This week鈥檚 糖心视频 News Image of the Week is from Honolulu Community College’s Shannon Fritz.

Fritz shares: Everybody chill. Students in the Honolulu CC Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Program get hands-on experience with a water-cooled chiller system after attending the Hawaii Buildings, Facilities, & Property Management Expo. Clockwise from far left: Jeremy Jennings, Professor Steven Chow, Joe Grummon, Pohaku Kaye, Awa Yerhot, D’Sean Watson, and Sage Le Akina.”

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Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the 糖心视频 ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next 糖心视频 News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• .

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other 糖心视频 connection. By submitting your image, you are giving 糖心视频 News permission to publish your photo on the 糖心视频 News website and 糖心视频 social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

—West; Western Maui.

More ʻ艑lelo of the Week

“Kaulana nui loa ʻo Mokuʻula i Maui Komohana i kona kapu loa. (Mokuʻula Western Maui is very famous due to its sacredness.)”

—Melelani Seiki, he haumāna ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu a me Ke Kulanui Kaiāulu o Maui (Honolulu Community College and 糖心视频 Maui College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the 糖心视频 Hilo .

The University of Hawaiʻi community gathered for a virtual keynote exploring the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) on April 27. The event drew interest across the system, hosting nearly 500 attendees online.

Microsoft’s AI Innovation Officer Michael J. Jabbour led the session, focusing on human-centered organizational transformation and the intersection of human and AI in education and healthcare.

糖心视频 President Wendy Hensel opened the webinar stating: “At the University of Hawaiʻi, we recognize the question is not whether we will embrace AI, but how we will do so. As you know, we’ve been setting up a systemwide AI initiative and conversation that we launched last year that we will scale significantly in the year ahead to educate our community on AI. As an example of this you may know we recently launched artificial intelligence for Hawaiʻi course which is a free 12-chapter interactive course accessible through the .”

A central theme of Jabbour’s presentation was the importance of maintaining human direction as AI capabilities rapidly expand. He warned that while AI can generate an infinite amount of output, humans must stay driven by actual outcomes. To foster critical thinking, especially among students, Jabbour shared how he encourages his own children to interact with AI models by instructing them to “teach me, don’t tell me,” ensuring that users maintain active agency.

“The only thing I ask you to consider, whether it’s with an AI or it’s with a human, is to think before you ask,” Jabbour said. “Because if you’re throwing ideas out there and asking the AI before you’ve thought, the AI‘s thinking now becomes your thinking and you don’t get a choice.”

Looking ahead, Jabbour noted that up to 70% of every hour worked could soon be automated, and that models are quickly matching human intelligence in specific tasks. With more than 60% of employers indicating they will not hire individuals lacking AI skills, he stated that educational institutions must adapt to avoid a big skills gap in training the up and coming workforce.

When asked how students can prepare for a workforce heavily impacted by AI, Jabbour highlighted adaptability, curiosity and human connection. He advised that the future of work will rely less on manual tasks and more on the human ability to clearly express goals and direct outcomes alongside AI.

The recording will be linked here when it’s available online.

University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel presented a coordinated effort to better align strategy and budgeting across the 10-campus system to the 糖心视频 Board of Regents on April 16.

Hensel framed alignment as a core governance issue, emphasizing that strategic priorities must be consistently reflected in how resources are allocated in the budget, how campuses are evaluated and how leaders are reviewed.

A structured approach

Hensel highlighted challenges that are common in multi-campus systems, where individual campuses tend to operate separately. When alignment is weak, she said, strategic plans often sit on the shelf.

The result can be a system that underperforms despite strong individual efforts. Leadership, she noted, must regularly navigate tensions between aligning the 10 campuses while still allowing for individual campus missions to be pursued.

“We want an aligned system where we鈥檙e all moving in the same direction, but there are differentiated missions on each campus and specific priorities on each campus,” Hensel said. “We, as a group of 10 [campuses], have agreed on the major objectives that have let us have significant impact over time.”

To address those issues, the university is implementing a coordinated process centered on key areas:

• Strategic action plans: annual plans tied directly to system and campus priorities, with defined outcomes, teams and resources.
• Budget transparency: a clearer, multi-year budgeting process aligned with strategic goals rather than historical funding patterns.
• Incentives: performance-based funding and stipends to encourage innovation, collaboration and student success.
• Accountability: a standardized set of performance metrics and regular campus reviews to track progress and inform leadership evaluations.

The system also plans to expand leadership evaluations for officers, chancellors and administrators, including potential 360-degree reviews, and increase transparency through regular performance reporting.

Continuous improvement

Hensel concluded by emphasizing that alignment is not a one-time effort but an ongoing cycle of planning, measurement and adjustment.

“In order to move from a very decentralized approach to strategy across the 10 [campuses]; by setting alignment as a goal up front, it really enables the entire strategic plan to be executed,” she said.

The goal, she noted, is a more cohesive system that better serves students and the state.

This week鈥檚 糖心视频 News Image of the Week is from Windward Community College’s Nicole Tessier.

Tessier shares: J-Pop Demon Killaz and The Hangry Games are two world premieres presented by the students of Hawaiʻi Conservatory of Performing Arts at Windward Community College.

Satirizing the popular films K-Pop Demon Hunters and The Hunger Games, these shows will feature singing, dancing and combat! At Palik奴 Theatre April 24–May 3, more information at .

Previous Images
Bash splash
Mōʻī Wahine
Cleaning up
Through the water
Breeze block
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the 糖心视频 ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next 糖心视频 News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• .

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other 糖心视频 connection. By submitting your image, you are giving 糖心视频 News permission to publish your photo on the 糖心视频 News website and 糖心视频 social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

—Fun; to have a good time.

More ʻ艑lelo of the Week

“E leʻaleʻa kēlā lā me kēia lā. (Everyday should be fun.)”

—Maluhia Nahuina, he haum膩na ʻ艑lelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Kulanui Kai膩ulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the 糖心视频 Hilo .

Aloha 糖心视频 ʻohana,

As the 2026 legislative session enters its final month, the Hawaiʻi State Legislature is preparing to begin conference committee meetings to resolve differences between the House and Senate versions of key bills. Given the challenges the state is facing in light of diminishing tax revenues and economic pressures resulting from both national and international events, there will be many competing positions for a finite amount of state resources. One of the most important aspects of this process is the state budget bill, HB1800 HD1 SD1, which will determine funding levels for state departments, including the University of Hawaiʻi.

Conference committee negotiations between the House Finance and Senate Ways and Means committees will shape the final outcome for both operating and capital improvement appropriations across state government. Like other departments, 糖心视频 will be closely monitoring these discussions as agreements are reached.

Supplemental operating budget

Since it was approved by the 糖心视频 Board of Regents in November, the university鈥檚 supplemental operating budget request has advanced through several stages of the legislative process. The regents approved a request totaling $18.8 million in additional general funds for Fiscal Year 2027.

The House of Representatives completed its draft budget (HD1) in March and allocated $11.5 million toward 糖心视频 priorities. Most recently, the Senate passed its version of the budget (SD1), which reduced general fund support for the university by $1.7 million compared with the House version. The Senate also added $5.7 million of special fund appropriations—adding programs to 糖心视频鈥檚 budget through appropriations from the Tuition and Fees Special Fund.

With conference committee negotiations about to begin, the following table compares the Board of Regents request with the governor鈥檚 proposal and the House and Senate versions of the operating budget:

Operating Comparison

Items in purple are Special Funded, not General Funded.

*SD1 moves $20.2 million in General Funds out of UOH100 (糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补) into a new Program ID UOH120 (CTAHR)
**In total for 糖心视频: 124 General Fund Permanent FTEs, 13.15 General Fund Temporary FTEs, 24 Special Fund Permanent FTEs, 2 Federal Fund Permanent FTEs, and 22 Revolving Fund Permanent FTEs

GM2 and GM5 were two budget Governor’s Messages sent by the Governor to the Legislature that added these items to his official budget request.

Capital improvement program (CIP) budget update

For the supplemental capital improvement projects (CIP) budget, 糖心视频 requested $283.1 million in additional General Obligation (GO) bond funding for FY27 to support capital renewal, deferred maintenance and modernization projects across the 10-campus system. Debt service for GO bonds are paid by the state鈥檚 general fund.

The governor鈥檚 budget included $137.3 million of this request. The House draft budget (HD1) increased GO bond support to $219.3 million. The Senate draft (SD1) reduced GO bond funding by $9.5 million and proposed appropriating $161.5 million from the 糖心视频 special funds, including the Tuition and Fees Special Fund to support capital projects. 糖心视频 President Hensel discussed the issue broadly at the April 16 糖心视频 Board of Regents meeting, .

The following table summarizes the CIP comparison between the Board of Regents request and the governor, House and Senate versions of the budget:

CIP Comparison

Items in purple are Special Funded, not General Funded.

What happens next

As conference committees begin their work, members will be negotiating across a wide range of priorities beyond the 糖心视频 budget. Because many conference committee decisions occur late in the session, final outcomes typically become clear closer to adjournment.

The Hawaiʻi State Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 8, 2026. I will provide an update after the session concludes to share the final outcomes for the university.

Mahalo for your continued support of our students, campuses and the mission of the University of Hawaiʻi.

Luis P. Salaveria
Vice President for Budget and Finance / Chief Financial Officer
University of Hawaiʻi

The University of Hawaiʻi community is invited to a virtual keynote exploring the intersection of technology and human potential, featuring Microsoft’s AI Innovation Officer Michael J. Jabbour. The session will dive into the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and its transformative implications for the future of education and healthcare.

.

Event details:

• Speaker: Michael J. Jabbour (AI Innovation Officer, Microsoft, Office of the CTO)
• Date: Monday, April 27
• Time: 12–1:30 p.m.

About the keynote:

Jabbour leads research in human-AI collaboration, biologically inspired AI, and the future of work. A recognized leader in large-scale organizational transformation, he previously served as CIO/CTO for several New York City agencies, including the Department of Education. He is a regular guest lecturer at top universities.

What you will discover:

• AI fundamentals: Explore the transformative world of Artificial Intelligence, including its uncharted propensity to “hallucinate.”
• Revolutionizing education: Learn how AI can revolutionize education by enhancing teaching and learning experiences with cutting-edge tools and personalized methodologies.
• Practical integration: Dive into the potential of AI to automate routine tasks, stimulate collaborative learning, and foster bespoke educational journeys.
• Actionable insights: Equip yourself with practical use cases and insights on seamlessly integrating AI into your classroom or institution, paving the way for a future where education is intuitively tailored, engaging, and impactful.

The 糖心视频 community is encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to hear from a national leader in AI innovation and explore how these emerging technologies are shaping the future of education and healthcare.

For Lauro Delos-Santos Jr., graduating from Honolulu Community College in 2026 with an associate of arts degree in Hawaiian Studies is more than just an achievement—it鈥檚 a life-changing triumph he never imagined.

Before enrolling at Honolulu CC, Delos-Santos and his wife were living at the Keahou Emergency Homeless Shelter. In September of 2020, a team from Honolulu CC鈥檚 Hawaiian Center visited the shelter to teach Hawaiian studies. For 12 weeks, Delos-Santos engaged in Hawaiian history, mythology, navigation, biology, politics, hula and even taro growing. By the end of the program, he was invited to consider returning to school—with financial aid support.

‘You can do it’

Despite initial hesitation—Delos-Santos had been recently released from prison, was on probation, and had a history as a convicted felon—Niuhelewai Program Specialist Kapulani Tuifanu and Native Hawaiian Counselor Kahale Saito persisted. They kept telling him, “You can do it.” They guided him through financial aid applications, course selection and introduced him to computers—something Delos-Santos had never used before.

With financial aid and careful planning, Delos-Santos was able to save money, obtain a driver鈥檚 license, buy a car, secure an apartment, and obtain a GED. He got his identifications in order, registered to vote, and maintained sobriety—milestones he once thought impossible.

“Ever since I came to Honolulu CC, nothing but good things have happened,” he said. “Angelic forces definitely were involved here. I鈥檓 so grateful.”

Six months after Delos-Santos started at Honolulu CC, he was given early release from probation, and his felony convictions were exonerated due to good behavior.

Hawaiian Studies helped Delos-Santos find himself through learning about his Hawaiian culture—gaining confidence, engaging with the community, and exploring self-discovery and wellness. He continued to see his substance abuse counselor, whom he credits as one of the influential factors in his recovery.

Helping others

Delos-Santos鈥� commitment extends beyond academics. He serves as a peer mentor at the Hawaiian Center, seeking to aid other students. He also led the Honolulu CC Math Society as 2024 president, preparing fellow students for quizzes and exams.

“Now, I want to be the person who helps others, like how I鈥檝e been helped,” he said.

Delos-Santos credits much of his success to the supportive culture at Honolulu CC.

“Anytime you need some help with anything, you can find it here. It鈥檚 just like home,” he said. “You can always come here, and you鈥檒l be taken care of.”

Delos-Santos will attend the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 in fall 2026 to pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree in human development and family studies with a focus on child and family services. His goal is to earn a master鈥檚 degree and become a licensed social worker, giving back to the community that supported him.

He has advice for current and prospective students, “If you have doubts, remember these four words: ‘You can do it!’ The support you need is here.”

—By Iris Greges