Community college programs in Hawaiian lifestyles and commercial aviation gain established status

BOR also approves resident tuition for non-resident members of Hawaii National Guard and Hawaii Reserves

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Carolyn Tanaka, (808) 956-9803
Mia Noguchi, (808) 956-9095
External Affairs & University Relations
Posted: May 19, 2006

HONOLULU — At its monthly meeting held this week at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, the UH Board of Regents (BOR) approved the established status of the Hawaiian Lifestyles degree program at Hawaiʻi Community College and the Commercial Aviation degree program at Honolulu Community College. Both programs have been operating on a provisional status and their success and increasing enrollments have demonstrated potential for continued success.

The Associate in Applied Science in Hawaiian Lifestyles at Hawaiʻi Community College was approved as a provisional program in 2002 and joined a pre-existing Academic Subject Certificate in Hawaiian Lifestyles that began in 1998. Offered in three tracks reflecting traditional Hawaiʻi native occupations—Hula, Mahiʻai (Kalo or Taro Cultivation), and Lawaiʻa (Fishing and Fish Husbandry)—the primary goal of the program is to provide students with a solid foundation in the evolution, practice, and perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture by offering a variety of courses serving their personal and professional aspirations.

The program combines Hawaiian Lifestyles courses with general education courses to provide students with the cultural education and technical knowledge supporting sustainable life-ways in today‘s society. In addition, the program serves the state‘s needs for improved management of Hawaiian natural and cultural resources.

At Honolulu Community College, the Associate of Science degree in Commercial Aviation (AVIT) was approved as a provisional program in 1998. With the impact of the events of September 11, 2001, on the aviation industry, AVIT was permitted additional time to become an established program.

The program operates in affiliation with the University of North Dakota Aerospace Foundation. It is a five semester AS degree program in flight training that enables students to follow a career path earning Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) commercial pilot and certified instructor pilot training.

The program initially operated from the Honolulu Community College Airport Training Facility at Honolulu International Airport, but now operates from the Pacific Aerospace Training Center located at Kalaeloa Airport, the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station. The facility permits Honolulu Community College and the university to offer a full range of aviation related educational and training services to students, airlines and aviation industries, as well as function as a research and development site.

In other action, the BOR voted to approve the exemption of payment of the non-resident tuition differential for members of the Hawaiʻi National Guard and Hawaiʻi Reserves. The action recognizes the significance of the contribution made by these individuals and the importance of their service to the safety of Hawaiʻi residents. The university also affords active duty military personnel and their dependents the privilege of paying resident tuition.

The BOR also voted on a UH Foundation proposal to extend the Centennial Campaign period to June 30, 2009, with a goal of $250 million. The proposal enables the Foundation to leverage the UH centennial and the recent permanent appointment of UH President David McClain to increase the level of private support for the university.