HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

316

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES (WASC) TO INCREASE HAWAII'S MEMBERSHIP AND VOTES ON WASC TO STRENGTHEN THE STATE'S INPUT ON THE ACCREDITATION AND APPROVAL OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IN THE REGION.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, the purpose of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) is to promote the welfare, interests, and development of elementary, secondary, and higher education through:

 

     (1)  The improvement of educational programs;

 

     (2)  Closer cooperation among the schools, colleges, and universities within the region it serves;

 

     (3)  Certification of accreditation or candidacy status; and

 

     (4)  Effective working relationships with other educational organizations and accrediting agencies;

 

and

 

     WHEREAS, WASC is composed of a nine-member board of directors and has three accrediting commissions, as follows:

 

     (1)  The Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities, which is composed of 18-25 members;

 

     (2)  The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, which is composed of 19 members, one of whom is nominated by the President of the University of Hawaii; and


     (3)  The Accrediting Commission for Schools, which is composed of up to 25 members of whom:

 

          (A)  One is nominated by the Hawaii Government Employees' Association;

 

          (B)  One is nominated by the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools;

 

          (C)  One is a practicing classroom teacher on a rotational basis from the Hawaii, Pacific Islands, and East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools region; and

 

          (D)  One is a member of the Hawaii Department of Education and has ex-officio status on the Commission;

 

and

 

     WHEREAS, the accrediting region of WASC consists of the states of California and Hawaii, the territories of Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Pacific Basin, and East Asia, and areas of the Pacific and East Asia where American/International schools or colleges may apply; and

 

     WHEREAS, as the only two states in WASC, Hawaii and California equally contribute valuable input to the accreditation of educational institutions at all levels in the Pacific and East Asia regions; and

 

     WHEREAS, the importance of the tasks performed by WASC should require that the two states be given equal voices, but Hawaii does not have parity with California on WASC's Board of Directors; and

 

     WHEREAS, although the University of Hawaii has often been referred to as a world-class research university, it has not been included on U.S. News' annual list of top 50 public national universities, which has included seven University of California campuses, and this may be an indicator of unequal representation on WASC; 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 Western Association of Schools and Colleges is urged to increase Hawaii's membership and votes on WASC to strengthen the State's input on the accreditation and approval of schools and colleges in the region; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the:

 

     (1)  United States Secretary of Education;

     (2)  Governor of California;

     (3)  Governor of Hawaii;

     (4)  Superintendent of Education;

     (5)  President of the University of Hawaii;

     (6)  Executive Director of the Hawaii Association Of Independent Schools;

     (7)  President of the WASC-Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges;

     (8)  Executive Director of the WASC-Accrediting Commission for Schools;

     (9)  President and Executive Director of the WASC-Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities;

    (10)  Executive Director of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Higher Education;

    (11)  Executive Director of the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools;

    (12)  Director of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)–Commission on Institutions of Higher Education;

    (13)  Director of the NEASC-Commission on Technical and Career Institutions;

    (14)  Executive Director of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools-The Higher Learning Commission;

    (15)  Executive Director of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement-Board of Trustees;

    (16)  President of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities; and


    (17)  President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Colleges.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES; HAWAII