STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3527

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 838, 839

 

 

 

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Education, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 838 and 839, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

 

G.M. No. 838

FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ,

for a term to expire 6-30-2013; and

 

G.M. No. 839

CAROL MON LEE,

for a term to expire 6-30-2016,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee has reviewed the personal histories, resumes, and statements submitted by the nominees and finds Francisco Hernandez and Carol Mon Lee to possess the requisite qualifications to be nominated to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

 

FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Francisco Hernandez from the Office of the Governor, University of Hawaii Foundation, and twenty-eight individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Francisco Hernandez received a Bachelor's degree in American History from the University of California at Berkley.  He went on to receive a Master's degree and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the School of Education at Stanford University. 

 

     Mr. Hernandez is currently the Vice Chancellor for Students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.  Since 2006, Mr. Hernandez has also been developing and overseeing a project to provide online academic support services to high school students.  The project currently provides free online math tutoring for high school students using University of Hawaii at Manoa students as tutors.

 

     Mr. Hernandez has also served as a member of the Charter School Review Panel, Board of Directors of the YMCA Atherton Branch, and Board of Directors of the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus.  He has also served in several capacities to study and promote the use of technology in education.

 

     Mr. Hernandez's educational and professional experiences make him an asset to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

 

CAROL MON LEE

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of the nomination of Carol Mon Lee from the Office of the Governor and seven individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that Carol Mon Lee received a Bachelor's degree in Art History from Barnard College.  She received a Master's degree in Fine Arts and Fine Arts Education from Columbia University.  Ms. Lee went on to receive a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law.

 

     Ms. Lee is a retired Associate Dean of the University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law.  After her retirement, Ms. Lee served as an elected member of the Board of Education, where she chaired the Legislation, Public Charter Schools and Public Library Committee, and chaired the Superintendent Search and Selection Committee.  She continues to volunteer her time as a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and Peace Through Commerce in Austin, Texas. 

 

     Ms. Lee testified that she is interested in bringing her experience as a member of the Board of Education to her work with the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.  During her term of service, Ms. Lee would like to maximize Hawaii's higher education goals by improving the alignment between K-12 education and higher education and by helping students prepare for college.

 

     Your Committee finds that Ms. Lee's experience and interest in education, law, business, and public service make her an exceptional candidate to serve on the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.

 

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

 

 

 

____________________________

JILL TOKUDA, Chair