Tubby Nugget, the beloved animated character with more than 14 million social media followers, is visiting Hawaiʻi this month to mentor University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu students. Creators Jenine Pastores and Josh Jackson are sharing expert insights on turning original characters into global intellectual property.

Throughout the semester, Pastores and Jackson have mentored students in UH West Oʻahu‘s Creative Media Web Series Production course. Their first in-person class visit takes place October 13.

Invaluable advice, feedback

Student Drayson Alonso, a junior, said he found it valuable getting advice from people who have actually gone through the process of building an audience themselves.

“Josh and Jenine were able to give us perspectives that go beyond what we learn in class because they have experienced the challenges of creating content, growing an audience and developing their own brand and IP,” Alonso said.

Jaiden Cabales, another creative media student and junior, said receiving constructive feedback and advice from Pastores and Jackson has provided more reassurance and confidence in the potential future that content creation holds.

“All in all, their message of taking your time and allowing for your career growth to be organic, allowing passion to grow over progress, really stuck with me as a valuable lesson I will take forward,” Cabales said.

The next generation

Pastores and Jackson have also found the collaboration to be personally meaningful.

“In one room, we met future game designers and writers, 2D animators and visual development artists, VFX and motion graphics artists, editors, illustrators, photographers, producers, musicians and even merch makers!” Pastores and Jackson said in a joint statement. “Their range, curiosity and drive reminds us that the next generation of our industry is already here, and it’s in great hands.”

Academy for Creative Media at UH West Oʻahu Director Sharla Hanaoka said the goal is for students to learn directly from creators actively doing the work. The collaboration stemmed from an established relationship with talent management company Clique-Now and its CEO and founder Mylen Yamamoto Tansingco.

Public events

• Meet and Greet / Book Signing: 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 11, at Barnes & Noble Ala Moana.
• Animation Workshop: 2:30–3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, in G-136 (ACM Building soundstage). Seats are limited; follow @uhwoacm on Instagram for updates.

For more visit Ka Puna O Kaloʻi.

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from Windward Community College’s Paniolo BBQ.

From Windward CC‘s instagram: “Horseback rides were a highlight of the day, giving keiki and families a chance to experience a little paniolo life right here on the Windward CC campus.

For some of our youngest guests, it was their first time on a horse. For others, it was simply a chance to enjoy a ride around the Great Lawn—and there were plenty of smiles along the way.

A big mahalo to our Windward CC Veterinary Technology program for helping provide the horseback riding experience for our community!”

Previous Images
EPIC dance
Niu & Kalo Festival
Storm damage
Ching Athletics Complex rainbow
First week fun
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the UH ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next UH News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• Send your image using a UH email address.

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other UH connection. By submitting your image, you are giving UH News permission to publish your photo on the UH News website and UH social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

The University of Hawaiʻi held the first of four public meetings on October 6 at UH Mānoa on a proposed resident and non-resident tuition schedule for the next four academic years, beginning in fall 2027. About 30 people attended in person, and another 128 joined online.

Under the proposal, undergraduate tuition would remain unchanged at all 10 UH campuses for the first two years, academic years 2027–28 and 2028–29, with the exception of the UH Hilo School of Pharmacy. Tuition increases ranging from 2% to 5%, depending on the campus, would begin in AY 2029–30. More details on the proposal.

“UH has kept tuition nearly flat for about a decade, despite inflation,” said Kim Siegenthaler, interim vice president for academic strategy and senior advisor to the president.

“State support has increased since fiscal year 2022 and 2023, but those increases have mainly been to restore prior reductions to meet collective bargaining increases, and to cover temporary hazard repayments. So our tuition revenues have not kept pace with operational need, which is why we’re now proposing increases,” she said.

Six people testified at the October 6 meeting, all in opposition to the proposal, including UH Mānoa senior Alia Ancheta.

“I have people I care about that have to prioritize working full time because they simply cannot afford tuition,” Ancheta said. “Also, having to decide whether you should study for classes, or work more hours to be able to pay for tuition. I strongly believe education should be free and accessible to everyone, especially locals and Native Hawaiian students. I hope all of you truly think about how your decisions impact my generation and future generations that plan to attend your campuses.”

Testimony can be submitted in person or online at any of the three remaining public meetings. Written testimony can also be submitted at any time via Google form through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, October 22.

Upcoming meetings

• UH Hilo
  Wednesday, October 14, 10–11:30 a.m.
  Student Services Center, W201
  To join via Zoom, please register in advance at Hilo tuition meeting.
• Kauaʻi Community College
  Thursday, October 15, 9:30–11 a.m.
  OCET Room 106C/D
  To join via Zoom, please register in advance at Kauaʻi tuition meeting.
• UH Maui College
  Tuesday, October 20, noon–1:30 p.m.
  Kaʻaʻike Building, Room 105 BCD
  To join via Zoom, please register in advance at Maui tuition meeting.

The public review period began September 18. A summary of public feedback and any revisions to the proposal are scheduled to be presented October 29. The public will have another opportunity to provide testimony when the UH Board of Regents considers the final proposal, currently scheduled for its November 19 meeting.

If approved, the new tuition schedule would be filed with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor by December 1 and take effect in fall 2027.

State leaders, lawmakers, university executives, students and alumni gathered on October 5 to officially kick off the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Week. The morning opening ceremony marked a half-century milestone since the campus was established in 1976 as West Oʻahu College with just 75 students in temporary portables. Today, UH West Oʻahu serves nearly 2,900 students on its permanent Kapolei campus.

The event featured the presentation of an official proclamation honoring the university’s 50-year legacy. Following the ceremony, attendees celebrated the grand opening of “In Flight: 50 Years of UH West Oʻahu.” Running through November 6, the library exhibit showcases rare historical photographs, documents and memorabilia compiled with contributions from the James & Abigail Campbell Library, the Center for Labor Education and Research (CLEAR) and the ʻUluʻulu Archive.

“UH West Oʻahu means so much to me. It is a place where I never expected to feel so loved and appreciated,” said Tawny Tynanes, student and Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu president. “I have met the most wonderful people. By continuing to be here I am able to find more bits of myself, and I want more people to come here and feel the same thing.”

Pueo Voices

It was also the premier of the video Pueo Voices: 50 Years at UH West Oʻahu. Many reflected on the institution’s profound impact on the region and local workforce.

“The University of Hawaiʻi at West Oʻahu is an anchor that contributes to the social mobility of our communities—celebrating being a Hawaiian place of learning and ensuring that we serve our local workforce and our families here and everywhere else,” said UH West Oʻahu Interim Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza.

UH President Wendy Hensel added, “We have 50 years of growth here serving the community and building access to higher education for the West Side, and the next 50 years are going to be at least as exciting as we continue to build on what we have and really serve this community.”

Learn more about UH West Oʻahu’s 50-year journey from portables and rented space to becoming a regional powerhouse.

Applying to the University of Hawaiʻi just got easier.

UH has launched ApplyHawaiʻi, a single undergraduate application for all 10 campuses that replaces a patchwork of separate applications and accounts previously used by prospective students.

The new system is now available for students applying for fall 2027 and represents the latest in a series of UH initiatives aimed at removing barriers, simplifying access to higher education and improving the student experience.

“For too long, we have expected students to understand our organizational structure and navigate multiple systems just to apply to a University of Hawaiʻi campus. ApplyHawaiʻi changes that,” UH President Wendy Hensel said. “Every way we can reduce barriers to higher education is critically important. We want to make it seamless and easy for students to connect with us, explore their options and find the UH campus and program that are right for them.”

Learn more and apply at ApplyHawaii.org

Previously, prospective students navigating the application process could encounter as many as four different application pathways across the UH System, with separate applications and accounts depending on the campus or program. With ApplyHawaiʻi, students interested in any of UH’s seven community colleges or three four-year universities can now start with one common application.

ApplyHawaiʻi serves degree-seeking undergraduate applicants, including first-time freshmen, transfer and returning students, as well as Early College program for high school students and Direct2UH initiative for public high school seniors. Graduate programs and UH Mānoa Outreach College programs will continue to use their existing application processes.

The launch builds on UH’s ongoing efforts to make college more accessible and easier to navigate. Those efforts include Direct2UH, which provides eligible Hawaiʻi public high school seniors with a simplified pathway to admission across the UH System, and new initiatives to make it easier for UH Community College students to transfer to four-year campuses.

ApplyHawaiʻi is also the first step toward a modernized, systemwide enrollment technology ecosystem that will provide a foundation for better connecting recruitment, admissions and communications so prospective students can have a more seamless experience from their first interaction with UH through enrollment.

“This is much bigger than replacing an application,” Hensel said. “We are removing unnecessary complexity and building a university around the needs of our students. ApplyHawaiʻi is another important step toward a more connected, accessible and student-centered University of Hawaiʻi.”

From its humble beginnings in 1976 as West Oʻahu College—serving just 75 students in temporary portable classrooms in Pearl City and ʻAiea—the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu has transformed into a premier, four-year Indigenous-serving institution and an economic anchor for the region.

This October, the campus marks its 50th anniversary, celebrating a half-century of empowering local learners and fueling social mobility.

Today, UH West Oʻahu serves nearly 2,900 students through its permanent campus in Kapolei, which opened in 2012. It stands as a vital engine of opportunity: 96.7% of enrolled students are Hawaiʻi residents, more than 44% are first-generation college students, and nearly 39% receive Federal Pell Grants. The campus has earned high national marks, tying for No. 2 among U.S. News & World Report‘s Top Public Colleges in the West and placing No. 3 nationally in the Spring 2026 Cyber Power Rankings.

“Over the last 50 years, UH West Oʻahu has proven that access to high-quality higher education can completely transform lives and communities,” said Interim Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza.

“Our evolution from portable classrooms to a high-tech, sustainable anchor campus reflects the resilience and dedication of our faculty, staff and students. As we look to the next 50 years, we remain committed to serving our state and grounding our academic excellence in Native Hawaiian place-based learning, sustainability and regional workforce needs.”

The university’s rich history and deep roots are reflected across generations of campus leaders, alumni and faculty.

‘Hardscrabble’ start

Dan Boylan taught history at UH West Oʻahu for 38 years before retiring in 2010. He was one of the charter-era professors teaching out of rented commercial spaces in Pearl City in Aiea in the 1970s.

“It was hardscrabble. It was also frustrating, but at the same time, you felt something was happening. We were doing better than we had, and we were making it work,” he said.

In 2012, as the new Kapolei campus was being built, Boylan wrote about UH West Oʻahu‘s early days:

“Despite its inadequacies, West Oʻahu developed a vibrancy all its own. Access became a priority. Classes ran from 8 a.m. until 9:15 p.m. Weekend classes were offered on Friday nights and Saturdays. We sought out baccalaureate students on the Neighbor Islands, and traveled to them on weekends.

For 30 years, West Oʻahu‘s students were labeled ‘nontraditional.’ We taught scores of veterans coming back to school on their GI bills, women who dropped out of college to marry and mid-career types who needed a degree to qualify for promotions.

All were serious about school, and many proved excellent students. For professors who reveled in teaching rather than research, West Oʻahu was the place to be.”

Alumni quotes

Carly Yoshida, Miss Hawaiʻi, UH West Oʻahu graduate (earned bachelor of arts in social sciences with a concentration in psychology in 2023)

“I’m originally from the Big Island, and so Mililani was actually the first place that I moved to in Central Oʻahu when I moved to Oʻahu. So being a part of this ʻohana here at West Oʻahu, really welcomed me into the Oʻahu lifestyle but still had a piece of home, very calm, very open, very warm and inviting. I was really happy to be able to come to join this West Oʻahu ʻohana.”

Glenn Medeiros, President, St. Louis School, UH West Oʻahu graduate (earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities with a concentration in history in 1998)

“As the president of Saint Louis School I do meet a lot of students who are going to college and I try to tell them that it’s important to find the right fit, that not every school is for every person. For me in particular, I needed some place where I could get to know the professors well. There were small classes, and where I could get the individualized help that I needed. And so for people who are looking for that, I think West Oʻahu is a really good fit.”

Katie Kaahanui, Director, Safe & Sound Westside, Department of the Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney (earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration with a concentration in justice administration in 2021)

“It is so important to have a campus like this in the heart of Kapolei because there are so many bright students, individuals, employees who are living out of town, and they can really benefit from the wonderful support and resources that West Oʻahu has to offer.”

UH West Oʻahu will celebrate its milestone with a week of events from October 5 to 9

• Monday, October. 5: Kickoff and exhibit opening
  • 9 a.m. Opening Ceremony: (James & Abigail Campbell Library) Featuring a ceremonial oli by Kumu Manulani Meyer and remarks from legacy faculty.
  • 9:45 a.m. “In Flight: 50 Years of UH West Oʻahu: Grand opening of the historical archive featuring rare CLEAR and ʻUluʻulu artifacts.
    NOTE: The public is invited to visit the exhibit, which runs through November 6.
• Tuesday, October 6: Digital Engagement
  • Social Media Scavenger Hunt: Students, faculty and staff can play for prizes—50th anniversary swag!—all week long.



• Wednesday, October 7: Living Legacy
  • 9 a.m. Ceremonial Wiliwili Planting: Campus leaders will plant five native wiliwili trees, symbolizing leadership alignment and deep-rooted growth.
• Thursday, October 8: Campus Celebration
  • Noon Birthday Celebration: Courtyard event featuring music, a giant sheet cake, and the “Pueo Pilina” student life fair.
  • 2 p.m. Time Capsule Sealing: Dedicated 25-year memory box containing messages from the 50th-anniversary cohort.
  • 5 p.m. “Pau Hana on the Green”: Off-campus alumni reunion at The Pearl at Kalauao (invitation only)

The University of Hawaiʻi celebrates October 2026 faculty and staff anniversaries.

30 years

Matsuda, Jon M
Assistant Specialist, UH Mānoa

Pagaduan, Lisa M
Child Care Center Teacher, Honolulu CC

Tagudin, Teresita C
Janitor, Kauaʻi CC

More anniversaries
September 2026
August 2026
July 2026
More anniversary lists

20 years

Gray, Kim Y T
Administrative Assistant, UH Maui College

Iwaki, Keri-Ann K
Administrative and Fiscal Support Specialist, UH Mānoa

Koki, Alyson M K
Janitor Supervisor, Honolulu CC

Mallchok, Malia M
IT Specialist, UH Mānoa

Matsumoto, Michelle Y
Human Resources Specialist, Windward CC

Sawa, Stacey K
IT Specialist, UH West Oʻahu

Sumida, Comfort
Associate Specialist, UH Hilo

Tarleton, Veronica M
Administrative Assistant, UH Hilo

Tateishi, Kyle K
Athletics Equipment Manager, UH Mānoa

Young, Lauren M T
Project Manager, UH Mānoa

10 years

Ako Jr, Clarence
Auxiliary and Facilities Services Officer, UH Mānoa

Banquil, Donnielson E
Administrative Officer, UH Mānoa

Furutani, Troy M
Junior Specialist, UH Mānoa

Hill, Brian E
Project Manager, UH Hilo

Hintzen, Katy D
Associate Extension Agent, UH Mānoa

Ing, Amanda G M
Research Associate, UH Mānoa

Kasoga, Tiffany N
Administrative Assistant, Leeward CC

Lau, Melinda M
Instructor, UH Mānoa

Lee, Ellenaine J
Administrative Officer, UH Mānoa

Luis, Donovan K
Carpenter, UH Mānoa

Maeno, Kelli A
Administrative and Fiscal Support Specialist, UH West Oʻahu

Moriarty, Sarah S P
University Academic Affairs Program Officer, UH Mānoa

Rufo, Gayle R
Legal Assistant, UH System

Stenstrom, Jessica M
Academic Advisor, UH Mānoa

Stibbard, Mitchell K
Plumber, UH Mānoa

Tomisa Jr, Richard R
Auxiliary and Facilities Services Officer, UH Mānoa

Zane, Kimberly R
Building Maintenance Helper, UH Mānoa

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from UH Mānoa’s Christine Lamborn Fernandez, operations coordinator at Kennedy Theatre.

She shared: “Dancers in the upcoming Department of Theatre and Dance production EPIC—featuring choreographies of Professor Pei-Ling Kao in collaboration with Taiwanese choreographer Sunny Nai-Hsuan Yang, artistic director of Les Petites Choses Production. Epic represents an exploration towards inclusivity in dance. The work embraces the diversity of dance genres and human bodies, celebrating movement as a shared human language created by—and belonging to—everyone. Performances happening in the Earle Ernst Lab Theatre from Wednesday, September 30, through Sunday, October 4, 2026.”

More information on EPIC, and tickets.
Check out Kennedy Theatre’s full upcoming season.

Previous Images
Niu & Kalo Festival
Storm damage
Ching Athletics Complex rainbow
First week fun
First day of class
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the UH ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next UH News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• Send your image using a UH email address.

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other UH connection. By submitting your image, you are giving UH News permission to publish your photo on the UH News website and UH social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has saved $6 million in Hawaiian Electric (HECO) utility costs, while a UH system-wide solar maintenance initiative is delivering $1 million per year in future energy savings across all 10 campuses. Detailed in the university’s Fiscal Year 2025 Energy Report, these milestones reflect ongoing efficiency retrofits, campus infrastructure upgrades, and an effort to restore solar power production across the campuses. These savings are an important part of the university’s effort to move toward its “net zero” goal by 2035 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“This progress is a credit to the teams across our university who are finding creative, cost-effective ways to advance our net-zero goals,” said Jan Gouveia, UH vice president for administration. “By reducing energy use, restoring renewable energy systems and maximizing our existing resources, we are generating significant savings while reducing our environmental impact and creating a more sustainable university.”

Modernizing infrastructure, slashing demand

At UH Mānoa, the campus has steadily decreased its reliance on the HECO electricity supply. While increased on-site renewable power has contributed, the primary driver of the $6 million in savings comes from ongoing energy efficiency improvements and advanced controls for lighting and building air conditioning systems.

“As we repair and replace aging infrastructure, we enhance operations, improve campus experience, and reduce waste,” said UH Director of Sustainability Miles Topping. “A big mahalo to our dedicated facilities management teams, campus chancellors and vice chancellors, and procurement officers across the UH System who made these accomplishments possible.”

Campus improvements are visible across UH Mānoa, notably through comprehensive light-emitting diode (LED) lighting replacements for street lights and parking lots. Additionally, sustainability principles are woven into new construction and major facility overhauls through award-winning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified building standards. Notable projects include the Isabella Aiona Abbott Life Sciences Building, Bachman Hall, Sinclair and the Snyder replacement building.

UH Mānoa has successfully reduced its peak utility demand by more than 16% compared to 2016 levels. Peak demand management is critical because it reduces the instantaneous electrical load the campus draws from HECO. By easing strain on the local electrical grid during high-use periods, UH Mānoa helps HECO accommodate additional capacity for other renewable energy customers across Oʻahu.

$1M annual savings

In addition, UH’s System-wide Photovoltaic (PV) Maintenance Program is generating more than $1 million in annual future energy savings. Over previous years, PV systems installed across UH‘s 10 campuses were unmaintained, leading many to underproduce energy.

By repairing these assets, the program has brought megawatts of solar capacity back online, producing renewable energy directly on UH campuses.

“PV systems, like any other building system, require annual maintenance to ensure it operates at 100%. This PV maintenance program has demonstrated this success and all campuses are extremely happy with the results,” Topping said.

The University of Hawaiʻi is making a $123-million strategic investment across its 10 campuses, funding more than 100 initiatives of the UH Strategic Plan aimed at improving student success, meeting Hawaiʻi‘s workforce needs, advancing research and innovation, fulfilling UH‘s kuleana (responsibility) to Native Hawaiians and modernizing university operations.

The investments will be made over the next two to three years and represent a new approach to how UH puts its financial resources to work. President Wendy Hensel and UH Vice President for Budget and Finance and Chief Financial Officer Luis Salaveria, working with campus and system leadership, evaluated needs across the entire 10-campus system and prioritized investments that can have the greatest impact for students and Hawaiʻi, rather than relying primarily on the traditional campus-by-campus approach.

“We have spent considerable time identifying our priorities and determining where the University of Hawaiʻi can have the greatest impact. Now we are putting the resources behind those priorities and moving from planning to execution,” Hensel said. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to make a meaningful, lasting difference for our students, strengthen our campuses and help address some of Hawaiʻi‘s most pressing needs.”

Hensel and Salaveria presented the strategic investment initiative and explained UH’s new budget process during a hybrid public forum on Monday, September 28. Just under 400 people attended the forum in person or tuned in to the livestream.

A disciplined, systemwide approach

UH evaluated 425 requests totaling more than $635 million before approving $123 million in one-time strategic investments. The proposals were developed by campuses, vice presidential offices and advisory groups, and each group had the opportunity to meet with the President and CFO to advocate for their initiatives. Priority was given to those proposals most closely aligned with UH strategic priorities and capable of producing long-term benefits.

“This was a very selective process,” said Salaveria. “We wanted to make strategic investments that would move the university forward and help hedge against financial challenges we know are coming. The goal is to put these resources to work with a clear purpose.”

About 75% of the investment will support initiatives that benefit all 10 campuses, with a focus on student success, workforce development, and modern technology and artificial intelligence. About 25% is directed to individual campus priorities.

Five areas of strategic impact

The $123 million investment advances five university strategic priorities:

• Develop successful students—approximately $79 million
• Enhance and modernize university operations—approximately $60 million
• Meet Hawaiʻi‘s workforce needs—approximately $21 million
• Innovation and research—approximately $15 million
• Fulfill UH‘s kuleana to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi—approximately $10 million

Because many projects advance more than one strategic priority, the five investment categories overlap and represent approximately $185 million in combined impact from the $123 million investment.

Investing in student success

The largest area of strategic impact is approximately $79 million connected to student success, with a focus on recruiting and retaining students, improving transfer among UH campuses, removing barriers to completing degrees and addressing basic needs.

The investments support UH‘s Common Standard of Care, an effort to establish a consistent baseline of proactive student support across all 10 campuses so that where a student attends does not determine the level of support they receive.

Among the investments are $2.9 million to expand the Hawaiʻi College and Career Navigator Program, $1 million for a systemwide transcript evaluation platform to streamline the transfer of credits, $230,000 to advance academic advising and $300,000 for Mālama Kauhale, which allows students to earn food vouchers through campus service.

“Every student is our student,” Hensel said. “Whether someone attends one of our community colleges or a four-year campus, they should have access to the fundamental support, technology and opportunities they need to succeed. By working as one system, we can remove barriers that no campus should have to solve alone.”

The investments are also part of a coordinated enrollment strategy as UH prepares for a projected decline in the number of Hawaiʻi high school graduates in the coming years.

Meeting Hawaiʻi‘s workforce needs

Approximately $21 million in strategic impact is aligned with Hawaiʻi‘s current and future workforce needs, particularly in fields where the state faces critical shortages, and UH has opportunities to expand successful programs.

The goal is a more coordinated systemwide approach to workforce development, including a single “front door” for employers and industry partners and greater use of real-time labor market information to align academic programs with workforce needs.

Investments include $500,000 for the SteppingBlocks AI Platform (connecting higher education and workforce outcomes), $150,000 for a unified employer intake system, $1.37 million to expand diagnostic medical sonography (sound wave imagery) at Kapiʻolani Community College and $500,000 to expand teacher education pathways across the 10-campus system.

“Our intent is to fuel responsive workforce development across the 10-campus system,” Hensel said.

Modernizing the university

Approximately $60 million in strategic impact is connected to improving and modernizing UH operations, including major investments in technology, cybersecurity and administrative systems.

Projects include approximately $4.9 million in systemwide wireless upgrades, more than $6.7 million for firewalls and cybersecurity audits, $6 million to modernize UH‘s human resources data system, $5 million for a new systemwide budget management platform and $2 million to establish a systemwide Office of Compliance.

The systemwide approach is intended to reduce duplication, establish common standards and leverage UH‘s purchasing power.

“Instead of 10 individual campuses looking at wireless upgrades, why not do that from a system level?” Salaveria said. “Economies of scale, purchasing power, standardization of protocols—all of these different things just make sense.”

Investing in research and Hawaiʻi‘s economy

Approximately $15.5 million in strategic impact is aligned with research, innovation and economic diversification.

Projects include $3 million for intellectual property protection, $3 million for an AI Institute Hub, investments in secure research environments and $5 million for an Advanced Manufacturing Hub, including laboratory renovations intended to position UH to compete for tens of millions of dollars in potential federal grants.

The AI investment is part of a broader effort to responsibly and ethically integrate artificial intelligence throughout UH‘s curriculum, research and operations while expanding AI education and training for Hawaiʻi.

The investments are also intended to build UH‘s capacity to attract outside funding and support emerging industries in Hawaiʻi, including advanced manufacturing, technology and climate resilience.

Fulfilling UH‘s kuleana to Native Hawaiians and Hawaiʻi

Approximately $10.4 million in strategic impact will advance UH‘s commitment to becoming a Native Hawaiian place of learning.

The investments include dedicated spaces across campuses for student success and cultural programming; $600,000 to develop a framework for embedding Native Hawaiian priorities into university governance and budgeting; and professional development to strengthen culturally responsive teaching.

The plan includes funding for dedicated Native Hawaiian Places of Learning and specialized student-support spaces on each UH campus, along with expanded Native Hawaiian student services and systemwide kuleana initiatives.

Where the money comes from

The one-time investments are being funded primarily through university cash balances that grew during and following the COVID-19 pandemic, when federal relief funding helped support operations while UH implemented significant cost-saving measures, including restrictions on hiring and travel and the postponement of major purchases.

UH will continue to maintain appropriate reserves for financial stability and unexpected needs.

The investment is part of a broader change in how UH manages its financial resources. Instead of viewing needs primarily through individual campus budgets, UH is taking a systemwide approach when doing so can reduce duplication, increase purchasing power and provide infrastructure and services more efficiently.

The investments are also structured to avoid creating significant new recurring costs.

From planning to execution

Hensel directed campus and system leaders earlier this year to identify high-impact investments capable of producing lasting benefits without creating new recurring financial obligations. Routine repairs, replacement of lost grant funding and normal operating expenses were not the focus.

With the priorities established and funding identified, the focus now shifts to execution and accountability, including measuring whether the investments deliver the intended results for students, the university and Hawaiʻi.

“This is not about spending money because it is available,” Hensel said. “It is about making disciplined choices and putting our resources to work where they can have the greatest impact. We are investing in our students, in Hawaiʻi‘s workforce and economy, and in a stronger and more resilient University of Hawaiʻi.”

Chris Conybeare, professor emeritus at the University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu, Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, human rights attorney and former television journalist died on September 20, 2026. He dedicated decades to public interest media, labor education and civil rights.

Conybeare served on the faculty at UH West Oʻahu, where he developed impactful broadcast productions through the Center for Labor Education and Research (CLEAR).

Previous to UH, Conybeare worked at Hawaiʻi Public Television (then known as PBS Hawaii). In 1981 he became producer/host of Rice & Roses—a groundbreaking co-production with UH dedicated to Hawaiʻi’s labor movement. At PBS Hawaii, Conybeare also served as co-executive producer of the international news program Asia Now, produced in partnership with Japan’s NHK and PBS KCTS Seattle.

Among his most notable productions with longtime collaborator Joy Chong-Stannard was Ah Quon McElrath: The Struggle Never Ends!, detailing the life of the legendary Hawaiʻi labor leader and UH regent. Conybeare, who considered McElrath a personal hero, viewed the project as both a tribute to her legacy and a message of compassion and courage for future generations. The film earned national public broadcast distribution, airing on PBS stations across the country in 2026.

He served as executive producer for Canefield Songs: Holehole Bushi. Narrated by Jake Shimabukuro, the documentary illuminating the lives of Japanese plantation workers in Hawaiʻi was screened at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History in 2017.

Through his work with Rice and Roses and other labor productions, Conybeare helped establish a digital moving image archive documenting Hawaiʻi‘s plantation and working-class history that is included in ʻUluʻulu: The Henry Kuʻualoha Giugni Moving Image Archive of Hawaiʻi located at UH West Hawaiʻi.

In a message to the UH West Oʻahu faculty and staff, Interim Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza wrote, “Chris was a man of immense warmth, intellect, and courage. He believed fiercely in the power of giving a voice to the voiceless, and he mentored many within our community with that same guiding passion. His presence on our campus and his contributions to the preservation of our working-class history will never be forgotten.”

Media reform advocate

Beyond filmmaking, Conybeare was a steadfast advocate for democratic broadcasting and media reform. As president of Media Council Hawaii, he collaborated with UH Mānoa journalism faculty and Common Cause Hawaii to challenge local television news consolidation and analyze campaign advertising on local airwaves.

Retired UH Mānoa Professor Gerald Kato said Conybeare was very much like his hero, McElrath.

“Like AQ, Chris had boundless energy spent fighting for social justice and believing that free speech meant speaking up for the underdog and protecting the public interest in an honest and independent press,” Kato wrote. “Among other things, Chris had a deep interest in Hawaiʻi’s social and political history. He believed the news media, when it works in the public interest, is a means of documenting that history. In one of our last conversations, Chris talked about what we could do to make Hawaiʻi a better place for journalism and for preserving the public memory. I’ll miss those conversations.”

In a 2011 Hawaii Business story examining the uncertain future of local broadcast stations, Conybeare underscored the vital role of local media control: “We know from national studies that local ownership provides the best local coverage of communities, and I would hope that local owners would step up to the plate.”

A former Fulbright Scholar on the faculty of Marmara University in Istanbul, Turkey, Conybeare worked with the Press Council of Turkey and studied press freedom in Turkey and transitional democracies in the region.

Dedication to human rights

Throughout his life as an educator, attorney and advocate, Conybeare remained dedicated to human rights at home and abroad. He and his partner of 48 years Kathryn Braun, a distinguished professor in UH Mānoa’s Department of Public Health Sciences at the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health, were true global citizens.

Braun said, “Over the years, we visited all seven continents and more than 120 countries. Chris worked in Latin America and Africa, as well as in Turkey and Japan.”

The couple recently established an emergency fund for undergraduate public health students.

The fund will provide emergency assistance to students facing unexpected financial hardships, helping cover such urgent needs as food, transportation, technology and tuition gaps.

“We would like to provide a small amount of assistance when it’s needed to help students keep going,” Conybeare said when the fund was announced.

—By Kelli Abe Trifonovitch

The University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges’ campaign “Start Here, Go Beyond,” highlighting authentic student transfer journeys across the 10-campus UH System, has been selected as a finalist in two categories for the Medallion Awards, presented by District 6 of the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR):

• Television/Video Paid Advertisement (series): “Start Here, Go Beyond”
• Video Shorts (series): “Start Here, Go Beyond”

The video series highlights how starting at a community college provides an affordable, flexible pathway toward earning a bachelor’s degree, advancing careers and serving local communities. The students’ stories showcase diverse fields—from engineering and law to teaching—demonstrating the ability to achieve career goals while staying rooted in Hawaiʻi.

Watch the videos

The full video series is available on UH Community Colleges’ website.

• Bruce Torres-Fischer finds his calling from Hawaiʻi CC to UH Hilo
• David Grupen finds his path from Honolulu CC to UH Mānoa
• Mele Rita finds her voice from Kauaʻi CC to UH West Oʻahu
• Jenny Brown builds her future from Kapiʻolani CC to UH Mānoa
• Leilani Wendt finds her path from Leeward CC to UH Mānoa
• Dexter Corpuz finds his purpose from UH Maui College to UH West Oʻahu
• Ciera Adversalo-Clarke finds her purpose from Windward CC to UH West Oʻahu

‘Vital gateway’

“Our community colleges serve as a vital gateway to higher education, and these videos showcase the true power of that journey through the voices of our students,” said Lui Hokoana, interim vice president for community colleges and UH Maui College chancellor. “Being recognized nationally by NCMPR is a testament to the hard work of our team and the incredible achievements of our alumni who inspire the next generation to start here and go beyond.”

The NCMPR Medallion Awards recognize outstanding achievement in design and communication among two-year community and technical colleges. Final placement levels—gold, silver and bronze—will be announced during the District 6 conference in October in Scottsdale, Arizona.

• Related UH News: New video series highlights UH transfer success, April 20, 2026

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from UH Maui College.

From UH Maui College’s instagram: “Mahalo to everyone who joined us at the UH Maui College Molokaʻi Farm for the Niu & Kalo Festival!

From crafting ʻapu and weaving pāpale, to sharing in the kalo and niu cooking contest and jamming with the Kalaupapa Backyard Band, it was a beautiful day of hands-on learning and community connection.”

Previous Images
Storm damage
Ching Athletics Complex rainbow
First week fun
First day of class
Fungi
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the UH ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next UH News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• Send your image using a UH email address.

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other UH connection. By submitting your image, you are giving UH News permission to publish your photo on the UH News website and UH social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

The University of Hawaiʻi’s three 4-year universities earned national recognition in the U.S. News and World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings released September 22, with UH West Oʻahu earning two second-place regional rankings and two additional top-10 rankings.

UH Mānoa, UH Hilo and UH West Oʻahu were ranked among the country’s top 4-year institutions by U.S. News and World Report out of approximately 2,630 4-year institutions nationwide based on nearly 20 categories (depending on program ranking), including graduation and retention rates, peer assessments, academic and financial resources and student excellence.

“Recognition from U.S. News and World Report reflects the many ways the University of Hawaiʻi is serving students and the state,” UH President Wendy Hensel said. “From academic programs and student support to opportunities that help students move into careers and build better lives for themselves and their families, these results highlight the strength and value of a University of Hawaiʻi education. We are proud of the work happening across our universities, community colleges and learning centers, and remain committed to providing opportunities for students at every level of higher education.”

UH Mānoa

The international business program in the UH Mānoa Shidler College of Business ranked No. 23 among the best programs in the nation. Shidler College also came in at No. 129 (tied) among the best undergraduate business programs out of 535 ranked undergraduate business programs.

The flagship campus of the UH System ranked No. 96 (tied) as a top U.S. public university; No. 128 for best colleges for veterans; No. 186 (tied) overall in the country; and No. 196 (tied) in social mobility, which measures how well schools graduated students who were federal Pell Grant recipients. UH Mānoa was ranked among the national universities category—featuring institutions that offer a range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs, and emphasize faculty research.

The School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene is the No. 94 (tied) best undergraduate nursing program among 671 ranked undergraduate nursing programs.

The Department of Economics ranked No. 140 (tied) for best undergraduate economics programs in the nation, and the Department of Psychology ranked No. 189 (tied) out of the top 676 best undergraduate psychology programs in the nation. Both departments are housed in the College of Social Sciences.

The College of Engineering placed No. 146 (tied) among the best undergraduate engineering programs that offer doctoral degrees in the country.

The Department of Information and Computer Sciences in the College of Natural Sciences ranked as the No. 173 (tied) best undergraduate computer science program out of 587 ranked programs.

“UH Mānoa’s strong showing reflects the depth and breadth of a flagship institution that combines outstanding undergraduate education with nationally recognized research and professional programs,” said UH Mānoa Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos. “Our faculty, staff, and students should all take pride in their hard work and dedication that led to these results, which can also be attributed to the many unique opportunities we are able to provide to students across our campus and in the field. I’m very pleased to see the fruits of our labor reflected in these rankings by U.S. News and World Report.”

UH Hilo

UH Hilo ranked among the top national liberal arts colleges—a category that compares institutions across the country, rather than within a single region—that focus almost exclusively on undergraduate education and that tend to award most of their degrees in the arts and sciences. In that category, UH Hilo ranked No. 17 as a top public school, No. 77 (tied) for social mobility and No. 153 overall.

UH Hilo’s School of Nursing is the No. 195 (tied) best undergraduate nursing program in the country among 671 ranked undergraduate nursing programs, the Department of Psychology ranked No. 255 (tied) out of the top 676 undergraduate psychology programs in the nation, and the College of Business and Economics placed No. 301 (tied) out of 535 ranked undergraduate business programs.

“We’re proud to see UH Hilo recognized among the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges,” UH Hilo Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin said. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff and students and the high-quality education and experiences we provide. It’s a testament to the strong community we’ve built at UH Hilo and our commitment to student success.”

UH West Oʻahu

UH West Oʻahu ranked No. 2 (tied) for top public colleges in the West and best colleges for veterans among regional colleges in the West, No. 8 for social mobility for regional colleges in the West and No. 9 (tied) overall among regional colleges in the West.

“These rankings are a reflection of the outstanding work happening every day at UH West Oʻahu,” UH West Oʻahu Interim Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza said. “Our faculty and staff are dedicated to providing students with a high-quality education and the support they need to succeed. We’re proud of our students and grateful to everyone who contributes to their success.”

Ranking categories

UH Mānoa was ranked in the national universities category, which featured institutions that offer a range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs, and emphasize faculty research.

UH Hilo was ranked in the national liberal arts colleges category, which featured institutions that focus almost exclusively on undergraduate education and tend to award most of their degrees in the arts and sciences.

UH West Oʻahu was ranked in the regional colleges in the West category, which includes schools that focus on undergraduate education and grant fewer than 50% of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.

Hawaiʻi borrowers carry less student debt than those in nearly every other state, earning the state the nation’s second-lowest student debt ranking according to a September 2026 WalletHub report.

The personal finance company compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia using 12 measures. They included average student loan balances, the share of students with debt and the percentage of loans that are past due or in default.

Hawaiʻi ranked No. 50 overall. Only No. 51 Utah had a lower student debt burden. California, Washington and New Mexico rounded out the five states with the least student debt.

“Our 10 campuses give local students access to high-quality educational opportunities at an affordable cost,” said UH President Wendy Hensel. “Through affordable resident tuition, need-based financial aid and pathways across our statewide system, we are working to help students earn a degree without being weighed down by debt.”

Graduating debt-free

At UH, 80% of first-time undergraduates across 10 campuses graduated debt-free during the 2024–25 academic year. That included 65% of graduates from UH’s four-year campuses and 90% from community colleges.

Mississippi had the nation’s highest student debt burden, followed by Delaware, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia.

Outstanding student loan balances exceeded $1.72 trillion in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Department of Education. That amounts to more than $40,000 per borrower across 42.6 million Americans.

In a historic milestone for the University of Hawaiʻi System, 100% of available performance funding—totaling $6,208,198—has been awarded across all 10 UH campuses for Academic Year 2025–26 under a revised transitional framework.

This marks the first time in the history of UH performance funding that 100% of potential funds were awarded to campuses. In comparison, under the previous historical framework, only 49% of available performance funds would have been distributed for Academic Year 2025–26. Designed to bridge the gap between historical practices and the finalized fiscal year (FY)27 vision, the transitional model used for this year is based on a new two-part funding structure that rewards both sustained progress on core student success metrics and proactive institutional innovation.

These resources will empower campus leadership to invest in initiatives that maintain and expand upon these positive outcomes.

Understanding the funding model

The FY26 performance allocation combines two integrated methodologies:

1. Segmented Lifecycle Model (Performance Pool: $3,795,621 awarded)

Recognizing that student success occurs along a continuum, a campus’s potential performance pool allocation ($4,966,558 total systemwide) is divided into two equal 50% allocations:

The Early Progression Pool (50%): Evaluates onboarding, credit momentum across full-time, part-time, and transfer cohorts, first-year retention rates, and gateway English and Mathematics completion rates.

The Long-Term Attainment Pool (50%): Evaluates how many students graduate within 6 years for a 4-year university and 3 years for a community college graduation rates, articulation and transfer rates, and median alumni earnings five years post-graduation.

Evaluations are grounded in three sequential three-year rolling averages (2021–23, 2022–24 and 2023–25) to reward sustained performance trajectories rather than single-semester variances.

2. Pillar-Activation Model (Innovation & Scaling Pool: $2,412,577 awarded)

Unawarded balance from the performance pool was combined with innovation funds to form a $2.41-million Innovation & Scaling Award pool. This pool rewards high-impact engagements aligned with the university’s Common Standard of Care pillars—including structured first-year support, academic design, career-oriented learning, proactive advising, financial wellness and outreach.

Campus allocations and strategic highlights

UH Mānoa ($2,564,257 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $1,971,127
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $593,130

Leeward Community College ($825,794 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $524,927
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $300,867

Honolulu Community College ($594,824 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $219,052
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $375,772

UH West Oʻahu ($448,293 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $279,865
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $168,428

Kapiʻolani Community College ($431,441 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $206,638
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $224,803

UH Maui College ($397,098 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $144,762
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $252,336

UH Hilo ($350,990 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $127,954
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $223,036

Hawaiʻi Community College ($222,634 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $150,281
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $72,353

Kauaʻi Community College ($207,405 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $95,929
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $111,476

Windward Community College ($165,462 total)

• Segmented Lifecycle Award: $75,086
• Innovation & Scaling Award: $90,376

University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel highlighted UH‘s response to recent severe weather events, efforts to simplify the application process for prospective students and an upcoming public forum on the university’s new budgeting process and $123-million strategic investment initiative during her September report to the UH Board of Regents (BOR).

Hensel delivered the report at the September 17 BOR meeting at Leeward Community College’s Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center. She began by recognizing UH teams who helped campuses respond to an unusually active year of severe weather, most recently Hurricane Lowell. The storm caused significant damage and prolonged power outages on Kauaʻi, forcing Kauaʻi Community College to close for a week before reopening to students on September 16.

Hensel also provided an update on fall enrollment, highlighted the October 1 launch of Apply Hawaiʻi, a single undergraduate application for all 10 campuses, and announced a September 28 public forum on UH‘s budget and $123 million strategic investment initiative.

• Severe weather response and emergency preparedness (video)
• Fall 2026 enrollment (video)
• Apply Hawaiʻi launch (video)
• Direct2UH expansion to all 10 campuses (video)
• Time, Place and Manner policy update (video)
• September 28 budget and $123-million strategic investment forum (video)
• UH News highlights
  • Inaugural Waiʻanae EMT program (video)
  • Hawaiʻi CC $920,000 NSF drone technology grant (video)
  • Kalaeloa Hybrid Reef Project (video)

Stay connected with President Wendy Hensel by following her on X, Instagram, and LinkedIn

This week’s UH News Image of the Week is from Kauaʻi Community College’s Dayne Gonsalves, an undergraduate in creative media.

Gonsalves shared: “An image of Kaumualiʻi Highway on the morning after Hurricane Lowell, taken from Kekaha.”

Previous Images
Ching Athletics Complex rainbow
First week fun
First day of class
Fungi
Many Manu-o-Kū
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the UH ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next UH News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• Send your image using a UH email address.

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other UH connection. By submitting your image, you are giving UH News permission to publish your photo on the UH News website and UH social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel and Vice President for Budget and Finance and CFO Luis Salaveria will host a hybrid public forum on Monday, September 28, to discuss UH‘s budget, current financial status and $123 million in strategic investments planned over the next several years.

Hensel and Salaveria will provide an overview of the university’s new budgeting process, the strategic investments and UH‘s financial request to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature for Fiscal Year 2028. The presentation will be followed by an open question-and-answer session for in-person and virtual participants.

“It is important that our campus community understand both how we made these important financial decisions and the plan for investing $123 million in support of our strategic goals over the next several years,” Hensel said in an email to the 10 campuses announcing the forum. “This is an important step in moving from planning to execution—aligning our resources with our priorities and being transparent and accountable about how we make those decisions.”

UH Budget and Strategic Investment Public Forum

• Monday, September 28, 4:30 p.m.
• BOR Conference Room (Kiawe), Bachman Hall 106, UH Mānoa
• In person and online
• Participants can join the forum via Zoom using password 902892.

The University of Hawaiʻi is proposing a new four-year tuition schedule that would keep undergraduate resident and non-resident tuition unchanged at all 10 campuses for the first two years, followed by increases beginning in academic year (AY) 2029–30. The current schedule expires at the end of AY 2026–27. The proposal is on the agenda for the September 17 Board of Regents meeting for informational purposes only; no action will be taken.

UH will hold public meetings starting October 6 on the proposed tuition schedule. Details at the end of the story.

The proposed schedule would cover AY 2027–28 through AY 2030–31, replacing the current schedule that expires at the end of AY 2026–27. The exception to the two-year freeze is tuition at the professional pharmacy program at UH Hilo’s Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, where tuition would increase 5% annually beginning in AY 2027–28 to address operational needs and accreditation requirements.

Proposed tuition rates

At UH’s four-year campuses, undergraduate students pay a flat full-time tuition rate once they enroll in 12 credits per semester and can take additional credits at no additional tuition cost.

UH Mānoa

• AY 2027–28 and 2028–29: No increase
• AY 2029–30: 5% increase; resident undergraduate tuition increases from $11,760 to $12,360 annually
• AY 2030–31: 5% increase; resident undergraduate tuition increases to $12,984 annually
• The increases apply to undergraduate, graduate and professional tuition rates.

UH Hilo

• AY 2027–28 and 2028–29: No increase for undergraduate and graduate tuition
• AY 2029–30: 3% increase; resident undergraduate tuition increases from $7,632 to $7,872 annually
• AY 2030–31: 3% increase; resident undergraduate tuition increases to $8,112 annually
• Nonresident undergraduate tuition would increase by the same percentage.
• Graduate and graduate nursing tuition would remain unchanged for all four years.
• UH Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy
  • 5% annual tuition increase in each of the four years
  • The additional revenue would support accreditation requirements, faculty and staff, research resources, technology, facilities and other operational needs.

UH West Oʻahu

• AY 2027–28 and 2028–29: No increase
• AY 2029–30: 3% increase; resident undergraduate tuition increases from $7,632 to $7,872 annually
• AY 2030–31: 3% increase; resident undergraduate tuition increases to $8,112 annually
• Nonresident undergraduate tuition would increase by the same percentage.

UH community colleges

• AY 2027–28 and 2028–29: No increase in lower-division tuition
• AY 2029–30: Resident lower-division tuition increases from $131 to $135 per credit
• AY 2030–31: Resident lower-division tuition increases to $139 per credit
• For a student taking 24 credits annually, tuition would increase from $3,144 today to $3,336 by AY 2030–31—an increase of $192.
• Upper-division tuition would increase at the same levels as UH Hilo and UH West Oʻahu.
• Summer school tuition for Hawaiʻi residents, reduced in 2025 to match the regular resident tuition rate, would continue at the same rate as resident lower-division tuition, including the proposed increases.

Tuition meeting schedule

Individuals wishing to testify virtually must register no later than six (6) hours prior to the meeting start time in order to be accommodated. It is highly recommended that written testimony be submitted via Google form in addition to registering to provide oral testimony. Oral testimony will be limited to three (3) minutes per testifier. All oral and written testimony are public information. Please do not include information in your testimony that you do not want disclosed to the public.

• UH Mānoa
  • Tuesday, October 6, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
  • Bachman Hall, Kiawe Room 106
  • To join via Zoom, please register in advance at: Oʻahu tuition meeting
• UH Hilo
  • Wednesday, October 14, 10–11:30 a.m.
  • Student Services Center, W201
  • To join via Zoom, please register in advance at: Hilo tuition meeting
• Kauaʻi Community College
  • Thursday, October 15, 9:30–11 a.m.
  • OCET Room 106C/D
  • To join via Zoom, please register in advance at: Kauaʻi tuition meeting
• UH Maui College
  • Tuesday, October 20, noon–1:30 p.m.
  • Kaʻaʻike Bldg., Room 105 BCD
  • To join via Zoom, please register in advance at: Maui tuition meeting

A decade of relatively flat tuition

UH tuition has remained relatively flat for a decade while operating costs have continued to rise. Recent increases in state funding have largely supported budget restorations, construction and facility improvements and negotiated salary increases, while tuition revenue has not kept pace with inflation and rising operational costs.

The proposal is intended to address those rising costs while maintaining affordability for Hawaiʻi students. About 90% of UH community college graduates and 65% of graduates from the four-year campuses complete their degrees without student loan debt.

Public review and approval process

Chancellors across the UH System notified their campus communities about the proposal and the start of the review process on September 11. The formal public review period begins September 18, followed by open public meetings on Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, Kauaʻi and Oʻahu from October 5–16. Feedback may be provided at the public meetings or submitted online, with details to be announced when available. A summary of public feedback and any revisions to the proposal are scheduled to be presented October 29, with the UH Board of Regents considering the final proposal on November 19.

If approved, the new schedule would be filed with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor by December 1 and take effect in fall 2027.