Weekly Newsletter for Faculty and Staff, Sept. 21, 2021

Posted on by

Featured in this week’s issue of Ha‘ilono o UH Hilo (News of UH Hilo): Dayva Summer Escobar, Justina Mattos, Catherine Becker, David Lassner, Bonnie Irwin, Bria Beale, Billi Derleth, Russ Blunk, and Ka‘awaloa Kaua‘ula.

Woman twirls in the wind while holding a parasol.
In a still from the film Mermaids’ Lament, Oee, played by UH Hilo alumna Dayva Summer Escobar, revels in the joy of feeling the wind. The film, now in post production, is chock-full of UH Hilo talent in cast and crew. Read more about it. Photo credit: Tween Sea and Sand, LLC @2021.

Academics

UH System News: $9.3M awarded to Native Hawaiian-serving programs at UH.

Administration

See UH President David Lassner’s report to the Board of Regents, September 16, 2021.

Community

UH Hilo to host public meeting on decommissioning teaching telescope, Sept. 22.

Mermaids’ Lament: Film project chock-full of UH Hilo talent in cast and crew. Alumna Dayva Summer Escobar plays the lead role, UH Hilo Associate Professor of Drama Justina Mattos is supporting actor, and Associate Professor of Communication Catherine Becker was on the writing team and also plays a part in the film.

Exhibit explores “Art and Anarchy.”

Covid Updates

Employees are expected to show compliance with the UH Vaccination and Testing Policy through the LumiSight UH daily health check app by uploading their COVID-19 Vaccination Card OR negative COVID-19 test results into the system within the applicable period (7 days from time of test for PCR, 3 days from time of test for antigen). Employees who do not upload their documents should have a paper copy of their vaccination card or valid negative test when on campus. Employees seeking medical or religious exemptions related to the COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Policy should inquire with their HR office. For additional information, see:

The testing option for unvaccinated students is only available for the fall 2021 semester. Effective January 3, 2022, students must be fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus or receive a university-approved medical or religious exemption as part of the UH Student Health Clearance Requirements. Those receiving exemptions will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result weekly.

Two options for free testing:

  • On campus: Friday, September 24, Noon – 4 p.m., University Classroom Building, room 127. Students only. PCR testing. Sign-up not necessary; valid picture ID required. Any changes will be sent via UH Announce.
  • Off campus: Clinical Labs statewide. For employees and students. PCR testing. Registration required. Testing by online appointment only; walk-ins not accepted.

Continue to stay informed through the UH Hilo COVID-19 webpage and the UH System COVID-19 webpage for information and advisories, including the updated interim UH COVID-19 Guidelines and updated interim UH Hilo COVID-19 Guidelines.

Events

University Forum for faculty and staff, hosted by Chancellor Bonnie Irwin, Thursday, Sept. 23, 12:30 p.m., via Zoom. Meeting ID: 928 0606 1443; Passcode: 249049.

Mindfulness with Aunticlare, Friday, Sept. 24, 10 to 11 a.m., via Zoom. Registration required.

For more info on events, see UH Hilo Calendar of Events.

Services

See Sodexo’s Family Dinner menu for this week, including how to order (link expires at end of week).

Vulcan Athletics

Vulcan Bria Beale is named Pacific West Conference Player of the Week.

Billi Derleth, former Vulcan softball player, former UH Hilo sports information intern, and most recently graduate assistant at Concordia and summer intern with USA Softball, will be the new interim sports information director. The change takes place in October when Russ Blunk leaves the position he’s held since 2016.

Word of the Week


Above, Join Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language student Ka‘awaloa Kaua‘ula, for a lesson on the Hawaiian word of the week. “Koleke Pāʻoihana a Kālaihoʻokele Waiwai” is the name of the College of Business and Economics at UH Hilo.

In fall and spring, this newsletter is a weekly e-blast of news and information for faculty and staff, produced by University Relations, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo.  

Share this story