 "Photo: JOEL KUTAKA")
As part of her visit to the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa campus yesterday, M.R.C. Greenwood met with representatives from various student organizations to discuss the future of UH and the different projects the groups are pushing.
The hot topic of the meeting was the 26 percent in general funds reduction UH is facing this year. Keith Kaneshiro, UH Campus Center Board (CCB) alumnus, said that he thought it was “disturbing that the university is cutting back classes” when there are more students, and UH should instead look for ways to expand revenue and classes.
Greenwood said UH Mānoa has seen an increase of about 500 students from last year and that student tuition only pays for a small part of the university`s expenses, and the additional tuition revenue “won`t cover everything.”
UH faculty bring in about $400 million annually in revenue from research, but much of that goes to creating jobs such as student assistants, according to Greenwood, who added, “sometimes we are underappreciated for creating a lot of jobs.”
Cassandra Wagner, vice president of the Associated Students of the University of Hawai`i, said that ASUH is concerned with current UH students getting the same quality of education as students two years ago.
Greenwood responded by comparing UH`s budget situation to a family`s budget. “If someone takes 20 percent out of (the budget), you can`t do all the things that you did the year before,” Greenwood said.
Greenwood said that “if there is an upside to the situation the economy has put us in, it is that it allows us to look at and prune” unneeded curricula.
Greenwood states that she would like to do her own assessment as well as work with administration on how the university can move forward.
“We can`t do everything we want to do, but we can do some things well,” Greenwood said.
Greenwood pointed out that UH is over 100 years old and that there are buildings that need to be rebuilt or renovated, but at the same time other campuses are growing and adding buildings. Greenwood said she is trying to find a balance in identifying the needs of all campuses.
Among the goals Greenwood wants to accomplish as UH president are to increase resources and national recognition for UH, see more students graduate, raise the number of Native Hawaiian students, and create more jobs for UH graduates.
“Together we are going to make the degree more valuable,” said UHM Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw.
Greenwood said that she didn`t come to UH with an agenda and that she doesn`t have all the answers to fix the budget situation.
“Everyone wants to know what my answer is, and it`s that it is going to take some time,” Greenwood said.
Student-driven projects
CCB President Andrew Itsuno discussed the Campus Center renovation and expansion project, which is entering the second of three planned phases. The second phase includes construction of a two-story, 55,000-square-foot recreation center that is planned to break ground next summer.
“This has been a student-driven project since 2001, and we have been working a very long time on it,” Itsuno said.
The renovation invoked support from Greenwood, who said that she “is really excited about it.”
“It looks like it will be a lovely facility,” Greenwood said. “It looks like it will provide a lot of extra resources for the students.”
“I don`t think you`ll see me on the basketball courts, but maybe in the fitness facility,” Greenwood added.
Wagner talked about the U-Pass fee that ASUH hopes to implement next spring. Under the U-Pass proposal, $20 would be included in the tuition of all UH Mānoa students with the exception of medical, law or outreach students. In return, students would receive unlimited bus rides for the semester.
Greenwood and Hinshaw both supported the U-Pass. Greenwood said, “I think this is terrific,” while Hinshaw said that “we need it.”
Wagner said ASUH is currently in the second draft of the contract negotiations with the TheBus and that “a few changes” have been made to the original proposal.
Brett Katayama, CCB activities council chair, said that the organization is trying to “attract students” and “stir up the Ba-Le crowd.”
Katayama said that there was a good turnout for the Back to School Bash last week. The CCB also sponsors talent shows and hold `em poker games, Katayama said.
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