North Hawaiʻi Education and Research Center (NHERC)

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NHERC's Mission

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Located in pleasantly rural Honoka'a on the Big Island of Hawai'i, NHERC is a branch of UH Hilo that offers both credit and non-credit courses. NHERC also serves as a depot for providing student services to distance learning students and is equipped to serve as the originating source as well as the receiving site for distance education curricula.

The five core missions of NHERC include:

Serving as a distance learning center for UH Hilo programs
Providing higher education outreach services to the North Hawaiʻi region
Providing lifelong learning opportunities to the North Hawaiʻi region
Serving as a base station for field research in the North Hawaiʻi region
Serving as a community center

NHERC Honokaa

University of Hawai`i at Hilo

North Hawai`i Education and Research Center

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 2001, House Concurrent Resolution 186 and House Resolution 161, requested that the University of Hawai`i at Hilo (UH Hilo) explore the feasibility of establishing an education and research center of UH Hilo in the old Honoka`a Hospital. Subsequently, legislation passed during the 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006 legislative sessions provided funding for construction and operations of the North Hawai`i Education and Research Center (NHERC).

Discussions conducted by a committee of community and university leaders resulted in a proposal to establish NHERC with a fivefold mission, a mission revolving around NHERC’s role as an educational and community center for the North Hawai`i region. The UH Hilo’s Strategic Plan provides the basis for the first four missions while the fifth mission addresses the specific needs of the community. The five core missions of NHERC include:

Serving as a distance learning center for UH Hilo programs
Providing higher education outreach services to the North Hawai`i region
Providing lifelong learning opportunities to the North Hawai`i region
Serving as a base station for field research in the North Hawai`i region
Serving as a community center

Organizationally, the College of Continuing Education and Community Service (CCECS) will administer this unit. NHERC is designed to serve the approximately 19,000 residents in North Hawai`i currently underserved by higher education.

Act 177, SLH 2002 enabled the release of $1,700,000 for Phase I of NHERC. In May 2006 the construction of Phase I was completed. Phase I establishes a higher education presence in the North Hawai`i region and provides for the start-up of the center. NHERC currently houses a 20-seat classroom, a 30-seat classroom, a computer lab, a distance learning classroom, a 150-seat conference room, two faculty offices, two storage rooms, a director’s office, and reception and work areas.

The proposed reorganization will establish NHERC and provide for positions as authorized by the 2005 State Legislature. The State’s biennial budget provided $123,750 for fiscal year 2006 and $125,000 for fiscal year 2007 for the hiring of a director (#96600F), an academic support position (educational specialist) (#96601F) and a secretary (#96100F). The academic support position and the secretary will report to the director of the center and the director will report to the dean of CCECS. The community-based advisory board will assist the staff in developing a comprehensive center.

In addition, a budget allocation of $133,120 in the State’s 2006 supplemental budget passed through the legislature. These monies, which fully fund UH Hilo’s original biennial request, will augment the funds already allocated for NHERC for both furnishment and operations in fiscal year 2007.

Act 41, SLH 2004 authorized Phase II and provided for the release of $3,700,000 in general obligation bonds. However, construction problems involving removing hazardous materials and other modifications in Phase I caused UH Hilo to redirect $364,000 from Phase II to Phase I. Therefore, the balance remaining for Phase II totals $3,336,000.

Phase II will install critical telecommunications infrastructure to make the center a fully functioning distance learning center. Phase II will also provide additional classrooms, a teaching laboratory, a technician’s office, faculty offices, student services and support offices, multi-purpose classrooms and laboratories, conference rooms, a workshop area, and lobby and display areas.

Current plans include using general funds for NHERC staffing. Like other CCECS operations, the cost of instruction will be self-sustaining. Minimum enrollment requirements would ensure that courses generated revenue. Other potential sources of revenue include an active grant effort as well as charging overhead for the use of the facility for research activities.

Other organizational alternatives did not receive consideration because the legislative intent is to have NHERC administered by UH Hilo.

Both quantitative and qualitative measurements will measure the success of NHERC in fulfilling its missions. Quantitative criteria will include:

The number of student semester hours generated by distance learning programs
The number of student semester hours generated by live instruction courses
The number of area students assisted in enrolling in college level courses
The number of lifelong learning programs conducted and the participants enrolled
The number of research projects utilizing the center
The number of community events held at the center

Qualitative criteria will include the breadth or range of credit and non-credit courses offered, the range of community activities supported by the center, and the perceived level of services provided to the community and regional high schools.

The presence of UH Hilo in this area illustrates the State’s and the university’s commitment to provide educational opportunities and to contribute to the economic recovery plan for the North Hawai`i region.

The Chancellor’s Executive Council supports the proposal.