Regents formally endorse Hawai'i Graduation Initiative

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Jodi Leong, (808) 956-9437
Dir of Communications, External Affairs and University Relations
Posted: Oct 1, 2013

The University of Hawai’i Board of Regents formally endorsed the Hawai’i Graduation Initiative (HGI) and the university’s strategies for achieving its goals, at its September board meeting at the University of Hawai’i West O’ahu.

The HGI’s primary goal is to increase the number of UH graduates by 25 percent by 2015.  This would mean awarding 10,500 degrees/certificates in 2015 compared to the 8,804 awarded in 2008-09.

The University of Hawai’i has already seen significant increases in graduation rates since the initiative was formally launched in 2010:

     In 2010-11    8,988 degrees awarded      8.4 percent increase 

     In 2011-12    9,628 degrees awarded      7.1 percent increase

     In 2012-13   10,001degrees awarded      3.9 percent increase

Source: Banner Operational Data Store (ODS) IRO_DEGREE

Increasing the number of graduates in Hawai’i is critical because it is estimated that 65 percent of jobs in Hawai’i will require some college education or more by 2018, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.

"This was recommended to the board by the board's Academic Affairs Committee which thoroughly examined all strategies the system is employing. This is the sort of strategic effort that a public university should be making toward the future of its state, and a perfect example of the board's role in setting broad policy to benefit future generations," Board of Regents Chair John Holzman said.

"The campuses have been committed to increasing the number of graduates and have been meeting the goals. The Board's formal endorsement is a validation of the path we are already on and the good work that has been accomplished to date. The HGI was put in place because the state of Hawaiʻi needs more educated citizens and the university is committed to meeting that need,” said Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Linda Johnsrud.

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