Bill Text: HI SR116 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requesting The University Of Hawaii To Report On The Pamantasan Council's Systemwide Efforts To Improve The Status Of Filipinos At The University Of Hawaii.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Passed) 2022-06-06 - Certified copies of resolutions sent, 06/06/22. [SR116 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2022-SR116-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	116
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2022
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the university of hawaii to report on the pamantasan council's systemwide efforts to improve the status of filipinos at the university of hawaii.

 

 

     WHEREAS, Filipinos represent one-quarter of Hawaii's population, the second largest ethnic group in the State, the largest ethnicity in public schools, the third largest in community colleges, and the fourth largest at four-year campuses; and

 

     WHEREAS, Filipino student representation and academic performance has increased at all University of Hawaii campuses and are adequately represented at the community colleges, but Filipino student representation has seen a decline in transfer rates to four-year campuses; and

 

     WHEREAS, while Filipino student representation at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has increased, Filipino students continue to be underrepresented at the undergraduate level and are significantly underrepresented in graduate and professional degree programs; and

 

     WHEREAS, Filipino faculty are underrepresented at all University of Hawaii campuses as many faculty members are in temporary positions while critical, permanent faculty positions remain unfilled; and

 

     WHEREAS, some Filipino faculty at University of Hawaii campuses provided leadership and service to the State and the Filipino community, which experienced one of the highest percentages of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths; and

 

     WHEREAS, there are few Filipino-related courses such as Philippine languages, Philippine studies, and Filipinos in Hawaii offered at University of Hawaii campuses; and

 

     WHEREAS, the state-funded University of Hawaii System is responsible for teaching, research, and community service; additional programming to increase curriculum content; and improvements to representation and success of Filipino faculty and staff, which may also lead to an increase in the number of University of Hawaii graduates of Filipino descent who can join Hawaii's educated workforce and become active citizens in the State; and

 

     WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii Pamantasan Council, utilizing the Filipino word for "higher education", was formed in 1987 to review the status of Filipinos at the University of Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Pamantasan Council has held the annual Pamantasan Conferences, organized activities, and developed recommendations to increase representation of students, faculty, staff, and curriculum of the Filipino community; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature adopted Act 266, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, to appropriate funds for two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions for the University of Hawaii Pamantasan Council to assist the State and the University of Hawaii in meeting strategic goals for access, diversity, and workforce development; and

 

     WHEREAS, despite the Governor's approval of the appropriation, the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting budget restrictions prevented the hiring of two positions for the Pamantasan Council; and

 

     WHEREAS, funds approved for the Pamantasan Council are now utilized to temporarily support a University of Hawaii Maui College lecturer to teach distance education Ilokano courses and for curriculum development of a community college-level certificate in Filipino Studies and coordination with the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Ethnic Studies Department for course development; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that the University of Hawaii is requested to report on the Pamantasan Council's systemwide efforts to improve the status of Filipinos at the University of Hawaii; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the report is requested to include information regarding the 2019 appropriation; resource and budgetary needs; recommendations on curriculum development; and representation and success of students, faculty, and staff; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the University of Hawaii.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

University of Hawaii; Pamantasan Council; Filipino Studies; Report