– 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