HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

245

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO provide financial assistance to students from Pacific Island jurisdictions that have historical ties to the United States but do not have public higher educational institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, Hawaii has the largest Pacific Islander population of any state, both in real numbers and as a percentage of total population; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1997, the Office of Management and Budget directed all federal agencies to classify Pacific Islanders as a distinct and separate racial group called "Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander"; and

 

     WHEREAS, this group suffers from higher poverty rates and other distressing social and economic conditions, especially in the state of Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, educational attainment is related to greater economic success and personal well-being; and

 

     WHEREAS, greater access to financial aid is very much related to college enrollment and completion; and

 

     WHEREAS, United States (U.S.) Census data reflects that native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders are underrepresented in higher education both at the undergraduate and graduate levels; and

 

     WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii (UH) has a long history of providing access to educational opportunities for individuals from Pacific Island jurisdictions that have historical ties to the U.S. but do not have public higher educational institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees; and

     WHEREAS, however, in 2006, UH adopted a new student financial assistance policy to be implemented in Fall 2007, increasing the tuition rate for these students from the resident rate to 150 percent of the resident rate; and

 

     WHEREAS, the new policy allows individual UH campuses to award Pacific Islander Scholarships to these students to compensate for the tuition increase, but does not require the scholarships to be given; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, that the University of Hawaii is requested to provide financial assistance to students from Pacific Island jurisdictions that have historical ties to the U.S. but do not have public higher educational institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, as part of its financial assistance program, UH is requested to include:

 

     (1)  The requirement that all UH campuses provide Pacific Islander Scholarships to these students; or

 

     (2)  Returning the tuition rate for these students to the resident rate, such as that charged to other non-residents including East-West Center student grantees, active-duty U.S. military personnel stationed in Hawaii and their authorized dependents, members of the Hawaii National Guard and the U.S. military reserves, native Hawaiians who claim residence outside of Hawaii, and UH employees, their spouses, and their dependents;

 

and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the President of UH is requested to monitor the impact of the new student financial assistance policy that will be implemented in Fall 2007, and submit a report to the Legislature, no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Sessions of 2008, 2009, and 2010, to include:

 

     (1)  The number of Pacific Islander students who apply to and enroll at UH;

 

     (2)  The total number of Pacific Islander students applying for financial assistance and the amount of unfunded financial need;

 

     (3)  The number and amount of Pacific Islander Scholarships available and awarded;

 

     (4)  An assessment of the impact of the new student financial assistance policy on student enrollment and retention,

 

as categorized by each UH campus; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii and the President of the University of Hawaii.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Pacific Islander Students; UH; Financial Assistance