UH Board of Regents Approve Establishment of Two New Associate Degrees at Kapiolani Community College

The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) at its monthly meeting held today at Honolulu Community College (HCC) granted Kapiʻolani Community College (KCC) approval to establish an associate in science degree in exercise and sport science and an extension of provision status for the certificate of achievement in exercise and sport science. The approval of this degree was necessitated by the growing interest in the area of health and fitness in our state as well as the growing number of facilities, organizations, and professionals dedicated to this industry.

KCC also received approval to establish an associate in science degree for educational paraprofessionals. This degree has been designed in collaboration with the Hawai'i Department of Education (DOE) to meet the demands of the "No Child Left Behind" act which mandates that educational assistants must have adequate qualifications by 2006 to ensure quality education for children served in schools receiving Title I funds. One of the options to meet this requirement, as outlined by the DOE, is an associate in arts or science degree.

In addition, the BOR approved subcontracts for the design, preparation, and construction of the Institute for Astronomy‘s Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (Pan-STARRS project). This project is a five-year construction program to develop and deploy telescopes and a data management system which will provide an extremely comprehensive all-sky digital survey.

In other action, the BOR approved the appointment of Neal Smatresk to the position of UH Mānoa vice chancellor for academic affairs. Currently Smatresk serves as dean of the College of Sciences at the University of Texas at Arlington. Please see separate release for more information.

The regents also approved the appointment of Andrew Rossiter as director of the UH Waikiki Aquarium. Rossiter currently resides in Kusatsu, Japan where he is senior research scientist and deputy chief of the aquarium exhibition section at Lake Biwa Museum. Please see separate release for more information.

In addition, Interim Vice President of Planning and Policy Linda Johnsrud was named acting chancellor for UH West Oʻahu through December 2004 or until the position is filled on a permanent basis. Current UH West Oʻahu Chancellor Bill Pearman announced his retirement in October 2003 and will step down March 1, 2004.

Finally, pursuant to BOR policy of an in-depth third-year evaluation, the regents agreed on a process to complete the review of President Evan Dobelle. A task force consisting of Regents Byron Bender, Myron Yamasato, Trent Kakuda, and Jane Tatibouet and chaired by Regent Kitty Lagareta will facilitate the board evaluation process. They have been authorized to hire outside consultants if necessary.