HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

137

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

urging the president and the board of regents of the university of hawaii to reaffirm their commitment to maintaining a systemwide office of the vice president for student affairs and to fill the vacant position of the vice president for student affairs.

 

 

WHEREAS, the organization of the University of Hawaii reflects organizational dynamics common among several systems of post-secondary education in the United States, while simultaneously acknowledging the unique character of the University of Hawaii system in its scope of two-year institutions, baccalaureate institutions, and a complex doctoral institution; and

WHEREAS, the need for a systemwide Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs who reports directly to the President was reaffirmed in the recent reorganizations of the University of Hawaii to demonstrate the commitment of the administration to the student-centered nature of the University; and

WHEREAS, while other system offices impact students and have many constituencies, they do not have students as their primary focus, nor do they have regular communications and contact with students or student governance groups; and

WHEREAS, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs convenes one of the student councils that has become a feature of the system reorganization, the Senior Student Affairs Officers, whose primary mission is to discuss and resolve student-related issues in order to achieve consistency of relevant policies, facilitate articulation across the campuses, and provide a cohesive University of Hawaii system that encourages the intellectual, social, service, and leadership co-curricular development of students; and

WHEREAS, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs has dealt with a considerable range of issues, making full use of the Senior Student Affairs Officers to address systemwide matters that include: a new student health insurance plan, a student death protocol, legislative initiatives such as the B Plus scholarship for low income students who receive grades of B or higher, electronic communication policies, federal education privacy regulations, chartered student organization policies, federal financial aid compliance, student identification cards, student affairs staff training, and professional development; and

WHEREAS, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs provides administrative support for regular meetings of the systemwide Student Caucus, an organization of student leaders from throughout the university system that advocates for students systemwide and serves as a primary communication vehicle to the President; and

WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs provides administrative leadership, information and advice on matters pertaining to student affairs policies, and facilitates communication and coordination with other system offices and the President and the Board of Regents' Student Affairs Committee; and

WHEREAS, there is appropriate concern that the current organization of the University of Hawaii requires a clearer delineation of functions between campuses and all the systemwide offices including the offices of the Vice President for Administration, Vice President for Finance, Vice President for Community Colleges, Vice President for Academic Policy and Planning, and Vice President for Research, and the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the Senate concurring, that the President and the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii are requested to reaffirm their commitment to maintain a systemwide Vice President for Student Affairs, who reports directly to the President, with appropriate authority and resources to develop systemwide student affairs policies, advocate for students, support the Student Caucus, and increase coordination, cooperation, and program efficiency between campuses and the system offices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the President of the University of Hawaii is requested to fulfill his commitment to students and the primacy of students by filling the position of Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs which is now vacant due to the recent retirement of Dr. Doris Ching, an exemplary student advocate during her tenure as the Vice President for Student Affairs for nearly two decades; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the President of the University of Hawaii is requested to submit a report on the status of the systemwide Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs to the Legislature, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2007; and

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

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

UH; Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs