Faculty Survey on Offering Academic Programs to West Hawaii
February 15, 2007
West Hawaii Faculty Survey
65 Faculty Respondents
1. Do you, as a member of the UHH faculty, in general feel that UHH has an obligation
to provide educational programs to West Hawaii and other underserved districts of the
Island? 87.9% Yes, 12.1% No
2. Given additional budgetary commitments from the UH System, do you support
expanded program offerings in West Hawaii? 90.9% Yes, 9.1% No
3. Do you support the Faculty Congress in representing the UHH faculty (and reporting
the results of this survey) at the February 23 meeting of the Board of Regents (in Kona)?
93.9% Yes, 6.1% No
Any Comments?
1. With the introduction of DL, and its prevalence in universities nationwide, we can
easily provide to other areas than Hilo first rate course offerings
2. Obviously UHH budget needs to be greater if we are to serve this community morewe cannot do it with our current meager resources.
3. I definitely think that UH should find a way to serve West Hawaii. I am not sure
whether the best way to do that is via UHH or through a new campus. At this point
unless more resources are provided I do not see how we can operate effectively on
both sides of the island.
4. I believe that we made a big mistake years ago by 'giving Kona' to the community
colleges and any other campus (UH or outside) that wanted to contract with them to
provide programs. In this digital age, UHH ought to provide for the educational needs
of the entire island.
5. Clarify the role of the University Center in Kona.
6. As a public institution, we have a lot to address geographically and scheduling
throughout the days and week.
7. I chose "No" on the first question because I think the obligation is on the state and
university as a whole, not UHH. I think the state needs to recognize the need for a
separate campus, a true UH Kona. While this may have implications for resources at
UHH, I do not think that UHH is the best vehicle for administering to the needs of
West Hawaii.
8. Need to get buy in from the Kona community, which apparently is somewhat divided
on the topic.
9. I have answered "yes" to all of these questions in the spirit of what should be done.
However, UH Hilo is not well supported by the UH system. Academic programs are
actually in decline because of growing student enrollment, flat budgeting and lack of
space. The evidence is low faculty morale and the beginnings of brain drain as faculty
seek new positions with better support for academics. So given that situation, the idea
of supporting development of West Hawaii higher education puts UH Hilo in a "less
than zero" sum game. Basically until the UH system supports higher education on the
Big Island, I cannot support the diffusion of an already declining resource base to
West Hawaii. The key phrase "additional budgetary commitments" in question 2 has to
start with UH Hilo, and then include West Hawaii.
10. As I am sure your group discussed, it would be a good idea if the budget do expand in
Faculty Survey on Offering Academic Programs to West Hawaii
February 15, 2007
that direction follows. The number of college-age students is increasing on the Kona
side and the educational opportunity in the conservation biology and environmental
science fields are excellent on the Kona-side. UHH already has demonstrated interest
in developing programs for the Hamakua area. This would be a natural extension of
UHH.
11. UHH previously had a reasonably high-profile presence in WH, but due to extreme
budgetary pressures withdrew (or Mortimer made it impossible to continue). But, the
big IF in all of this is "budgetary commitments (sic) from the UH System". What does
that mean?
12. The problem remains insufficient resources to do what we are doing in Hilo let alone
Kona. Our program will soon be offering 50% of our courses with lecturers. In my time
at UHH I have witnessed a continuing diluting of many of our programs while we add
programs (including graduate) without sufficient funding. I have no faith that the
resources will follow the talk. So regarding question #2 we need resources to fix UHH
programs, start a new community college campus in Kona and then once that is in
place add on the second two years for B.A. programs (you could be a part of that I will
be pushing up daisies).
13. Good luck getting the money!
14. These questions are leading, not likely to gauge real opinions of faculty.
15. What we have to be careful about is going forward and finding out later that the
funding is going to come out of our hide.
16. On Question 3, I'd like to add that while I understand why Faculty Congress is
representing UHH faculty, I also think that you might ask other faculty who may also
wish to present to the BOR.
17. Question #2 -- depends on whether the funds are adequate to allow us to offer quality
programs without taking away from our undergraduate programs on the campus here.
We need to be sensitive to the efforts of Hawaii CC in West Hawaii. It would not be to
anyone's benefit for them to perceive our interest in West Hawaii as an attempt to
take over their turf. A partnership over there makes good sense. Also, people planning
for West Hawaii should familiarize themselves with the experiences of the programs
who have offered their majors in Kona. There were enrollment problems, student
expectation problems, preparation problems, library and technical support problems,
and no replacement for the teaching that DIDN'T happen on the East side while faculty
were teaching a class on the West side.
18. Marine Science is planning on offering courses in West Hawai`i within the next 2-3
years.
19. West Hawaii has been underserved by the state in a variety of ways. The growing
population over there deserves to have access to the UH system. I support offering
classes in conjunction with Hawaii Community College in order to quickly and
efficiently serve that population. This should be done immediately with a longer range
goal of providing permanent facilities for higher education on the west side of the Big
Island.
20. In question 1- "obligation" isn't really the right word - I think it would be a good thing
to do, and important for island students, and fits well with our mission statement, and
so checked yes because I think that's what the question implies - but we're not
"obligated" per se. In Q 2- to some degree, additional budgetary commitments will be
offset by additional tuitions - particularly if we're using existing facilities and not
starting from scratch building infrastructure.
21. The CS department is starting another group of students for a distance learning
program, this would be ideal for Kona students, although they would have to get their
general education courses some other way (i.e., we do not promise our DL students
distance delivery of any general education courses).
Faculty Survey on Offering Academic Programs to West Hawaii
February 15, 2007
22. We need to serve West Hawaii or risk losing the region to other institutions. However,
"we can't make bricks without straw," as they say. That is, we cannot be expected to
expand into West Hawaii without ample resources from the system. In the past, we
have been expected to expand without additional resources, but the limit has been
reached. UH System financial commitment to this UH Hilo expansion into West Hawaii
is key!
23. This will take a significant investment of resources. I hope that for the sake of equity
we do not offer just distance learning options. We should be thinking primarily of "live"
classes.
24. The Natural Energy Laboratory (NELHA)located in Kona and the center of the
aquaculture industry in Hawaii (as well as a good deal of related research) has for
many years requested that aquaculture courses be given in Kona for the benefit of
their employees and to establish means by which they could access our students for
jobs. Our students could also do internship there. We could do serve this sector if we
had funds to do so and would be interested in a west Hawaii initiative. In particular, if
classroom facilities, travel funds and some sort of modest housing for students and
staff were available, we could work on the west side. Maria Haws (PACRC/CAFNRM)
25. While I support the idea of extended program offerings in West Hawai'i as they relate
to the "living laboratory" argument, I feel that all Hawai'i students would be better
served if money for a planned 4-yr-and-beyond Kona campus were used to build
housing at UHH. The currently underserved Kona student population could then
conveniently attend a 4-yr in-residence program here at UHH. I don't think that
building another commuter school is the best answer.
26. From a philosophical standpoint, I believe that it is UH Hilo's Kuleana to provide &
deliver baccalaureate-level educational programs throughout the Island of Hawaii.
Realistically, we cannot deliver viable programs island-wide using just our current
resources. Therefore, I believe that faculty should encourage the BOR and the UH Hilo
Administration to seek additional resources to help meet our responsibilities to the
people of the Big Island.
27. We would need to change the name of our university to better reflect the ENTIRE
island of Hawai'i. I favor a name change from UH Hilo to Hawaii State University.
28. Oddly worded questions. The UH System should provide services to Kona. This does
NOT imply that those services should be provided by UH-Hilo. Do you understand the
distinction?
29. The attempt was made last time around to do it on a shoestring, and this imposed an
enormous additional burden on Hilo faculty in departments participating. We shouldn't
do it again unless we have a solid commitment of SUFFICIENT resources to do it right.
Stationing a single faculty member in West Hawaii for a discipline is not doing it right;
others in the home department end up under considerable pressure to carry overloads
and commute to Kona (forcing bundling 3-credit courses into a single weekly slot,
regardless of the appropriateness of the material for this format) or develop distance
versions of courses best taught face to face.
30.
West Hawaii needs our presence, but offering programs there is not easy. I was
involved in the original attempt to do so, and it wasn't just lack of funds that made it
difficult. It will take a great deal of careful planning and commitment to pull off.