Hawaii Graduation Initiative Archive - UH Matters

Archive for the ‘Hawaii Graduation Initiative’ Category

October 22, 2012

Complete College America

I am very pleased to report to you that results of one of our major initiatives—the Hawaiʻi Graduation Initiative—are garnering national attention for the University of Hawaiʻi.

Part of our progress can be seen in the 20 percent increase in UH graduates since 2008. More recently, in fall 2012, there was a 14.7 percent increase in the number of students taking 15 credits or more systemwide.

Because of these and other measures, Hawaiʻi was one of only three states chosen by Complete College America for an academy to develop next steps and specific strategies to improve college completion outcomes. Complete College America brought about 16 staff to the state capital and UH chancellors, vice chancellors and staff from across our 10 campus system—about 100 in all—participated in planning for specific completion goals.

In addition, the University of Hawaiʻi has been invited to present our 15-to-Finish campaign at Complete College America’s annual conference in December. The president of Complete College America says Hawaiʻi is among the top 5 to 10 states in making progress toward increasing graduation rates.

We have a video that was shot at the recent two-day Hawaiʻi Graduation Initiative Summit II at the State Capital and explains why all of us at the University of Hawaiʻi should be very proud of what we are accomplishing in this area.

November 1, 2011

Career and Technical Education conference

<p>Leeward Community College hybrid car display<br />
<br />
Assistant professor Rodney Hirokawa, Vice President John Morton, UH President M.R.C. Greenwood, Professor Jacob Darakjian, Professor Eric Pang with</p>

2011 Career and Technical Education Conference

Leeward Community College hybrid car display

Assistant professor Rodney Hirokawa, Vice President John Morton, UH President M.R.C. Greenwood, Professor Jacob Darakjian, Professor Eric Pang with

<p>Honolulu virtual welding display</p>

2011 Career and Technical Education Conference

Honolulu virtual welding display

<p>Leeward television production display</p>

2011 Career and Technical Education Conference

Leeward television production display

<p>Leeward automotive program hybrid car display</p>

2011 Career and Technical Education Conference

Leeward automotive program hybrid car display

<p>Windward veterinary assisting program display</p>

2011 Career and Technical Education Conference

Windward veterinary assisting program display

The UH Community Colleges partnered with the Office of the State Director for Career and Technical Education and the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education to present the 2011 Career and Technical Education conference Where Innovation Begins on Oct. 28 at the Sheraton Waikīkī.

More than 500 people attended from DOE and UH as well as the business community.

I was joined by DOESuperintendent Kathryn Matayoshi to offer opening remarks, but the real highlight was the innovative and interactive exhibits of career and technical education, which included a television production set, virtual welding simulator and carpentry model home project. There were also more than 20 workshops on topics ranging from social media applications to cyberbullying and hands-on technology stations with personal guidance.

August 4, 2011

Higher education conference convenes

College accrediting agency official Ralph Wolff, Vice President Linda Johnsrud and Chancellor Rota on arrival for the conference

The University of Hawaiʻi was honored to be chosen by APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) and the U.S. State Department to host the officially sanctioned APEC Higher Education Conference August 4–6, hosting delegates from the education ministry and other high-level government officials from 20 of the 21 economies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Dr. Eduardo Ochoa, assistant secretary for postsecondary education for the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. delegate to the APEC Higher Education Conference, was among the first day’s keynote presenters. Delegates considered the theme of the conference, Quality in Higher Education and what that means to colleges and universities in their home countries, among other topics related to their higher educational systems.

Read more about the conference.

July 14, 2011

Achieving the Dream – Part 2

Missed Sunday’s radio show? You can read about the university’s success in improving graduation rates among Native Hawaiian students in my guest editorial in the Star-Advertiser.

July 8, 2011

Achieving the Dream

Loea Akiona, MRC Greenwood, Mike Buck

Loea Akiona, a Windward Community College graduate now working in student affairs at the college, joins me to talk with Community Matters radio show host Mike Buck, right, about Achieving the Dream. UH has had impressive success with our efforts in this multi-year national initiative to help more community college students succeed, particularly those from groups who have traditionally faced the most significant barriers to success, including low-income and Native Hawaiian students.

We also talk about increase in research grants and other great news reported at the July 7 Board of Regents meeting.

Listen in Sunday, July 10, from 6 to 7 a.m. on any of the seven Clear Channel radio stations—KSSK AM590 92.3 FM, KDNN 98.5FM, KHVH 830AM, KIKI 990AM, KHJZ 93.9FM and KUCD 101.9FM.

July 1, 2011

Achieving the Dream

Leeward Community College students Achieving the Dream!

Thursday’s Board of Regents meeting will give us a chance to boast about one of our most successful initiatives—Achieving the Dream.

We partnered with Kamehameha Schools and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs four years ago to make higher education more accessible to native Hawaiians. We invested time and money into greater community outreach, more counselors to help students apply for scholarships, increased development and training in remedial courses to bring grades up and a lot more financial aid.

Bottom line: Native Hawaiian enrollment systemwide has doubled from 4,600 to 9,200, and the number of Hawaiians graduating is up 32 percent! That includes the Ke Ala Ike Native Hawaiian Excellence Program spring 2011 graduates pictured here.

That is certainly something to celebrate and a validation that we are striving to be the model indigenous-serving higher ed institution.

May 23, 2011

Commencement Time

From left, Rep. Jerry Chang and Hawaiʻi County Councilmen Dennis “Fresh” Onishi and J Yoshimoto

Throughout my career in higher education, no time has brought me more joy and fulfillment than the commencement season. It is a time to rejoice in important student and faculty success. It is the ceremonial representation of higher education’s ability to transforms people’s lives.

The 2011 exercises also means we are some 5,000 graduates closer to our goal of increasing the number of college-educated citizens in the state. At about 9,200 degrees and certificates awarded this academic year, we’re ahead of our goal.

Jerry Chang was at the UH Hilo ceremony May 13 at Edith Kanakaʻole Stadium and sent the photo above.

I also attended the Hawaiʻi Community College, John A. Burns School of Medicine and UH Mānoa advanced degree ceremonies.