Ka Pe‘ahi Lono: Monthly Message for September
Date/Time sent: 09/06/2023 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!
Welina!!
How wonderful to greet so many students, faculty, and staff (and visitors) to campus! I spent a couple mornings greeting folks to campus the first week of the semester – maybe it was the candy I was sharing – but there were so many happy, vibrant faces! Mahalo again to each of you for generating the learning “buzz” on-campus. It’s wonderful to feel the body heat!
For those who missed the Fall Convocation, view what you missed.
This month we celebrate AANAPISI Week 2023 (Sept. 25 to Oct. 1). As an AANAPISI (Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander) institution we must raise awareness and advocacy for our students, faculty, and communities we serve. This is especially important during this critical time of federal funding policymaking decisions and conversations around access and equity in higher education. We started AANAPISI “month” with the Okinawa Festival held this past Labor Day Weekend In Honolulu (lots of great activities, crafts and cultural presentations, and food and dance!!).
Here, on campus, we are hosting – it opened Tuesday, Sept. 5 – the traveling exhibit, “Himeyuri and Hawaii” an educational initiative of the Himeyuri Peace Museum, the Himeyuri Peace Resource Center, and the Okinawa Prefecture. It will be at our library through Jan. 31, 2024!! This is an exhibit you do not want to miss!! We will host other events this month, so watch the weekly bulletin!
Please scroll through this lengthy Kepakemapa Ka Peʻahi Lono from the Highlights through to the Hoʻomanaʻo Mai sections. You will find the following messages: a health (COVID) reminder; a link to the Summer Kūlana o Kapolei Newsletter; “Student’s First” reminders and an overview of services offered by our Noʻeau Center; an invitation to attend an Assessment Workshop as well as a link to view a PBS Special on Disaster Preparedness; and finally some important messages from the UH System.
Wishing you all a dynamic and fun beginning to the Fall 2023 Semester!
“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!
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. UH West Oʻahu updated our COVID-19 Guidelines for the Fall 2023 semester.
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
Here are our August highlights you might have missed:
- Campus leaders look ahead to new academic year, strategic planning
- UH West Oʻahu faculty and lecturer honored with teaching awards
- Exhibition from peace museum in Okinawa coming to UH West Oʻahu
- UH West Oʻahu awarded NSF grant for project to develop high-quality math teachers
- UH West Oʻahu welcomes Fall 2023 with Convocation and Professional Development Day
- UH West Oʻahu first-year students welcomed at Lā Pūnua event
Here is the Kūlana o Kapolei Newsletter for Summer 2023.
Hana Lawelawe: On Leadership
Aunty Lynette Paglinawan once shared that in traditional Hawaiian society the kumu loea (a skilled person/expert) were our kahuna, warriors, and chiefs. Today, many recognize that the kumu loea are the leaders and teachers of the lāhui who have (and continue) to make extraordinary contributions to the preservation and perpetuation of Hawaiian culture, moʻolelo, history, language,traditional and customary practices, and so much more. Recently published by the University of Hawaiʻi Press, Ka Māno Wai, is a collection of moʻolelo from fourteen kumu loea (expert teachers) to include: Aunty Lynette Kaʻopuiki Paglinawan, Gordon ʻUmi Kai, Kekuni Blaisdell, Claire Kuʻuleilani Huges, Eric Michael Enos, Sarah Patricia ʻIlialoha Ayat Keahi, Kamanaʻopono M. Crabbe, Linda Kaleoʻokalani Paik, Jonathan Kay Kamakawiwoʻole Osorio, Sharon Leinaʻala Bright, Keola Kawaiʻulaʻiiliahi Chan, Charles Sonny Kaulukukui III, Jerry Walker, and Melody Kapilialoha MacKenzie.
I encourage you to borrow or purchase this book, as it is richly informative and delightful to read. You will find yourself singing playfully with Jon Osorio’s “Hawaiian Eyes” while learning about the power of the words and melody. In another section of the book youʻll come face-to-face with a warriorʻs life and how that is connected to health and social justice. Indeed the beautiful voices of women leaders, practitioners, and kumu speaks to the momona/the fullness and abundance that surrounds us all! The three co-authors who interviewed and wrote each vignette are insightful and coherent in their understanding of the knowledge that is being shared. Noreen Mokuau, S. Kukunaokalā Yoshimoto, and Dr. Kathryn Braun wrote, “We began with a belief in and a commitment to preserve ancestral practices that may advance health and social justice for Native Hawaiians and others. Throughout the process, we deepened our appreciation for the role of these and all kumu loea in preserving, practicing, and transmitting Hawaiian knowledge. As we evolved in our understanding of Hawaiian culture, past and present, we gained new insights that will continue to inform our teaching, research, and service. We hope you will be inspired, as we were, by the stories of the kumu loea and will join us in continuing to search for cultural answers for health and social justice. E hoʻomau ana kākou (let us persevere).”
Hoʻomanao Mai
Students First
Supporting student success while adhering to Federal regulations, the Faculty Verification of Non-Participation report helps our institution to comply with the UH System Executive Policy 7.209 certifying student attendance and participation in class by the end of the late registration period. Additionally, your reporting of students who are not participating in class (No-Show) helps our institution to comply with USDOE Title IV financial aid policy to identify the first day of academic engagement and the last day of engagement for students receiving financial aid. Note: Compliance is required to ensure we can continue to award our student’s federal financial aid. For step-by-step instructions on how to certify through the Instructor Support App, please visit Participation Verification for Faculty.
DUE: Part of Term I (08/21/23-12/08/23) verification and certifications needed to be submitted between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5, 2023. For all other Part of Term courses, the deadlines are displayed above each of your class rosters in the Instructor Support App.
Reminder: E Ala Pono information
Through the E Ala Pono Academic Progress Campaign, faculty are able to partner with our campus resources (Advising, Counseling, and the Noʻeau Center) to support the success of our students.
In the E Ala Pono cycle, faculty observe and interact with students and when behaviors or concerns arise (in the 3rd, and 7th week), the faculty may complete the progress update, which notifies both the student and the academic support area of concerns. A representative (Advisor, Mentor or Counselor, etc.) will reach out to connect with the student to create a success plan.
Progress Update 1: Sept. 5 – 11 (closes at 11:55 p.m.)
Progress Update 2: Oct. 9 – 18 (closes at 11:55 p.m.)
For questions, email uhwoeap@hawaii.edu.
No’eau Center Services
The No‘eau Center offers services to help students improve their overall academic performance. For more information, please reach out!
Current Location: A224
Permanent Location: B203
Virtual Front Desk: bit.ly/noeaucenter
Website: https://westoahu.hawaii.edu/noeaucenter/
Phone: 808-689-2750
Email: uhwowc@hawaii.edu
Tutoring. Free peer tutoring is available on-campus and through Zoom for writing, math, statistics, accounting, and more, and via email for writing. Tutoring can benefit students at all levels to strengthen their skills as they progress through their courses. Click here to read more.
Share our services with your class! Connecting with campus resources helps students succeed. Consider requesting a 5-10 minute Zoom or in-person class visit to ensure students are aware of Noʻeau services. Submit a request for a class visit here. For asynchronous classes, this video can be shared with students to provide an overview of No’eau Center services. The video is followed by an 8-question quiz if you’d like students to show proof of completion.
The No’eau Center seeks peer tutors! Our greatest need is always for strong writers from all majors. Application materials can be found here.
Supplement course content with in-class and online streaming workshops. Accessible, asynchronous workshops are available online 24/7. Designed to support student skill building in a variety of areas, workshops are linked to Google Forms quizzes that prompt students to practice and reflect on strategies covered. Quizzes can also be used to show proof of completion. Here are some of the topics for the newer workshops we’ve launched:
How to Understand a Syllabus
Building a Successful Resume
Soft Skills Shorts Workshop Series
Click here to learn more. Workshops can also be presented in class (via Zoom or in-person). Instructors can submit a request here.
Test proctoring. Test Proctoring Services are available both in-person/on-campus and remote via Zoom. Visit the Disability Services page for more information and clarification on ADA test accommodations by clicking here. For more information, stop by the No‘eau Center’s virtual front desk, visit our website, email uhwotest@hawaii.edu, or call 808-689-2752.
Why Assessment?
All Faculty and Staff are invited to join us for the 2nd Friday’s Assessment Workshop Series. Throughout the workshop series we will engage in professional learning about assessment topics. Our first session, focused on bringing common sense to assessment, will be co-led by Dr. Cathy Ikeda and Dr. Manulani Meyer, in collaboration with Dr. Jessica Miranda.
Date: Friday, Sept. 8, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Location: Nāulu Center, C129
Sustainability and Disaster Preparedness
PBS Hawaii, there was a comprehensive 90-minute conversation on disaster preparedness where a number of these key issues were discussed, which featured Dr. Albie Miles.
UH System Messages
Messages From the Office of the Vice President for Academic Programs and Policy
Associate VP Alan Rosenfeld on FERPA, Data Privacy and Security
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/
Data Privacy and Security Best Practices
Protect your UH email account! Reduce the risk of your UH username and password from being compromised with the following cyber hygiene best practices.
Do not use your UH username and password when establishing other accounts. If you are required to use your UH username to verify you are a UH employee, then be sure to use a different password. Duplicating your UH login information is a security risk because if the third party has a data breach, your UH username and password will be compromised. For example, many UH student accounts have been 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 unique account credentials.
Never re-use passwords that have been exposed. Once your login information has been exposed, hackers continue to have access to them.
Do not share your UH username and password with others. Keep your UH credentials confidential.
Check whether your UH email has been exposed.
https://haveibeenpwned.com/
Remain alert for phishing scams.
https://www.hawaii.edu/infosec/phishing/
Best Practices involving Third Party Software/Services (including online tools used in the classroom)
If students or other users need to create an account, inform them to not use their UH username and password, if possible. Mirroring credentials poses a security risk. Do not forget about your data after a contract or subscription ends, especially if there is Sensitive or Regulated data (https://datagov.intranet.hawaii.edu/institutional-data-classification-levels/) involved. Remind students or other users to delete their account and materials when the software product is no longer being used (e.g., when the class is over).
Questions?
Email the UH Data Governance Office at datagov@hawaii.edu.
VP Debora Halbert on AI Models (ChatGPT)
The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) models such as ChatGPT over the past year is rapidly changing the nature of higher education as we know it. This message is intended to provide instructors across the UH System with guidance as well as access to resources as the first day of the fall semester quickly approaches. The Office of the Vice President for Academic Strategy has been evaluating the situation with the Council of Chief Academic Officers while monitoring the approaches of other colleges and universities across the nation. First, please be aware that the UH System does not intend to create a system-wide policy on artificial intelligence currently.
Rather, our office recognizes the academic expertise instructors possess in their disciplines and seeks to provide guidance as you establish parameters on the use of generative AI models appropriate to your discipline and specific courses. We also believe that artificial intelligence, when used responsibly and effectively, can augment, and improve classroom learning and the student experience in general.
Please visit the University’s new AI faculty and staff guidance website for further information and resources, including sets of sample AI icons and AI statements for you to include in your syllabus, or adapt as you deem appropriate. No matter what parameters you choose for your class, it is essential to communicate them clearly to your students so that they are aware of the expectations you have set.
Thank you for your cooperation and best of luck in your journey into a new academic year and a rapidly evolving academic reality.
Message from UH System IT, Garret T. Yoshimi, VPIT & CIO
Several significant efforts are in-flight that will impact our system-wide services.
- Google’s imposition of institutional storage quotas last year (i.e., no more unlimited free storage) will be enforced by Google on UH starting January 29, 2024. We continue to work on changes to Google@UH accounts and shared drives to help bring us into compliance with the new Google institutional caps. To see how you may be impacted and for help reviewing and reducing your storage usage, please visit our Google@UH Storage Limitations and Quotas article.
- Federal regulations now in effect require that we mandate Duo multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all UH accounts, beginning October 2. For more information, please visit our MFA Requirement article.
- Phishing campaigns continue to target a broad range of UH accounts, with break-in attempts becoming increasingly successful. UH implemented additional security protections on email accounts using the Proofpoint product.
- And finally, we have begun evaluating Learning Management System (LMS) alternatives to replace Laulima (UH’s implementation of the Sakai LMS).
For more details on these efforts, please check out our service updates and announcements, and take full advantage of the range of services that we offer the UH community, including 24/7 phone and online access to our ITS Help Desk. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding UH’s information technology services, please feel free to drop me a note at gyoshimi@hawaii.edu. You can also contact the ITS Help Desk at help@hawaii.edu, or (808) 956-8883.