Kalbert Young, 糖心视频 vice president for budget and finance and chief financial officer, shares his analysis of the final few weeks of the 2025 Legislative session.
Aloha 糖心视频 ?Ohana,
The Hawai?i State Legislature is entering the final few weeks of the 2025 legislative session, when the Senate and House will work together in conference committees to reconcile differences between their versions of the state budget, as well as other legislative measures that have survived the session thus far.
This legislative update will show the areas of budget support (or non support) for 糖心视频 as the budget bill has progressed through the legislative session. It is clear that the governor and the House of Representatives have provided greater support for the University of Hawai?i than the Senate. The Senate recently passed its version of the budget that reflects a more constrained level of general fund support for 糖心视频 in multiple key areas.
Medical school and cancer center
Despite support in the governor’s and House’s budgets, the Senate’s budget does not include additional general fund support for the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) for debt service or the 糖心视频 Cancer Center to address debt service and operational costs.
This funding is particularly critical as federal funding for biomedical research is expected to decline under the new federal administration. Research at JABSOM and the Cancer Center remains essential to improving health outcomes for the people of Hawai?i.
Student housing
The Senate budget provides $252.9 million for 糖心视频 Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) with a $120 million of that amount designated for new student and faculty housing at Kaua?i Community College. The proposal disproportionately ignores the university’s specific request for capital funding support for existing student housing. While affordable housing is a challenging issue on every island in Hawai?i, the funding approach is not consistent with the request included in the 糖心视频 Board of Regents approved budget or in the governor’s or House budgets.
The Senate also proposed to authorize nearly $120 million in capital funding for student housing at 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补. However, unlike the $120 million proposed for student housing at Kaua?i CC, the arrangement is only to provide half of that funding in general obligation bonds. The other half would require 糖心视频 revenue bonds for 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 student housing. Additionally, there are also Senate-imposed conditions, which would require 糖心视频 to fund financial offsets of future room and board cost increases. While project investments are always important and critical, restrictions on expenditure flexibility can present challenges in managing long-standing deferred maintenance.
Athletics
The Senate budget does not provide for the continuation of funding for athletics, although it was included in the governor and House budgets. The House included $16 million in additional support for 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 and 糖心视频 Hilo athletics, which was also not included in the Senate budget. As the landscape of collegiate athletics continues to evolve and with the absence of a stadium, sustaining a Division I program at 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 remains both a challenge and a priority for institutional and community vitality.
Position reductions
The Senate budget will eliminate 105.35 vacant full-time and 2.5 temporary positions across 糖心视频. Notably, only eight of these positions were supported by general funds; the remainder were funded through tuition and other sources. We are working to better understand the intent behind these reductions and their potential impacts.
Operating budget
As you will see in the table below, the 糖心视频 Board of Regents-approved operating budget request sought $37.9 million in additional general funds for FY26 and $38.7 million for FY27. The House version of the budget appropriated $31.1 million for FY26 and $32.1 million for FY27.
The Senate version appropriated $5.0 million for FY26 and $5.5 million for FY27.
The following table compares the 糖心视频 operating budget requests from the Board of Regents and the governor with the funding amounts proposed by the House and Senate.
| Campus | Description | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Regents | Governor | House | Senate | ||||||
| FY26 | FY27 | FY26 | FY27 | FY26 | FY27 | FY26 | FY27 | ||
| Permanent Funding | |||||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Make 惭ā苍辞补 Athletics subsidy permanent | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | ||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | HIMB Positions from Act 181/23 | $246,118 | $246,118 | $246,118 | $246,118 | $246,118 | $246,118 | ||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | K–12 Expanded Teaching Cohort from Act 141/22 | $420,556 | $375,556 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Pamantasan Council from Act 64/23 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 |
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Make Hilo Athletics subsidy permanent | $800,000 | $800,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Full Year funding for BS in Education Studies and Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education | $142,500 | $142,500 | $142,500 | $142,500 | $142,500 | $142,500 | $142,500 | $142,500 |
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Windward CC Mental Health Tech Certificate of Competence Program from Act 107/24 | $210,150 | $210,150 | $210,150 | $210,150 | $210,150 | $210,150 | $210,150 | $210,150 |
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Maui College Practical Nursing Bridge Program from Act 74/23 | $330,000 | $330,000 | $330,000 | $330,000 | $330,000 | $330,000 | $330,000 | $330,000 |
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Pamantasan Council from Act 64/23 | $196,000 | $196,000 | $196,000 | $196,000 | $196,000 | $196,000 | $196,000 | $196,000 |
| Hawai?i Promise | |||||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Hawai?i Promise Program Expansion | $8,683,397 | $8,683,397 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Hawai?i Promise Program Expansion | $920,938 | $920,938 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 West O?ahu | Hawai?i Promise Program Expansion | $2,451,832 | $2,451,832 | ||||||
| Student Support | |||||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Financial Aid Counselors | $904,152 | $904,152 | $199,440 | $398,880 | $199,440 | $398,880 | $199,440 | $398,880 |
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Retention Coordinator | $37,500 | $75,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Internship Coordinator | $37,500 | $75,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Student Enrollment Management | $432,500 | $640,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 West O?ahu | Admissions and Financial Aid | $213,600 | $213,600 | $37,650 | $75,300 | $37,650 | $75,300 | $37,650 | $75,300 |
| Workforce Development – Nursing | |||||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补-糖心视频 West O?ahu Nursing Collaboration Phase III | $447,936 | $447,936 | $447,936 | $447,936 | $447,936 | $447,936 | $447,936 | $447,936 |
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Online RN to BS Program | $111,984 | $111,984 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Increase School of Nursing cohort size | $297,500 | $595,000 | $357,500 | $475,000 | $357,500 | $475,000 | $357,500 | $475,000 |
| 糖心视频 West O?ahu | Pre-Nursing Pathway | $424,364 | $424,364 | $107,776 | $215,552 | $107,776 | $215,552 | $107,776 | $215,552 |
| Workforce Development – Other | |||||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Administration of Justice Program Expansion | $75,000 | $150,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Data Science Program | $42,500 | $85,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Biocultural Science Program | $85,000 | $170,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 West O?ahu | Teacher Preparation Programs | $90,455 | $90,455 | ||||||
| Medical Facilities | |||||||||
| JABSOM | Debt service for Kaka?ako Health and Wellness Campus | $2,725,000 | $2,725,000 | $1,108,019 | $1,533,463 | $1,108,019 | $1,533,463 | ||
| 糖心视频 Cancer Center | Debt service and operational costs | $6,857,810 | $6,857,810 | $9,476,352 | $9,441,861 | $9,476,352 | $9,441,861 | ||
| Other Requests – Core Functions | |||||||||
| JABSOM | Central Chiller Plant Operations | $63,000 | $63,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Groundskeepers | $101,280 | $202,560 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 West O?ahu | ACM Facilities and Core Services | $341,748 | $341,748 | $66,888 | $133,776 | $66,888 | $133,776 | $66,888 | $133,776 |
| 糖心视频 System | Information Security | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 | ||||||
| Other | |||||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Expand Concussion Education to Middle Schools | $200,000 | $200,000 | ||||||
| JABSOM | Focus on cardiovascular disease and treatment | $700,000 | $700,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Convert Athletics Positions and Additional Support | $4,519,341 | $4,519,341 | $320,000 | $320,000 | $320,000 | $320,000 | ||
| Governor’s Message | |||||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Pamantasan Council (additional funds) | $175,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 | ||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Economic and Policy Research at 糖心视频ERO | $480,000 | $480,000 | $480,000 | $480,000 | $480,000 | $480,000 | ||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Athletics | $12,800,000 | $12,800,000 | $12,800,000 | $12,800,000 | ||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Rat lungworm research | $200,000 | $200,000 | $1 | $1 | $200,000 | $200,000 | ||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Athletics | $300,000 | $300,000 | $300,000 | $300,000 | ||||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Pamantasan Council (additional funds) | $175,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 | $175,000 | ||
| 糖心视频 System | Peace Program support staff | $150,000 | $150,000 | $1 | $1 | ||||
| House Adjustment | |||||||||
| 糖心视频 System | I Hoa Nā Mo?olelo | $179,378 | $179,378 | ||||||
| Senate Adjustment | |||||||||
| 糖心视频 West O?ahu | 3 positions for Henry Giugni Moving Image Archive | $754,644 | $719,203 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | 1 APT and Equipment for Water Quality Lab at 糖心视频 Maui College | $125,000 | $125,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | AI-Based Career Pathways Program | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Reduce 1 Permanent, 0.5 Temporary FTE Counts | ||||||||
| JABSOM | Reduce 1 Permanent, 1 Temporary FTE Count | ||||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Reduce 1 Permanent FTE Count | ||||||||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Reduce 5 Permanent, 1 Temporary FTE Counts and Funds | -$491,839 | -$491,839 | ||||||
| TOTAL | $37,895,161 | $38,733,941 | $31,311,829 | $32,232,036 | $31,141,209 | $32,061,416 | $5,099,145 | $5,592,958 | |
Non-recurring items in red.
Capital Improvement Projects budget:
糖心视频 requested $381.0 million for FY26 and $331.2 million for FY27. The House version appropriated $229.8 million for FY26 and $43.5 million for FY27.
The Senate version appropriated $252.9 million for FY26, keeping in mind that close to half of this amount is for a single project ($120 million for Kaua?i CC student housing) and $78.5 million for FY27.
The following table compares the 糖心视频 CIP requests from the Board of Regents and the governor with the funding amounts proposed by the House and Senate.
| Campus | Project Description | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Regents | Governor | House | Senate | ||||||
| FY26 | FY27 | FY26 | FY27 | FY26 | FY27 | FY26 | FY27 | ||
| 糖心视频 System/惭ā苍辞补 | RIM Projects | $100,000,000 | $100,000,000 | $50,000,000 | $50,000,000 | $50,000,000 | $50,000,000 | $50,000,000 | |
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | *Student Housing Services Improvements | $61,500,000 | $57,000,000 | $25,000,000 | $25,000,000 | $30,750,000 | $28,500,000 | $30,750,000 | $28,500,000 |
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Assessment and Feasibility of Hamilton Library | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | |||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Waikīkī Aquarium Improvements | $4,000,000 | $1,702,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Athletics Improvements | $10,000,000 | $10,000,000 | $10,000,000 | |||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Holmes Hall | $9,000,000 | $9,000,000 | $9,000,000 | $9,000,000 | ||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | PV Rooftop and Canopies and Various Energy Efficiency Projects | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Mini Master Plan Phase 3-Kuykendall Hall | $5,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $5,000,000 | |||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Admin Office and Parking Phase I and II | $9,000,000 | |||||||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | RIM Projects | $29,625,000 | $22,685,000 | $15,000,000 | $15,000,000 | $15,000,000 | $15,000,000 | ||
| 糖心视频 Hilo | Puakō Marine Education and Research Center, Phase I | $750,000 | |||||||
| 糖心视频 West O?ahu | RIM Projects | $6,900,000 | $5,000,000 | $6,500,000 | $4,500,000 | $6,500,000 | $6,500,000 | ||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Capital Renewal and Deferred Maintenance | $37,500,000 | $25,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | ||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Minor CIP | $37,500,000 | $25,000,000 | $37,500,000 | |||||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Kapi?olani CC-Kauila and Kopiko Renovations for Health Sciences | $34,800,000 | |||||||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Honolulu CC-Technology Renovations, Phase 2 | $32,000,000 | $15,000,000 | $15,000,000 | |||||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | 糖心视频 Maui College-Heona Modernization | $15,000,000 | $15,000,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | 糖心视频 Maui College-Hale Modernization | $12,000,000 | |||||||
| 糖心视频 Community Colleges | Windward CC–Alaka?i Building Renovation | $15,000,000 | $15,000,000 | ||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Land Acquisition for former St. Francis Property | $1,000 | |||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | 奥补颈尘ā苍补濒辞 CTAHR CARES center | $5,500,000 | |||||||
| 糖心视频 惭ā苍辞补 | Magoon Research Station | $6,000,000 | |||||||
| 糖心视频 System | Demolition of Undersea Laboratory Building (Makai Pier) | $500,000 | |||||||
| 糖心视频 System | Project Adjustment Fund | $4,000 | |||||||
| 糖心视频 System | Kaua?i CC – Student Housing and Faculty/Staff Housing | $120,000,000 | |||||||
| TOTAL | $381,025,000 | $331,235,000 | $145,500,000 | $114,500,000 | $229,755,000 | $43,500,000 | $252,952,000 | $78,500,000 | |
*The House and Senate also added $30,750,000 in FY26 and $28,500,000 in FY27 in revenue bond appropriation for Student Housing.
Looking ahead
Given the current state of global and national economics, the State and Legislature is facing the challenge of dealing with the impacts on many competing priorities and limited resources. These are also impacting our University of Hawai?i. Now is the time to watch for where efforts to support higher education programs and services in Hawai?i materialize.
As the conference committee begins its work, 糖心视频 leadership and supporters will continue to advocate for the university’s priorities. We remain hopeful that through collaboration, we can secure the resources needed to advance 糖心视频’s mission and serve the people of Hawai?i.
The Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 2, 2025. Until then, we will continue to monitor the process closely and will provide a final update when the session ends and the budget bill is made public.
Mahalo for your time and attention,
Kalbert Young
Vice President for Budget and Finance/Chief Financial Officer