UH Hilo Chancellor's Blog Posts

Message from UH Hilo Chancellor Donald O. Straney
Chamber Connection Newsletter
Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce
Oct. 2010

Input needed for UH Hilo’s next strategic plan

In tough economic times, publicly funded universities like the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo must be especially responsive to community needs for educational opportunities and economic development. Consequently, since becoming chancellor last July, I’ve been asking members of the public for their thoughts about how UH Hilo could enhance the well being of our island.

The comments I’ve received include encouragement to expand student housing, educate students for jobs needed in the community, develop a “college town” environment around the university, keep the public engaged in decisions affecting Mauna Kea, and expand access to the west side of our island. It’s clear that the public expects UH Hilo to continue evolving, improving and extending its reach throughout the island in order to deliver a solid return on investment into the future.

To ensure that we do, I’m taking this first year of my chancellorship to engage the energies of the university in strategic planning. In this process, UH Hilo will take stock of our current situation and commit to our vision of what our university could become and accomplish in the next five years. We will make sure our mission statement clearly conveys the unique benefits UH Hilo offers to students and the community. The plan itself, which should be complete by May 2011, will contain clear goals and the actions we will take to realize those goals.

In this way, strategic planning will help UH Hilo focus its tremendous funds of energy and creativity on an affirmed mission and a widely accepted set of goals. Moreover, UH President MRC Greenwood has challenged us to increase the number of our graduates by 25 percent over the next few years, and UH Hilo is expected to meet additional performance benchmarks set by the UH system.

Last April, the university started its “pre-planning” initiative to gather information from faculty, staff and students to use in developing the plan. Their views were solicited through a survey and a “listening tour.” Results are being made available at the strategic planning website.

We want to hear the thoughts and opinions that Chamber members have about UH Hilo. We would particularly value your feedback on what you think we currently do well, where you think we need to improve, and what our major priorities should be for the next five to ten years.

You can provide input by emailing uhhplan@hawaii.edu, or by writing to Siân Millard, Strategic Planning Coordinator, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720-4091.

Work on developing the strategic plan begins this fall. This invitation for input won’t be a one-time request. We will ensure that community groups have the opportunity to comment on the draft plan once it’s available.

University strategic plans are dynamic documents that respond to changing conditions, and as such they are frequently adjusted. Universities engage in more or less continuous planning and implementation of plans. We also monitor results, which are used to inform the next round of planning. I hope we can count on Chamber members to continue to give us their views and insights as UH Hilo plans for positive change into the future.

Donald O. Straney
Chancellor, UH Hilo

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Column by UH Hilo Chancellor Donald O. Straney
UH Hilo Today
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Sept 2010

UH Hilo seeks public input for next strategic plan

The University of Hawai‘i at Hilo is proud of the role we play in educating students and supporting economic development on Hawai‘i island. We have the potential to do more, however, and since becoming chancellor last July, I’ve been asking community members to tell me their thoughts about how UH Hilo could increase its contributions to the island and state.

The responses I’ve been hearing clearly show that the public expects UH Hilo to continue evolving, improving and extending its reach throughout the island in order to deliver a solid return on investment into the future.

It’s fortunate therefore that UH Hilo’s strategic plan expires this year. UH Hilo has a timely opportunity to revisit our mission, re-envision our future, and perhaps adjust our course. We’ve begun a new round of strategic planning and hope to have a completed plan by May 2011.

In the planning process, UH Hilo will take stock of our current situation and commit to our best guess for what our university could become and accomplish in the next five years. We will make sure our mission statement clearly conveys the unique benefits we offer to students and the community within the UH system, and we will publish clear goals toward which we can strive together.

Last April, the university started its “pre-planning” initiative to gather information from faculty, staff and students to use in developing the plan. Their views were solicited through a survey and a “listening tour.”  Results are being made available at the strategic planning website.

We want to hear more from community members so that we can take into account your thoughts and opinions about UH Hilo. We would particularly value your feedback on what you think we currently do well, where you think we need to improve, and what our major priorities should be for the next five to ten years.

You can provide input by visiting www.surveymonkey.com/listening, by emailing uhhplan@hawaii.edu, or by writing to Siân Millard, Strategic Planning Coordinator, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, HI 96720-4091.

Work on developing the strategic plan begins this fall. We will ensure that the community has the opportunity to comment and provide feedback on the draft plan once it’s available.

I very much look forward to hearing your views as we work together on this important initiative.

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Message from UH Hilo Chancellor Donald O. Straney
Chamber Connection Newsletter
Hawai‘i Island Chamber of Commerce
Sept. 2010

UH Hilo’s College of Business and Economics

One of the ways the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo meets the needs of Hawai‘i island is by preparing future members of the business community. More than ever, our fragile economy demands that knowledge of business practices and economics be widely distributed throughout the island. In addition, we need to prepare students for the workforce–not just for jobs (though these are critical) but also for careers.

UH Hilo’s College of Business and Economics (CoBE) seeks to meet these needs through its programs of study and, by meeting the rigorous standards set by its accrediting association, the college can assure the public that its programs are of the highest quality.

Quality Assurance through Special Accreditation

CoBE is able to document the high quality of its BBA programs through its maintenance of accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International). The college earned initial accreditation in 2005.

Within the state, only UH Hilo and UH Mānoa’s Shidler College of Business have attained this internationally recognized accreditation. Accredited colleges undergo a lengthy process of self evaluation and extensive scrutiny, including onsite visits, by teams of experts.

Some established business programs at other universities have had to struggle to achieve and maintain accreditation from AACSB International.

This accreditation certifies that CoBE meets 21 rigorous standards, assuring a challenging, up-to-date curriculum and a commitment to continuous improvement. Faculty must be active in their field and remain current in their knowledge. A degree from an AACSB-accredited school is widely recognized as excellent preparation for the workplace or graduate study.

Continuous Improvement

CoBE practices continuous improvement through assessment activities, which include measuring student progress in achieving learning goals and assessing student satisfaction.

Assessment practices led CoBE to create an upper division, writing-intensive course to improve writing skills. Assessment also prompted CoBE to offer its College Fair, directly linking our students with community businesses and organizations for internship and job placement, as well as career planning.

Programs

CoBE offers majors in general management, accounting and economics. The general management program is UH Hilo’s largest major. The accounting major started in Fall 2008 and already has 60 student majors. Taken together, general management and accounting enroll approximately 10% of all UH Hilo undergraduates.

For those who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in an area other than business, CoBE also offers a certificate program in business administration. Comprised of seven courses in such areas as accounting and marketing, the certificate provides a well-balanced, up-to-date foundation of business knowledge.

In addition, UH Hilo and Hawai‘i Community College have established a Degree Pathways Partnership, allowing students who began their business education at the community college to make a seamless transition to CoBE’s business administration program.
CoBE also provides informal learning opportunities through its speaker series, which is free and open to the public. Speakers have included local entrepreneur Allan Ikawa of Big Island Candies on entrepreneurship, Darren Kimura on solar energy technology, and UH Mānoa Professor Emeritus Seiji Naya on income distribution and poverty alleviation for the Native Hawaiian community. Mayor Billy Kenoi will be the next speaker in the series September 16 at 3:30 pm in the Ho‘oulu Terrace (UCB 127).

Future Growth

CoBE is discussing its future direction for growth and new programs. We plan to extend the bachelor of business administration degree to one or more sites on the island. There may also be potential to develop programmatically in partnership with UH Hilo’s College of Pharmacy. CoBE welcomes input from the business community about how best to meet future needs.

In addition, the college is looking forward to moving into prime space on campus. Because a new building for the Division of Student Affairs will be constructed this year, CoBE will be able to move into the existing Student Services Building. Ever mindful of the need to use the learning environment to enhance students’ career skills, the college is making plans to assign space in the new building for students to work in groups and for state-of-the-art technology.

Donald Straney
Chancellor, UH Hilo

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Remarks by UH Hilo Chancellor Donald O. Straney
Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawai‘i
August 17, 2010
‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii
UH Hilo University Park of Science and Technology
Hilo

Thank you. It is a pleasure to be here today.

I’m really happy to be here in Hilo. Since July, I’ve been working with the faculty and staff at the university and interfacing with the community every chance I get. There is a lot of talent and expertise on campus and some great opportunities on this island and in the state.

Part of the reason I took this job is because of the UH Hilo’s special role in access to higher education.

Along with Hawai‘i Community College, we are the only source of higher education on this island. The island of Hawai’i is as big as the rest of the state combined, but there are eight UH campuses and several private colleges to meet their needs. We are responsible for taking students as they come—we are not selective in the way many other campuses are. But we graduate students who compete well for jobs with people who went to those selective schools. UH Hilo meets the needs of students who would not thrive at a big, urban university. We offer small classes, close contact with instructors, hands-on approach to learning.

I was also intrigued because you can easily see and gauge the impact that this university has on the island’s economy and social life. In Los Angeles, we served 12 million people; our impact was invisible. Here, we can see where UH Hilo graduates work and what UH Hilo programs can do to build the economy of the island. We are accountable for our impact.

Accountability is important. In this election season, it is easy to be reminded how accountable politicians are, and how closely we look at their accomplishments. Senator Daniel Inouye has been here today, I’m going to thank him personally for the impact he has had on UH Hilo students and our community. My predecessor, Rose Tseng, truly feels that his support and encouragement have been crucial to UH Hilo’s progress. The projects he supports are hands-on, problem solving, and results oriented—just the type of thing that UH Hilo can do well.

We are sitting in one example of how Senator Inouye’s vision has helped us create a facility that benefits not just the campus, but the community and even visitors. In just a few short years, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai‘i has become an integral part of our community, embraced by Native Hawaiians and the astronomy community. ‘Imiloa now serves as a model for other science centers to show how science and culture may be integrated.

When I look at the success its programs have, I am led to wonder what the next step is that we can take. There is often a tension between technology and culture. I think we can learn from ‘Imiloa’s success to learn how technology and culture can be mutually beneficial.

Our College of Pharmacy is another important initiative championed by Senator Inouye. The college is already giving back to the community, especially through its leadership of the Hawaii County Beacon Community Consortium, which has so much potential to improve health care on our island.

I hope our work can continue to benefit from the senator’s vision for the future of the state.

Since taking up the chancellorship, I’ve been asking a series of questions wherever I go. I’m trying to integrate the answers that I hear into my sense of what future we might create with the UH Hilo.

• How does UH Hilo integrate into the island of Hawaii’s economic and cultural community?
• How does the island benefit from our campus being here?
• Role of business—not done until it enters the market
• How do we tell students were graduate from Hawai‘i?
• What role do internships play?
• How can we serve the whole island?
• What programs, offered where?
• Special needs: rural health care?
• What is our role in food production/value added?
• What is our role in marine resources?
• Through our Center for Maunakea Stewardship, we will implement the Comprehensive Management Plan for the Mauna Kea Science Reserve. We will earn the community’s trust that the natural and cultural resources will be protected, thus maintaining the conditions under which science on the mountain may develop and evolve into the future.
• How can we enhance the quality of education in a way that also enhances quality of life for the larger community?
• Graduation, help students learn. The longer they take to graduate, the longer it is before they earn, and contribute.

Summation

In my years in administration, I’ve learned that it can be a creative activity when we develop and launch new academic programs or initiate projects–such as this science and technology park–to improve the local economy. It’s creative, but nothing is accomplished alone. We work with others–from the time a need is first identified. We then collaborate with others to fill that need.

I’m fortunate that UH Hilo has a close relationship with business, the community and political leadership over the years. We have a history of productive cooperation that I’m eager to continue.

Thank you.

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