STAND. COM. REP. NO. 330

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1256

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1256 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS AND MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR A STUDENT SERVICES BUILDING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT HILO,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and to make an appropriation for a new student services building at the University of Hawaii (UH) at Hilo.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii System and University of Hawaii at Hilo Student Association 2006-2007.

 

     Your Committee finds that the UH at Hilo is in desperate need of a new student services building.  The programs to be housed in a new student services building are critical to the academic and personal success of students, including services in counseling, academic advising, financial aid, admissions, tutoring, career services, disabled student programs, women's programs, registrar, and business office.  These services are currently dispersed throughout the campus.  The current student services building is overcrowded with three or four counselors and advisors sharing offices.  The essential confidentiality of communications for these sensitive services is lacking.

 

     Bringing together similar services under one building is economical and efficient.  Most other institutions of higher education have all student services under one roof.  The quality of the student services building could indirectly affect accreditation of the facility.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1256 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

 

 

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair