UH President commencement cancellation announced at unique regents meeting

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Dan Meisenzahl , (808) 348-4936
Spokesperson, UH Communications
Posted: Mar 19, 2020

UH Board of Regents was held via video teleconference
UH Board of Regents was held via video teleconference
Pres. Lassner provided an update on the response by the 10-campus UH system to the COVID-19 crisis
Pres. Lassner provided an update on the response by the 10-campus UH system to the COVID-19 crisis

LINK TO VIDEO AND SOUND (details below): https://bit.ly/3deG2wj

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY: http://go.hawaii.edu/wrA 

WHO—University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents, UH President David Lassner 

WHAT— Lassner provided an update on the response by the 10-campus UH System to the COVID-19 health crisis, including the decision to cancel traditional commencement ceremonies. The monthly board meeting was held via video teleconference as an alternative form of participation in accordance with Governor David Ige’s supplementary proclamation to conduct business consistent with social distancing practices. 

WHERE—Honolulu Community College and various locations across the state via teleconference. 

WHEN— Thursday, March 19, 2020 - 9:45 a.m. 

OTHER FACTS:

  • Lassner updated the regents on multiple topics including the decision to move to online delivery of courses across the 10-campus UH system, beginning Monday, March 23, the first day of instruction after spring break, for the remainder of the semester.

  • Other topics covered included why UH is committed to completing the spring semester, maintaining key operations and employees, who are able, working remotely from home.

  • Decisions on alternatives to commencement ceremonies will be made by the individual campuses with some looking at the possibility of rescheduling.

  • The regents and administrators practiced social distancing during the meeting and were able to continue to do the work of the board and the university. 

VIDEO BROLL (1 minute, 40 seconds)

  • Board of Regents meeting

  • Regents attend via video conference call

  • File: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa commencement 

  • File: Kauaʻi Community College commencement 

  • File: Leeward Community College commencement 

  • File: University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo commencement 

  • Generic shot of University of Hawaiʻi 

  • Faculty in classroom  

SOUNDBITES: 

David Lassner, President, University of Hawaiʻi (12 seconds) 

“UH is one of the great universities in this world. We will not only survive, we will succeed and we will come out of this better than we were before.”

Lassner (7 seconds)

“After this crisis we will be a very different place than we were before it. Our graduates will be the cornerstone of that new Hawaiʻi.”