Chancellor's Update
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Aloha!
In the natural rhythm of the academic year, the end of spring semester and May commencement are times of transition. This is an opportunity to celebrate the end of a successful school year and to consider all we have accomplished thus far. Of course, it is also a time to wonder how the year slipped by so quickly! And, as always, it’s a time to look forward to bigger and better opportunities in the year ahead.
As you will read in this update, our faculty, staff, and students continue to distinguish themselves through teaching, research, and service. The 3,000 students who received their degrees this month are now our alumni and move on to another phase in their lives with a lifelong connection to UH Mānoa.
This term we welcomed new leadership, Dean Jerris Hedges, to the School of Medicine. We're moving forward in securing leadership for Academic Affairs and our new School of Hawaiian Knowledge, as well as defining the needs and process for securing a dean for Arts & Sciences and the best path for reorganization.
Our flagship campus continues to serve as a dynamic and critically important institution for our state—full of learning and research opportunities in many academic areas, ranging from scientific to cultural to artistic. We can all be proud as we begin our second century of greatness. Mahalo for all of your many contributions to UH Mānoa.
In this Update:
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News from the State Capitol
Now that the most recent legislative session has drawn to a close, I am pleased to report additional resource allocations for infrastructure and other improvements including:
- Health and safety
- Women's locker rooms—Title IX
- Energy conservation modifications
- New classroom building
- Campus Center renovation
- Cooke Field
- Les Murakami Stadium
- Regional biocontainment laboratory
The Legislature also allocated $58 million system-wide towards repairs and maintenance. This is more than half of the $97 million we initially requested. In this era of declining revenues, this represents a substantial recognition of the challenges we face.
We also received significant allocations for our libraries, campus security, and counseling services. However, much like other state agencies, we received a a four percent cut in our base state budget which will require us to engage in campus-wide reprogramming. The Mânoa Executive Team is currently studying how best to address this cut and we welcome your input in the process.
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UH Mānoa at 100
 The university’s centennial will officially conclude during Homecoming this October. This year's Homecoming celebration will feature a week-long series of events culminating with the Hawai`i vs. Louisiana Tech game on Saturday, October 11. Look for more updates in the fall.
In addition, be sure to check out the May issue of UH System's Mālamalama. This edition features a special Mānoa at 100 insert. What a century it has been!
Download Mānoa at 100 (PDF)
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U.S.News & World Report Ranks Graduate Programs
The Richardson School of Law, the College of Education and the Library and Information Science program are ranked among the best in "America’s Best Graduate Schools" 2009 edition. The School of Law moved up in national rankings to the top 100. The College of Education remains as one of the top 100 teacher preparation schools in the nation. The Library and Information Science program is rated among the top 50.
For these and other important facts about UH Mānoa, visit our Facts & Statistics webpage.
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Electrical Usage Reduced
One of our major challenges—both environmentally and fiscally—is the increasing cost of utilities. I am pleased to report Facilities Management reduced electrical usage for the UH Mānoa campus for the third consecutive fiscal year—by three percent from the year before down to 108 million kWh. This represents a total net reduction of 10.2 percent from the 2004 high of 121 million kWh.
Facilities Management continues to implement mechanical upgrades and improved management techniques of chilled water distribution systems to achieve these impressive savings. We can all do our part to reduce energy use by "managing" our own immediate environments—turning out lights, turning off computers and other energy-using devices when they are not in use.
As part of the Sustainability Council's Kill A Watt Campaign, I'm including their top ten list for cutting UH Mānoa's electrical bill. Mahalo for your good work!
Top 10 Ways To Reduce Electricity
- Turn Off computers, printers, copiers, and lights at night and on weekends. If you need to leave the hardrive on, be sure to turn off your monitor and printer
- Turn Off all personal lighting at night and on weekends
- Turn Off all unnecessary hallway lighting
- Turn Off overhead lights if you're the last to leave a room (including bathrooms)
- Close doors to air-conditioned classrooms, particularly doors open to non-air-conditioned areas
- Use natural daylight instead of overhead lighting
- Use energy-saving options on computers, printers, and other electrical equipment
- Use stairs—exercise your legs not the elevator
- Use department refrigerators instead of personal units
- Use Energy Star approved products whenever possible
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Mānoa Makeover
Our Mānoa Makeover initiative moves ahead aggressively with major and long overdue construction projects at Hamilton Library and Campus Center. Landscaping and other improvements at the Varsity Gate entryway are creating some buzz among our neighbors in Mō`ili`ili. The nearly-completed twin towers at Frear Hall and the refurbished dining room at Gateway House will add a new dimension to student life.
The Varsity Gate project is funded by a grant from the State Department of Land and Natural Resources Urban Forestry program, the Chancellor’s Office, and by contributions of plants from the UH Mānoa Landscaping department. We hope to recognize the completion of Phase One during Homecoming Week.
We do owe thanks to the State Legislature for their support in making these changes happen, particularly in view of the many demands on state funds.
If you are interested in organizing your own Mānoa Makeover project, visit the Mānoa Makeover website to learn how you can make a difference. We welcome and encourage your active participation in our shared effort to make our university a destination of choice. Be sure to let us know if you need Mānoa Makeover t-shirts for your team!
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Website Redesign
This summer we plan to launch the first phase of the redesigned university website at www.manoa.hawaii.edu.The goal of this project is to make the website more user-friendly, improve accessibility, and streamline the navigation.
To ensure this website is better suited for all of our audiences, we will conduct user testing with student, faculty, staff, and external user groups. If you are interested in participating, please email manoaweb@hawaii.edu.
If you have comments or suggestions about areas you would like to see improved, use our feedback form. You can comment anonymously if you wish.
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Congratulations to...
UH Mānoa faculty, staff, and students have a proud record of accomplishments. Here are a few reported recently in the media:
A $5 million gift by the Clarence T. C. Ching Foundation to enhance the athletic facilities was widely reported in our local media. Read the full story.
Newsweek reported on UH Mānoa research regarding a papaya genome that could be used to prevent future food crises. Read the full story, which was also featured in the London Telegraph, Nature News, Reuters, and other news media.
Francois Paquay, a geology graduate student, is featured in a Los Angeles Times story for his discovery that the asteroid responsible for killing the dinosaurs was smaller than originally thought. Read the full story.
The Honolulu Star Bulletin reported on the work of Architecture students who are offering their sustainable-design expertise to help Mala `Ai Opio Organic Farm to expand. Read the full story.
SOEST researchers are featured on the May cover of Nature Geoscience. Their study supports the theory that before fossil fuels the Earth’s minerals kept carbon dioxide levels naturally balanced.
The story was also published in ABC News, Science Daily, and others.
James Mak, professor of economics, is the author of a new book, Developing a Dream Destination: Tourism and Tourism Policy Planning in Hawaii. Published by UH Press, the book was recently featured in Pacific Business News. Read the full story.
The American Association of Museums (AAM) recently recognized the UH Mānoa Art Gallery with two national awards for the catalog and educational website for its "Excelling the Work of Heaven: Personal Adornment from China" exhibition. For more information, visit the "Excelling the Work of Heaven" website.
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