—To be true, fact, genuine, authentic, faithfulness.

More ʻ艑lelo of the Week—Natasha Maʻfala, undergraduate, Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Mānoa (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)

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

Check back for more ʻ艒lelo Hawaiʻi.

Enrollment across the University of Hawaiʻi‘s 10-campus system stands at 50,617 students in fall 2026, marking the third consecutive year above 50,000. Enrollment decreased 2% from fall 2025, a decline of 795 students.

Fall 2026 糖心视频 enrollment by campus

• 糖心视频 10-campus system: 50,617 (-2% from fall 2025)
• 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补: 20,061 (-2%)
• 糖心视频 Hilo: 2,619 (-1%)
• 糖心视频 West Oʻahu: 2,892 (essentially unchanged)
• 糖心视频 Community Colleges: 25,045 (-2%)
• Hawaiʻi CC: 2,426 (-3%)
• Honolulu CC: 3,642 (essentially unchanged)
• Kapiʻolani CC: 5,447 (-5%)
• Kauaʻi CC: 1,338 (+1%)
• Leeward CC: 6,231 (essentially unchanged)
• 糖心视频 Maui College: 2,890 (-4%)
• Windward CC: 3,071 (-1%)

“Our focus is on expanding access to higher education while strengthening support for current students to help them succeed and complete their degrees and certificates on time,” 糖心视频 President Wendy Hensel said. “We are taking a more coordinated approach across our 10 campuses to create more opportunities and clearer pathways to higher education for Hawaiʻi‘s high school graduates, transfer students, working adults and others who can benefit from a 糖心视频 education.”

Enrollment trends

Continuing enrollment increased 1% to 28,191 students systemwide, while enrollment among students ages 18–24 remained essentially unchanged. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of 糖心视频 students are taking at least one online course, cross-campus enrollment has increased 22% over five years to 6,282 students, and early admits—high school students taking college courses—have increased 18% to 4,289.

First-time freshman enrollment totaled 7,279 students, down 3%; however, first-time freshman enrollment at the seven community colleges remained essentially unchanged. While entering transfer enrollment declined 9% overall, 糖心视频 Hilo and 糖心视频 Maui College recorded graduate and undergraduate transfer enrollment increases of 19% and 22%, respectively. 糖心视频 is strengthening transfer pathways across its campuses, supported by initiatives such as the NEXT STEP Scholarship program, which awarded $586,000 to 331 students as of September 14.

Enrollment across the 糖心视频 system has grown 5% since fall 2022, when 48,373 students were enrolled. Leading that growth were Windward Community College (+29%), Honolulu CC (+19%), 糖心视频 Maui College (+17%) and Hawaiʻi CC (+14%).

Community colleges serve thousands beyond credit enrollment

The official enrollment count does not capture the full reach of the 糖心视频 Community Colleges, which served 11,417 non-credit students in fiscal year 2026, a 4% increase from fiscal year 2022. Career and technical education enrollment totaled 6,038 students this fall.

From July through October, nearly 5,000 unique students enrolled in non-credit courses, accounting for 7,708 course registrations. Approximately 63% participated in workforce training programs that help residents develop skills and prepare for employment and career advancement. Non-credit students are not included in the official fall enrollment count.

Expanding access and student success

糖心视频 is taking a more coordinated approach to enrollment across its 10 campuses, including plans to hire a senior advisor to oversee systemwide enrollment management and expanded use of Salesforce technology to strengthen recruitment and marketing.

Direct2糖心视频, which provides proactive admission to eligible Hawaiʻi public high school seniors, generated approximately 2,100 enrolled students during the 2026 recruitment cycle, according to preliminary estimates. The program has expanded to include 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and 13 public charter schools, bringing all 10 campuses into the initiative. 糖心视频 also launched ApplyHawaiʻi in October, providing a single undergraduate application for all 10 campuses.

Other priorities include expanding online degree programs and shorter, stackable credentials, improving transfer pathways, and strengthening advising and student support through EAB Navigate360 and a Common Standard of Care. These efforts are supported by $123 million in one-time strategic investments across all 10 campuses.

The fall enrollment figures are based on 糖心视频‘s official enrollment count 35 days after the first day of instruction. Detailed fall 2026 enrollment reports are available at .

University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel highlighted her annual campus visits, the proposed tuition schedule, 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 Homecoming and recent university achievements during her October 22 report to the 糖心视频 Board of Regents (BOR) at Honolulu Community College.

Hensel shared that she has completed seven of her 10 annual campus visits, meeting directly with students, faculty, staff and Native Hawaiian representatives alongside members of her leadership team. She also provided an update on the proposed tuition schedule, which is expected to return to the Board for consideration on November 19.

Hensel celebrated the return of a full week of 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 Homecoming festivities, highlighted recent national recognition for 糖心视频 campuses and praised Kapiʻolani CC for preparing and delivering meals to Kauaʻi CC students recovering from Hurricane Lowell.

• Campus visits update ()
• Proposed tuition schedule ()
• 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 Homecoming and Athletics Giving Week ()
• 糖心视频 News highlights
  • JABSOM national recognition ()
  • University rankings ()
  • 糖心视频 ʻohana supports Kauaʻi CC following Hurricane Lowell ()

Stay connected with President Wendy Hensel by following her on , , and

—Thought, idea, belief, opinion.

More ʻ艑lelo of the Week—Natasha Maʻfala, undergraduate, Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Mānoa (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)

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

Check back for more ʻ艒lelo Hawaiʻi.

—To be moral, proper, righteous; goodness.

More ʻ艑lelo of the Week

Check back for more ʻ艒lelo Hawaiʻi.

—Natasha Maʻfala, undergraduate, Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Mānoa (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)

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

The University of Hawaiʻi held the first of four public meetings on October 6 at 糖心视频 Mānoa on a proposed resident and non-resident tuition schedule for the next four academic years, beginning in fall 2027. About 30 people attended in person, and another 128 joined online.

Under the proposal, undergraduate tuition would remain unchanged at all 10 糖心视频 campuses for the first two years, academic years 2027–28 and 2028–29, with the exception of the 糖心视频 Hilo School of Pharmacy. Tuition increases ranging from 2% to 5%, depending on the campus, would begin in AY 2029–30. More details on the proposal.

“糖心视频 has kept tuition nearly flat for about a decade, despite inflation,” said Kim Siegenthaler, interim vice president for academic strategy and senior advisor to the president.

“State support has increased since fiscal year 2022 and 2023, but those increases have mainly been to restore prior reductions to meet collective bargaining increases, and to cover temporary hazard repayments. So our tuition revenues have not kept pace with operational need, which is why we’re now proposing increases,” she said.

Six people testified at the October 6 meeting, all in opposition to the proposal, including 糖心视频 Mānoa senior Alia Ancheta.

“I have people I care about that have to prioritize working full time because they simply cannot afford tuition,” Ancheta said. “Also, having to decide whether you should study for classes, or work more hours to be able to pay for tuition. I strongly believe education should be free and accessible to everyone, especially locals and Native Hawaiian students. I hope all of you truly think about how your decisions impact my generation and future generations that plan to attend your campuses.”

Testimony can be submitted in person or online at any of the three remaining public meetings. Written testimony can also be submitted at any time through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, October 22.

Upcoming meetings

• 糖心视频 Hilo
  Wednesday, October 14, 10–11:30 a.m.
  Student Services Center, W201
  To join via Zoom, please register in advance at .
• Kauaʻi Community College
  Thursday, October 15, 9:30–11 a.m.
  OCET Room 106C/D
  To join via Zoom, please register in advance at .
• 糖心视频 Maui College
  Tuesday, October 20, noon–1:30 p.m.
  Kaʻaʻike Building, Room 105 BCD
  To join via Zoom, please register in advance at .

The public review period began September 18. A summary of public feedback and any revisions to the proposal are scheduled to be presented October 29. The public will have another opportunity to provide testimony when the 糖心视频 Board of Regents considers the final proposal, currently scheduled for its November 19 meeting.

If approved, the new tuition schedule would be filed with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor by December 1 and take effect in fall 2027.

From its humble beginnings in 1976 as West Oʻahu College—serving just 75 students in temporary portable classrooms in Pearl City and ʻAiea—the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu has transformed into a premier, four-year Indigenous-serving institution and an economic anchor for the region.

This October, the campus marks its 50th anniversary, celebrating a half-century of empowering local learners and fueling social mobility.

Today, 糖心视频 West Oʻahu serves nearly 2,900 students through its permanent campus in Kapolei, which opened in 2012. It stands as a vital engine of opportunity: 96.7% of enrolled students are Hawaiʻi residents, more than 44% are first-generation college students, and nearly 39% receive Federal Pell Grants. The campus has earned high national marks, tying for No. 2 among U.S. News & World Report‘s Top Public Colleges in the West and placing No. 3 nationally in the Spring 2026 Cyber Power Rankings.

“Over the last 50 years, 糖心视频 West Oʻahu has proven that access to high-quality higher education can completely transform lives and communities,” said Interim Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza.

“Our evolution from portable classrooms to a high-tech, sustainable anchor campus reflects the resilience and dedication of our faculty, staff and students. As we look to the next 50 years, we remain committed to serving our state and grounding our academic excellence in Native Hawaiian place-based learning, sustainability and regional workforce needs.”

The university’s rich history and deep roots are reflected across generations of campus leaders, alumni and faculty.

‘Hardscrabble’ start

Dan Boylan taught history at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu for 38 years before retiring in 2010. He was one of the charter-era professors teaching out of rented commercial spaces in Pearl City in Aiea in the 1970s.

“It was hardscrabble. It was also frustrating, but at the same time, you felt something was happening. We were doing better than we had, and we were making it work,” he said.

In 2012, as the new Kapolei campus was being built, Boylan wrote about 糖心视频 West Oʻahu‘s early days:

“Despite its inadequacies, West Oʻahu developed a vibrancy all its own. Access became a priority. Classes ran from 8 a.m. until 9:15 p.m. Weekend classes were offered on Friday nights and Saturdays. We sought out baccalaureate students on the Neighbor Islands, and traveled to them on weekends.

For 30 years, West Oʻahu‘s students were labeled ‘nontraditional.’ We taught scores of veterans coming back to school on their GI bills, women who dropped out of college to marry and mid-career types who needed a degree to qualify for promotions.

All were serious about school, and many proved excellent students. For professors who reveled in teaching rather than research, West Oʻahu was the place to be.”

Alumni quotes

Carly Yoshida, Miss Hawaiʻi, 糖心视频 West Oʻahu graduate (earned bachelor of arts in social sciences with a concentration in psychology in 2023)

“I’m originally from the Big Island, and so Mililani was actually the first place that I moved to in Central Oʻahu when I moved to Oʻahu. So being a part of this ʻohana here at West Oʻahu, really welcomed me into the Oʻahu lifestyle but still had a piece of home, very calm, very open, very warm and inviting. I was really happy to be able to come to join this West Oʻahu ʻohana.”

Glenn Medeiros, President, St. Louis School, 糖心视频 West Oʻahu graduate (earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities with a concentration in history in 1998)

“As the president of Saint Louis School I do meet a lot of students who are going to college and I try to tell them that it’s important to find the right fit, that not every school is for every person. For me in particular, I needed some place where I could get to know the professors well. There were small classes, and where I could get the individualized help that I needed. And so for people who are looking for that, I think West Oʻahu is a really good fit.”

Katie Kaahanui, Director, Safe & Sound Westside, Department of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney (earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration with a concentration in justice administration in 2021)

“It is so important to have a campus like this in the heart of Kapolei because there are so many bright students, individuals, employees who are living out of town, and they can really benefit from the wonderful support and resources that West Oʻahu has to offer.”

糖心视频 West Oʻahu will celebrate its milestone with a week of events from October 5 to 9

• Monday, October. 5: Kickoff and exhibit opening
  • 9 a.m. Opening Ceremony: (James & Abigail Campbell Library) Featuring a ceremonial oli by Kumu Manulani Meyer and remarks from legacy faculty.
  • 9:45 a.m. “In Flight: 50 Years of 糖心视频 West Oʻahu: Grand opening of the historical archive featuring rare CLEAR and ʻUluʻulu artifacts.
    NOTE: The public is invited to visit the exhibit, which runs through November 6.
• Tuesday, October 6: Digital Engagement
  • Social Media Scavenger Hunt: Students, faculty and staff can play for prizes—50th anniversary swag!—all week long.



• Wednesday, October 7: Living Legacy
  • 9 a.m. Ceremonial Wiliwili Planting: Campus leaders will plant five native wiliwili trees, symbolizing leadership alignment and deep-rooted growth.
• Thursday, October 8: Campus Celebration
  • Noon Birthday Celebration: Courtyard event featuring music, a giant sheet cake, and the “Pueo Pilina” student life fair.
  • 2 p.m. Time Capsule Sealing: Dedicated 25-year memory box containing messages from the 50th-anniversary cohort.
  • 5 p.m. “Pau Hana on the Green”: Off-campus alumni reunion at The Pearl at Kalauao (invitation only)

The University of Hawaiʻi is making a $123-million strategic investment across its 10 campuses, funding more than 100 initiatives of the 糖心视频 Strategic Plan aimed at improving student success, meeting Hawaiʻi‘s workforce needs, advancing research and innovation, fulfilling 糖心视频‘s kuleana (responsibility) to Native Hawaiians and modernizing university operations.

The investments will be made over the next two to three years and represent a new approach to how 糖心视频 puts its financial resources to work. President Wendy Hensel and 糖心视频 Vice President for Budget and Finance and Chief Financial Officer Luis Salaveria, working with campus and system leadership, evaluated needs across the entire 10-campus system and prioritized investments that can have the greatest impact for students and Hawaiʻi, rather than relying primarily on the traditional campus-by-campus approach.

“We have spent considerable time identifying our priorities and determining where the University of Hawaiʻi can have the greatest impact. Now we are putting the resources behind those priorities and moving from planning to execution,” Hensel said. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to make a meaningful, lasting difference for our students, strengthen our campuses and help address some of Hawaiʻi‘s most pressing needs.”

Hensel and Salaveria presented the strategic investment initiative and explained 糖心视频鈥檚 new budget process during a hybrid public forum on Monday, September 28. Just under 400 people attended the forum in person or tuned in to the livestream.

• Budget and Strategy Town Hall Fall 2026 presentation slides

A disciplined, systemwide approach

糖心视频 evaluated 425 requests totaling more than $635 million before approving $123 million in one-time strategic investments. The proposals were developed by campuses, vice presidential offices and advisory groups, and each group had the opportunity to meet with the President and CFO to advocate for their initiatives. Priority was given to those proposals most closely aligned with 糖心视频 strategic priorities and capable of producing long-term benefits.

“This was a very selective process,” said Salaveria. “We wanted to make strategic investments that would move the university forward and help hedge against financial challenges we know are coming. The goal is to put these resources to work with a clear purpose.”

About 75% of the investment will support initiatives that benefit all 10 campuses, with a focus on student success, workforce development, and modern technology and artificial intelligence. About 25% is directed to individual campus priorities.

Five areas of strategic impact

The $123 million investment advances five university strategic priorities:

• Develop successful students—approximately $79 million
• Enhance and modernize university operations—approximately $60 million
• Meet Hawaiʻi‘s workforce needs—approximately $21 million
• Innovation and research—approximately $15 million
• Fulfill 糖心视频‘s kuleana to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi—approximately $10 million

Because many projects advance more than one strategic priority, the five investment categories overlap and represent approximately $185 million in combined impact from the $123 million investment.

Investing in student success

The largest area of strategic impact is approximately $79 million connected to student success, with a focus on recruiting and retaining students, improving transfer among 糖心视频 campuses, removing barriers to completing degrees and addressing basic needs.

The investments support 糖心视频‘s Common Standard of Care, an effort to establish a consistent baseline of proactive student support across all 10 campuses so that where a student attends does not determine the level of support they receive.

Among the investments are $2.9 million to expand the Hawaiʻi College and Career Navigator Program, $1 million for a systemwide transcript evaluation platform to streamline the transfer of credits, $230,000 to advance academic advising and $300,000 for Mālama Kauhale, which allows students to earn food vouchers through campus service.

“Every student is our student,” Hensel said. “Whether someone attends one of our community colleges or a four-year campus, they should have access to the fundamental support, technology and opportunities they need to succeed. By working as one system, we can remove barriers that no campus should have to solve alone.”

The investments are also part of a coordinated enrollment strategy as 糖心视频 prepares for a projected decline in the number of Hawaiʻi high school graduates in the coming years.

Meeting Hawaiʻi‘s workforce needs

Approximately $21 million in strategic impact is aligned with Hawaiʻi‘s current and future workforce needs, particularly in fields where the state faces critical shortages, and 糖心视频 has opportunities to expand successful programs.

The goal is a more coordinated systemwide approach to workforce development, including a single “front door” for employers and industry partners and greater use of real-time labor market information to align academic programs with workforce needs.

Investments include $500,000 for the SteppingBlocks AI Platform (connecting higher education and workforce outcomes), $150,000 for a unified employer intake system, $1.37 million to expand diagnostic medical sonography (sound wave imagery) at Kapiʻolani Community College and $500,000 to expand teacher education pathways across the 10-campus system.

“Our intent is to fuel responsive workforce development across the 10-campus system,” Hensel said.

Modernizing the university

Approximately $60 million in strategic impact is connected to improving and modernizing 糖心视频 operations, including major investments in technology, cybersecurity and administrative systems.

Projects include approximately $4.9 million in systemwide wireless upgrades, more than $6.7 million for firewalls and cybersecurity audits, $6 million to modernize 糖心视频‘s human resources data system, $5 million for a new systemwide budget management platform and $2 million to establish a systemwide Office of Compliance.

The systemwide approach is intended to reduce duplication, establish common standards and leverage 糖心视频‘s purchasing power.

“Instead of 10 individual campuses looking at wireless upgrades, why not do that from a system level?” Salaveria said. “Economies of scale, purchasing power, standardization of protocols鈥攁ll of these different things just make sense.”

Investing in research and Hawaiʻi‘s economy

Approximately $15.5 million in strategic impact is aligned with research, innovation and economic diversification.

Projects include $3 million for intellectual property protection, $3 million for an AI Institute Hub, investments in secure research environments and $5 million for an Advanced Manufacturing Hub, including laboratory renovations intended to position 糖心视频 to compete for tens of millions of dollars in potential federal grants.

The AI investment is part of a broader effort to responsibly and ethically integrate artificial intelligence throughout 糖心视频‘s curriculum, research and operations while expanding AI education and training for Hawaiʻi.

The investments are also intended to build 糖心视频‘s capacity to attract outside funding and support emerging industries in Hawaiʻi, including advanced manufacturing, technology and climate resilience.

Fulfilling 糖心视频‘s kuleana to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi

Approximately $10.4 million in strategic impact will advance 糖心视频‘s commitment to becoming a Native Hawaiian place of learning.

The investments include dedicated spaces across campuses for student success and cultural programming; $600,000 to develop a framework for embedding Native Hawaiian priorities into university governance and budgeting; and professional development to strengthen culturally responsive teaching.

The plan includes funding for dedicated Native Hawaiian Places of Learning and specialized student-support spaces on each 糖心视频 campus, along with expanded Native Hawaiian student services and systemwide kuleana initiatives.

Where the money comes from

The one-time investments are being funded primarily through university cash balances that grew during and following the COVID-19 pandemic, when federal relief funding helped support operations while 糖心视频 implemented significant cost-saving measures, including restrictions on hiring and travel and the postponement of major purchases.

糖心视频 will continue to maintain appropriate reserves for financial stability and unexpected needs.

The investment is part of a broader change in how 糖心视频 manages its financial resources. Instead of viewing needs primarily through individual campus budgets, 糖心视频 is taking a systemwide approach when doing so can reduce duplication, increase purchasing power and provide infrastructure and services more efficiently.

The investments are also structured to avoid creating significant new recurring costs.

From planning to execution

Hensel directed campus and system leaders earlier this year to identify high-impact investments capable of producing lasting benefits without creating new recurring financial obligations. Routine repairs, replacement of lost grant funding and normal operating expenses were not the focus.

With the priorities established and funding identified, the focus now shifts to execution and accountability, including measuring whether the investments deliver the intended results for students, the university and Hawaiʻi.

“This is not about spending money because it is available,” Hensel said. “It is about making disciplined choices and putting our resources to work where they can have the greatest impact. We are investing in our students, in Hawaiʻi‘s workforce and economy, and in a stronger and more resilient University of Hawaiʻi.”

The University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges鈥� campaign “Start Here, Go Beyond,” highlighting authentic student transfer journeys across the 10-campus 糖心视频 System, has been selected as a finalist in two categories for the Medallion Awards, presented by District 6 of the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR):

• Television/Video Paid Advertisement (series): “Start Here, Go Beyond”
• Video Shorts (series): “Start Here, Go Beyond”

The video series highlights how starting at a community college provides an affordable, flexible pathway toward earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree, advancing careers and serving local communities. The students鈥� stories showcase diverse fields—from engineering and law to teaching—demonstrating the ability to achieve career goals while staying rooted in Hawaiʻi.

Watch the videos

The is available on 糖心视频 Community Colleges鈥� website.

‘Vital gateway’

“Our community colleges serve as a vital gateway to higher education, and these videos showcase the true power of that journey through the voices of our students,” said Lui Hokoana, interim vice president for community colleges and 糖心视频 Maui College chancellor. “Being recognized nationally by NCMPR is a testament to the hard work of our team and the incredible achievements of our alumni who inspire the next generation to start here and go beyond.”

The NCMPR Medallion Awards recognize outstanding achievement in design and communication among two-year community and technical colleges. Final placement levels—gold, silver and bronze—will be announced during the District 6 conference in October in Scottsdale, Arizona.

• Related 糖心视频 News: New video series highlights 糖心视频 transfer success, April 20, 2026

University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel highlighted 糖心视频‘s response to recent severe weather events, efforts to simplify the application process for prospective students and an upcoming public forum on the university’s new budgeting process and $123-million strategic investment initiative during her September report to the 糖心视频 Board of Regents (BOR).

Hensel delivered the report at the September 17 BOR meeting at Leeward Community College’s Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center. She began by recognizing 糖心视频 teams who helped campuses respond to an unusually active year of severe weather, most recently Hurricane Lowell. The storm caused significant damage and prolonged power outages on Kauaʻi, forcing Kauaʻi Community College to close for a week before reopening to students on September 16.

Hensel also provided an update on fall enrollment, highlighted the October 1 launch of Apply Hawaiʻi, a single undergraduate application for all 10 campuses, and announced a September 28 public forum on 糖心视频‘s budget and $123 million strategic investment initiative.

• Severe weather response and emergency preparedness ()
• Fall 2026 enrollment ()
• Apply Hawaiʻi launch ()
• Direct2糖心视频 expansion to all 10 campuses ()
• Time, Place and Manner policy update ()
• September 28 budget and $123-million strategic investment forum ()
• 糖心视频 News highlights
  • Inaugural Waiʻanae EMT program ()
  • Hawaiʻi CC $920,000 NSF drone technology grant ()
  • Kalaeloa Hybrid Reef Project ()

Stay connected with President Wendy Hensel by following her on , , and

More than 2,000 haumāna (students), faculty and staff gathered at the on September 10 for , an annual event welcoming the campus community to a new academic year.

Originally scheduled for the first day of the fall semester, the event was postponed because of Tropical Storm Moke.

The afternoon event featured a resource fair spanning the Campus Center Courtyard, Kuykendall Lawn and Legacy Path. Approximately 60 campus departments, programs and organizations participated, sharing information about resources, services, activities and opportunities available to haumāna.

“It’s wonderful after the summer break to see the students back on campus, see the energy, see the young people we bring here to educate, having fun at the Warrior Recreation Center, having fun at Campus Center and going around our facilities,” said 糖心视频 Mānoa Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos. “It is a great, great vibe and I hope it gets better and better as we get into the semester.”

Haumāna explored resources ranging from academics and student support services to campus activities and employment opportunities. The event also featured food from Mānoa Dining Services and local food trucks, along with music, interactive activities, giveaways and prizes.

“The most valuable thing about this event is the students getting involved and the students knowing what resources are available to them, knowing what support they have on campus,” said Natasha Maʻafala, a junior major. “Even though college and the campus seem super scary, super big, they’re not going through this alone and so many others are here looking for those resources too.”

Welina Mānoa is one of the first major student activities of the academic year, helping students discover resources, services and opportunities available across the 糖心视频 Mānoa campus.

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 celebrated and honored Queen 尝颈濒颈ʻ耻辞办补濒补苍颈鈥檚 l膩 h膩nau (birthday) with a ceremony and activities on September 2. Faculty, students and staff gathered at the Queen Liliʻuokalani Center for Student Services (QLC) for an open house and tribute. The event was filled with music, lei, and program booths promoting various services on campus.

“The open house aspect of the event is to get students checking out what resources are available,” said Allyson Nuesca Franco, outreach coordinator for Native Hawaiian Student Services. “Not just within the QLC building, but for places across campus as well.”

The tribute was organized by the , (NHSS), and the . This marks the start of Hawaiian History Month on campus, which runs throughout September. Students could honor the Queen鈥檚 legacy while also learning about available support services.

At the end of the event, all lei was put onto Ke Ahu o Kamakaʻeha, an altar dedicated to the last reigning Hawaiian monarch.

Connecting Through Moʻolelo

Students were tasked with gathering flowers from the different information booths to create a bouquet wrapped in replicas of old ʻōlelo newspapers. All four floors of QLC had a variety of campus resource booths, such as Warrior Rec., student health resources, veteran services and more. Students could create their own unique bouquet based on which booth they visited.

The activity connects to the moʻolelo of Queen 尝颈濒颈ʻ耻鈥檚 imprisonment. She would have flowers wrapped in newspaper delivered everyday to the ʻIolani Palace. Through this, she secretly stayed updated about her kingdom.

Franco hopes students walk away with gratitude and a better understanding from the event.

“We’re celebrating the last reigning monarch驶s birthday and honoring the work that she did not just for her kingdom, but for the programs she created for students and the youth of Hawaiʻi. With that same concept, celebrating the work that she did and the work that we do here at QLC”

For more information on upcoming events throughout the month, visit the .

In a milestone for Leeward Coast healthcare, 14 local students celebrated their graduation from the inaugural Summer 2026 Waiʻanae Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program on Friday, August 28, 2026. The ceremony at the Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center marked the first time this critical training has been offered directly in the community.

The groundbreaking program is a collaborative partnership among , Education Center and the (WCCHC). Supported by the 糖心视频 Community Colleges’ initiative, the program brings EMT training closer to home, removing significant transit barriers for West Oʻahu residents.

‘Elevate our community’

“People who grew up on the West Side, it makes me feel special, and it makes us feel like—growing up in such a small city—we do matter, and we’re not just from the West Side,” said EMT graduate Lauren Debutiaco Odviar, a Waiʻanae High School alumna. “We’re smart, intelligent people who can give back to our community and elevate our community too.”

Good Jobs Hawaiʻi covered tuition, uniforms, books and testing fees. The rigorous summer curriculum prepared students through intensive classroom instruction, skills training, clinical experiences and field education. Graduates are now eligible for national certification and immediate local employment.

“What this means to me is to grow my future, not only for me, but also for my son, give back to the community, and just make my family proud,” said EMT graduate Jalen Rene Molina.

Following the official pinning ceremony, the cohort celebrated their achievements with family, instructors and community partners at a special lunch reception.

Decades in the making

Leeward CC Associate Professor Lucy Gay spent decades advocating for expanded healthcare training access for West Oʻahu students, ultimately opening dedicated classroom study and practice spaces for this inaugural cohort at Leeward CC‘s Waiʻanae Moku Education Center.

The program gained momentum last year when WCCHC‘s Chrissy Kuahine approached Leeward CC and Kapiʻolani CC about launching localized training to address the acute paramedic and EMT shortage on the coast.

EMT graduate David Di Martino, who lives in ʻEwa Beach and served as president of the group, said, “To be the first cohort, it was a risk, and I would say it paid off majorly, and I just hope it reflects that way out on the streets with the people of Hawaiʻi.”

A sensory-friendly initiative that began at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 has expanded to all 10 糖心视频 campuses, giving students, faculty and staff across the system access to tools designed to reduce stress, improve focus and support overall well-being.

The effort is led by the 糖心视频 project in partnership with campus offices statewide. Two years ago, CAMP+U collaborated with the to open 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补’s first sensory room, providing a quiet space where members of the campus community can decompress, regulate emotions and recharge from the demands of daily campus life.

Spreading support

Building on that success, CAMP+U has partnered with every 糖心视频 campus to provide a portable sensory kit that can be used to create sensory rooms, integrated sensory spaces or pop-up experiences.

The portable kits contain more than a dozen sensory tools鈥攊ncluding a northern lights and moon projector, sunset and jellyfish lamps, fidget toys, space tent, cosmic cocoon (bean bag chair) and more鈥攖hat can be easily transported and assembled, offering campuses a low-cost, flexible way to create calming environments wherever they are needed. The kits also contain a resource hub with educational materials.

Each campus has adapted the initiative to meet its local needs, with collaborations involving disability services, student basic needs, counseling, libraries and other student support offices. Many campuses introduced the program through sensory pop-up events during high-stress times such as midterms, finals and campus study sessions.

“College can be overwhelming for anyone, and sometimes students simply need a place where they can pause, reset and return to class feeling ready to learn,” said Holly Manaseri, Center on Disability Studies faculty member and project director. “Creating spaces that acknowledge those needs sends a powerful message that every student belongs and deserves the opportunity to succeed.”

The expansion comes as colleges and universities nationwide increasingly adopt sensory-informed learning environments to support academic success and well-being. Among 糖心视频鈥檚 peer institutions, more than half offer sensory-friendly spaces, while nearly one-quarter have dedicated sensory rooms. Sensory spaces were also offered at every 2026 FIFAWorld Cup venue, and similar spaces are now found in airports, public libraries and shopping centers to help people take a break from overwhelming sights and sounds.

Feedback shows positive impact

An ongoing research study is evaluating the impact of the 糖心视频 initiative. According to Manca Sustarsic, the project鈥檚 evaluator, “Feedback from more than 500 visitors across the university system shows visitors reported feeling calmer, more relaxed and happier after using the sensory spaces. Preliminary findings also indicate significant reductions in stress, anxiety, frustration and feeling overwhelmed, while many students reported improved focus, greater motivation and a stronger sense of belonging on campus.”

CAMP+U鈥攕upported by and led by Manaseri, Sustarsic and Renz Louis T. Montano鈥攆ocuses on supporting student success throughout the college experience, with particular attention to students with learning differences and disabilities.

For sensory room contacts at each 糖心视频 campus,

The Center on Disability Studies is housed in 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 .

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University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel presented a series of proposed organizational changes designed to elevate the voices of the university鈥檚 seven community colleges, strengthen systemwide academic planning and create what she described as a more unified student success ecosystem.

Hensel outlined the changes to the 糖心视频 Board of Regents (BOR) at its August 20 meeting at Kauaʻi Community College in her presentation, “Final Reorganizational Directives for the University of Hawaiʻi System.” The proposed plan for discussion would eliminate the Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges. All seven community college chancellors would then report directly to the president and serve alongside the chancellors of 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补, 糖心视频 Hilo and 糖心视频 West Oʻahu on the president鈥檚 executive cabinet.

Elevating the voices of the community colleges

Over the next few months, Hensel will discuss the proposal with campus governance groups and the broader campus communities, receive feedback and consider that input as the proposal moves forward.

The plan is intended to be “an amplification of the community colleges, not a diminution of those community colleges, and I just can鈥檛 say that strongly enough,” Hensel told the BOR. The proposal would elevate “the voices of the community college chancellors so they are sitting at the table with the four-year chancellors and directly contributing to the decisions we are making for the entire university.”

Hensel said the proposal responds to feedback from the community college chancellors, who expressed a desire for a more direct role in systemwide planning and decision-making. The new reporting structure is intended to increase the voice and accountability of each campus while strengthening communication and collaboration across all 10 campuses. The proposal was developed following multiple conversations with administrators, faculty and staff across the community colleges over the last eighteen months.

Hensel made clear the proposed administrative change would eliminate an administrative layer but would keep intact the support structure serving the community colleges.

“We are not eliminating the critical work that is being done or the people who are doing it,” Hensel said. “We are taking those essential functions and placing them where they can be more fully integrated with the academic and administrative work of the entire system.”

Under the proposal, community college academic affairs—including student support, institutional effectiveness, workforce innovation and academic support services—would move as a unit under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Strategy. Community college administrative functions, including budget, human resources and facilities, would transition as a unit to the Office of the Vice President for Administration.

The reporting-line changes and elimination of the vice president position will be discussed over the fall semester, with the intent of reaching a conclusion by the end of 2026. A second phase, beginning in spring 2027, would include more detailed work and consultation within reporting structures to determine how to maximize collaboration and effectiveness of the new teams.

Separating 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and system leadership

Hensel also highlighted the July 2026 separation of 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and 糖心视频 System operations as a major step toward the new organizational structure.

Before the separation, the 糖心视频 president also carried many of the responsibilities traditionally assigned to the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 chancellor. With Vassilis Syrmos now serving as the dedicated 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 chancellor, Hensel said the president鈥檚 office can focus more fully on statewide academic, workforce, operational and financial strategies while ensuring balanced attention across all 10 campuses.

The new governance boundaries assign Hensel responsibility for systemwide integration, long-term statewide alignment and fiduciary oversight. Syrmos is responsible for the day-to-day academic operations, student experience, research enterprise and physical infrastructure of the flagship campus.

“Having a dedicated chancellor at 惭腻苍辞补 allows that campus to receive the focused leadership it deserves, while allowing the president to look across the entire state and ask what every campus and every community needs from the University of Hawaiʻi,” Hensel said.

Exploring a West Oʻahu regional model

The university is also examining opportunities for greater coordination between 糖心视频 West Oʻahu and Leeward Community College, which have been operating under the interim dual leadership of Chancellor Carlos Pe帽aloza since January 2026.

The pilot is exploring how the two campuses can better serve the rapidly growing West Oʻahu region through shared resources, coordinated academic offerings and streamlined pathways that allow students to move more easily from associate to bachelor鈥檚 degree programs. Hensel emphasized that no final outcome has been predetermined.

“This is an exploration,” she said. “The purpose is to determine whether there are opportunities to create stronger academic pathways, use resources more effectively and provide students with a more integrated experience. We will follow the evidence and the input we receive rather than begin with a predetermined answer.”

A formal recommendation on the future structure is expected in early 2027.

Elevating academic technology and Native Hawaiian leadership

Additional changes include permanently placing the Office of Academic Technology and Innovation under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Strategy. The move is intended to better align academic technology, online education and instructional innovation with the university鈥檚 broader academic and student-success strategy.

Hensel is also proposing to elevate the director of Hawaiʻi Papa o Ke Ao to an assistant vice president and executive director position reporting directly to the president. The change will formally embed Native Hawaiian perspectives and the university鈥檚 commitment to becoming a model Indigenous-serving institution within the executive leadership structure.

Together, the changes are intended to create clearer responsibilities and a leadership structure centered on 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 excellence, community college parity, integrated administrative support, holistic academic strategy and cultural authority.

Building a statewide student ecosystem

Hensel said the reforms are the culmination of two years of systemwide conversations that started before her arrival about how 糖心视频鈥檚 administrative structure can better advance its mission and serve students.

“How do we create an infrastructure that outlives independent personnel changes?” Hensel asked. “Too often, academic administrations are built around particular individuals and personal relationships. We need an integrated architecture that does not depend on who happens to be sitting in a particular chair, but instead supports collaboration and student success over the long term.”

Hensel said a more integrated system can improve course sharing, transfer pathways and access to academic programs while establishing a common standard of care for students regardless of which 糖心视频 campus they attend.

“This is not about making every campus the same,” Hensel said. “It is about preserving the identity and strengths of each campus while building the connections that allow us to serve students and the state far more effectively as one university.”

University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel is moving 糖心视频 toward a more coordinated approach to managing its financial resources, with the 10 campuses sharing risk and investing collectively in priorities that benefit students across the system.

Hensel outlined the approach during her presentation “Collaborative Strategic Investment: A New Paradigm for 糖心视频” to the 糖心视频 Board of Regents on August 20 at Kauaʻi Community College, describing it as part of a larger shift toward operating 糖心视频 as one university system rather than 10 largely independent campuses.

“What we have is a very decentralized 10-campus system, which means that we are often pulling in different directions in ways that compete with each other that are not optimal,” Hensel said.

The new approach is built around what Hensel described as a “we rather than I” philosophy鈥攎aintaining the individual identities and priorities of each campus while taking greater advantage of the financial strength of the entire 糖心视频 System.

Historically, campuses have largely managed their own reserves, tuition balances and financial risks. That meant campuses generally had to respond on their own to challenges such as enrollment declines while also funding many of their own strategic priorities. It has also contributed to significant differences across the system, with some campuses accumulating substantial cash balances while others have had fewer resources available.

Across the system, campuses have held a fluctuating total of about $200 million in unutilized cash balances. Hensel described having those resources as a “gift” compared with universities across the country facing structural deficits and other significant financial challenges. The opportunity now, she said, is to put more of those resources to work for 糖心视频 students, faculty and staff.

“We are moving from ‘preserve’ and ‘defend’ capital to ‘deploy’ and ‘anticipate’ the future so that we can meet the needs of the moment that we’re in,” Hensel said.

Sharing risk across 10 campuses

One major step has already been taken. 糖心视频 has consolidated approximately $156 million that had been held as reserves at individual campuses into a single systemwide reserve. Instead of each campus carrying its financial risk alone, the university now has a shared safety net that can be used when significant needs or emergencies arise anywhere in the 10-campus system.

糖心视频 is taking a similar approach to excess tuition balances. Campuses will retain 20% of their tuition cash balances, preserving resources for campus-specific priorities and needs beyond their normal annual operating expenses. Funds above that level at the close of each fiscal year will be redirected to key strategic investments across the university. The approach follows existing state law that directs excess tuition funds to be returned to the system annually for strategic use.

The goal, Hensel said, is not simply to shift money from one campus to another, but to use 糖心视频鈥檚 collective resources where they can have the greatest impact while preserving appropriate campus autonomy. The approach supports Hensel鈥檚 broader goal of establishing a more consistent standard of care for students across the 10 campuses. A student, faculty or staff member鈥檚 access to basic technology, services and support should not depend on the financial condition of their particular 糖心视频 campus.

Investments will focus on needs that are difficult for individual campuses to address on their own effectively and efficiently, such as modernizing Wi-Fi infrastructure across all 10 campuses and establishing a regular, equitable replacement schedule for technology such as laptops. By acting collectively, these improvements can be secured at a lower cost and result in greater strategic impact across the system.

The shift is part of a larger change in how 糖心视频 approaches budgeting and planning鈥攃onnecting financial decisions more directly to the priorities of the university鈥檚 strategic plan and using the collective resources of the 10–campus system to better serve students across Hawaiʻi.

Aloha 糖心视频 Mānoa ʻohana,

Welcome to the start of the 2026–27 academic year! After the relative quiet of summer, it is great to see the campus once again abuzz with the sights and sounds of students, faculty, and staff in motion.

While we were fortunate that Tropical Storm Lala and Moke did not severely impact our campus, I would like to take a moment to thank our dedicated staff at 糖心视频 Mānoa for their efforts to ensure that our campus remained safe and open for business.

With new and exciting new facilities coming online soon, like the Kūlia i ka Nuʻu Student Success Center, as well as the expanded McCarthy Mall and Paradise Palms gathering spaces, we are looking forward to creating an even more vibrant campus experience for everyone.

As we get settled in for the new semester, I want you to know that we will begin work on a new and bold strategic plan that will help to solidify 糖心视频 Mānoa as the premier flagship campus of Hawaiʻi and to make our campus an even better place to learn, work, live, and play. To do so, we are going to need your input, so please be on the lookout for opportunities to participate in this very important process. I eagerly anticipate your feedback as my listening tour across campus units and departments continues. Please also join us for an Open Forum on Thursday, October 1, from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Campus Center Ballroom. I look forward to engaging with you there.

We all are fortunate to be able to live and work in a special place that is firmly rooted in place-based values that are unique to Hawaiʻi. Let us keep that close to our hearts and minds as we all strive to make this another great year at 糖心视频 Mānoa.

Mahalo,
Vassilis L. Syrmos
Chancellor, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa

A vibrant new mural inside the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 Bookstore is welcoming students with a colorful tribute to the campus community and its rich botanical landscape.

Created by 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 alumna and local artist Rachel Radona, the mural draws inspiration from the hundreds of plant species found across campus. More than a collection of flowers and trees, the artwork reflects the stories, cultures and experiences that make up the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 community.

“Art is about stories and moʻolelo,” Radona said. “Every student is different, comes from different backgrounds and comes from different cultures. Every plant and student has a different story to share.”

Inspired by campus

Before putting paint on the wall, Radona spent time exploring the university’s plant map and learning about the species that grow throughout campus. The mural features plants including the silk floss flower, k艒奴 and ʻulu trees,
each chosen for its connection to 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 and the stories they represent.

One of Radona’s favorite elements is the 驶ulu, which she said symbolizes community resilience through its place in Hawaiian moʻolelo. She also incorporated the kōū flower, a plant traditionally associated with welcoming guests, to help create an inviting atmosphere for everyone who enters the bookstore.

Throughout the mural, bold colors and flowing shapes reflect Radona’s artistic style. She hopes the finished piece encourages students to pause, notice the plants around them and discover something new about the campus.

Art that brings people together

Although painting the mural was rewarding, Radona said the interactions with students, faculty, staff and families became the most memorable part of the project.

“That’s what art is all about,” Radona said. “Whether it’s music, whether dancing or it’s painting, you’re supposed to share with one another.”

A recent 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 graduate, Radona said returning to campus to create the mural felt especially meaningful. She hopes the artwork reflects the welcoming spirit of the university while giving students another place where they can see themselves represented.

She also believes public art plays an important role on a college campus by giving people another way to express themselves and connect with others.

“It’s so important,” Radona said. “We are all trying to make our way, find our way in college. Art is mine. But I know so many wonderful people here who found their voice in so many other things.”

As students return for the fall semester, the mural will serve as a lasting reminder that every member of the 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 community has a story to tell and that those stories help shape the campus experience.

— Emili Phomsouvanh

University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel highlighted the start of the 2026–27 academic year, 糖心视频鈥檚 second-highest extramural funding total in history and the leadership transition at Hawaiʻi Community College during her August report to the 糖心视频 Board of Regents (BOR). The report was delivered at the August 20 BOR meeting at Kauaʻi Community College.

Hensel reported that 糖心视频 secured $647.3 million in extramural funding in fiscal year 2026, the second-highest total in university history and the fifth consecutive year above $500 million. She also provided an update on the leadership transition at Hawaiʻi CC, where Interim Vice President for Community Colleges and 糖心视频 Maui College Chancellor Lui Hokoana is serving as interim chancellor while 糖心视频 prepares an interim chancellor for the campus and the launch of a national search for a permanent leader.

Hensel also highlighted 糖心视频鈥檚 inaugural AI Institute Day, which brought together 546 participants from across the 糖心视频 System on August 11, and the launch of the 鈥橞ows Athletics Club and Shoji Society, two new initiatives designed to strengthen annual and transformational giving to 糖心视频 惭腻苍辞补 Athletics.

Finally, Kauaʻi CC鈥檚 Justin Seto was recognized with the 糖心视频 President鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Building and Grounds Maintenance for his dedication, technical expertise and “campus-first” approach.

• Enrollment and start of fall semester ()
• Leadership retreat and strategic investments ()
• Hawaiʻi CC leadership transition ()
• FY26 extramural funding ()
• 鈥橞ows Athletics Club and Shoji Society ()
• AI Institute Day and strategic AI investments ()
• 糖心视频 News highlights
  • 糖心视频 Community Colleges ranked 11th best ()
  • Kauaʻi CC, Kauaʻi Community Correctional Center partnership ()
  • Kauaʻi CC Summer Institute Pāpala Lele Internship ()
• President鈥檚 Award for Excellence ()

Stay connected with President Wendy Hensel by following her on , , and

—Peace, quiet, security, tranquility, serenity.

More ʻ艑lelo of the Week

Check back for more ʻ艒lelo Hawaiʻi.

—Moanikeʻala Nabarro, Office of Communications, Ke Kulanui o Hawaiʻi ma Mānoa (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)

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