Dobelle Praises Legislature for UH Support Including $100 Million in Funding for System-Wide Capital Improvement Projects

Academy for Creative Media and various UH Manoa units also receive support from 2004 Legislature

University of Hawaiʻi
Contact:
Carolyn Tanaka, (808) 956-8109
Associate Vice President
Kristen Bonilla, (808) 956-5039
Public Information Officer
Posted: May 13, 2004

The Hawaiʻi State Legislature completed its 2004 session last week with $100.2 million appropriated for 18 capital improvement projects at campuses across the University of Hawaiʻi system. The Academy for Creative Media (ACM) and UH Mānoa‘s School of Social Work, College of Education, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and the John A. Burns School of Medicine also received significant funding towards positions and programming.

"On behalf of the entire University of Hawaiʻi system, I‘d like to thank our legislators and commend them for a productive session," said UH President Evan S. Dobelle. "Their support of the university will enable us to improve facilities, hire more faculty, and offer more opportunities for students, proving the Legislature‘s support to be a significant investment in the future of Hawaiʻi."

The capital improvement projects receiving funding include:

· $25 million for capital renewal and deferred maintenance system-wide

· $649,000 for fire safety code compliance system-wide

· $380,000 for health, safety, and code requirements system-wide

· $1.4 million for infrastructure improvements system-wide

· $15 million for Phase I of the Student Life and Events Complex at UH Hilo

· $3.5 million for renovation of the Student Services Building at Maui CC

· $10 million for the One Stop Center building at Kauaʻi CC

· $18.4 million in federal funds for a College of Pharmacy building at UH Hilo

· $120,000 for renovation and expansion of the Makai Athletic Training Room at UH Mānoa

· $14.5 million for the Komohana Agricultural Complex at UH Mānoa

· $1.1 million for a new office building for the UH Mānoa Cooperative Extension Programs on Molokaʻi

· $3.7 million for Phase II of the North Hawaiʻi Research and Education Center for UH Hilo

· $441,000 for temporary facilities at UH West Oahu

· $3 million for the Cannon Club site development for Kapiʻolani CC

· $1.6 million for Phase II of the Food Services Program at Leeward CC

· $300,000 for a science building at Maui CC

· $350,000 for air conditioning plant renovation at Kauaʻi CC

· $700,000 for a second access road at Kauaʻi CC

For UH Mānoa, the Academy for Creative Media received $767,000 and the School of Social Work received $100,000 for distance education. The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources received $500,000 for research programs to further its mission and actively help Hawaiʻi diversity its economy, and the John A. Burns School of Medicine received approximately $1 million in general funds for the Kakaʻako campus and for health science library facilities at the new campus. Through the education reform package passed by legislators, the College of Education received $500,000 for teacher education faculty positions.

Other bills passed by the Legislature relating to the University of Hawaiʻi include:

· approval for UH to implement an optional retirement system, which will aid in faculty recruitment;

· the establishment of a student Scholarship and Assistance Special Fund, which will allow the development of a scholarship system within UH; and

· the creation of a trust fund to fund scholarships as a requirement of the state‘s participation in the federal Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), a program housed and administered by the College of Business at UH Mānoa.

In addition, the Legislature also approved the appointments of three members of the UH Board of Regents. Andres Albano, Jr., was approved for a term to end June 30, 2008. James J.C. Haynes, II, was approved for a term to end June 30, 2006. Jane Tatibouet was approved for a term to end June 30, 2007.