UH Board of Regents Approve Establishment of Graduate Certificate Program in Museum Studies

The University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR) at its monthly meeting held today at Leeward Community College (LCC) granted UH Mānoa approval to establish a graduate certificate program in museum studies in the Department of American Studies in the College of Arts and Humanities. Currently there are approximately 97 museums and cultural centers that are registered as members of the Hawaiʻi Museum Association yet Hawaiʻi has no museum training program. Establishing this program will provide graduate training in museum studies for students enrolled in graduate degree programs such as art, American studies, history, and botany. It will seek to fill a critical need for well-trained museum staff, docents, and board of directors or trustees. It is anticipated that approximately 15 students will enroll annually.

Kauaʻi Community College (Kauaʻi CC) and LCC both received BOR approval of their newly revised mission statements and strategic plans for 2003-2010. The mission statements of both community colleges are closely aligned with the common purpose of the UH system which is "…to serve the public by creating, preserving, and transmitting knowledge in a multicultural environment." Kauaʻi CC and LCC can now present their missions to the accrediting agency of the community colleges, the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

In addition, the Board approved the overarching campaign themes developed for the UH Centennial Campaign. The University of Hawai'i Foundation (UHF) embarked on an extensive planning process to align the UH Centennial Campaign with the system-wide objectives set forth in the strategic plan. Over the past 18 months, UHF engaged academic leadership, faculty, alumni and friends throughout the 10 campuses in the campaign planning and priority setting process to identify funding themes and opportunities for the campaign.

In other board action, the task group on graphic identity for the University of Hawaiʻi recommended a process for the selection of a professional designer and/or firm to design a graphic identity for the university system. The process will include a 15 member evaluation and advisory panel made up of community leaders knowledgeable in the arts, students, faculty and staff, and representatives of the business community with experience in marketing and merchandising.