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COMMUNICATIONS MUST BE HOT

chancellor-rachel-solemsaas.jpgAloha mai kākou,

A famous quote from Dan Oswald states, “Communication must be HOT. That is, HONEST, OPEN and TWO-WAY.”

I am writing for a few reasons:

  1. To see how you are doing as we rally toward the end of Fall 2017.
  2. To share some information about our students.
  3. To share a video.
  4. To let you know I am interested in meeting with you to talk story.
  1. The semester is well on its way. I hope you feel you are on top of things, feel like you are making a difference, and feel that right mix of energy, challenge, and competence. I would love to hear how you are doing and how you are building that second wind.
  2. VPCC John Morton recently presented the results of our performance targets relating to the system’s 2015-2021 strategic goals. These goals are intended to support the completion and success of our students, including populations historically underserved in our system. You can find a copy of the presentation here. Here are the highlights.

Kudos to our Kauhale for:

  • Being one of two CCs that increased enrollment from our local high schools. Our investments in connecting with our K-12 partners are paying off. I am glad a number of Hawai‘i high school graduates considered us as their college of choice.
    high school graduates direct entry totals
  • Though our enrollment is down, we are still above pre-recession level. Kudos to our Pālamanui ‘ohana. Their enrollment grew by another 24 (now at 526) students, not to mention that we are now in triple digits (130) in hosting students at our University Center, West Hawai‘i.
    enrollment trends totals
  • Exceeding degree and certificate achievements for STEM.
    stem degrees and certificates totals for all campuses
    more data on stem degree and certificate totals for hawcc
  • Achieving success for our Filipino, Pacific Islander and Pell recipients. We met parity with these groups as it relates to degrees/certificates or transferring or achieving STEM degrees/certificates.
    closing filipino success gaps totals
    closing pacific islander success gaps totals
     

Unfortunately, there are areas we did not do as well. They include:

  • Enrollment decline with our Adult Learners, GED recipients, Pacific Islanders, and International Students.
    working age adults target totals
    ged recipients target totals
    pacific islanders target totals
    international students target totals
  • Achievement of degrees and certificates by our students, including Native Hawaiian and our low-income (Pell recipients) students. This results in unearned performance funding.
    UHCC graduation outcomes degrees and certificates totals
    UHCC native hawaiian degrees and certificates totals
    UHCC pell recipient graduates totals
  • Being below target in graduating our first-time, full-time degree students to complete within three years or IPEDS success rate. Similarly, this results in unearned performance funding.
    UHCC ipeds success rate totals
  • We are still behind parity in ensuring our Native Hawaiian students are earning degree or certificates or are transferring to 4-year institutions. We are significantly behind in getting them into STEM fields.
    closing native hawaiian success gaps totals
  • We are still behind Fall to Fall and Fall to Spring retention rate targets.
    fall to spring persistence goal
    fall to fall persistance goal

The impact of the above deter us from earning performance funding set aside by UHCC and UH for FY 2019 in the amount of about $600,000. We will be making some tough choices on how best to fill this budget gap with the loss of these funds. I am confident, however, that our Kauhale is resilient. This setback is a setup for our comeback. Bright minds and passionate faculty and staff in every corner of our ‘ohana are working hard to turn this around and be student ready. Let us stay focused and strategic.

  1. At the 2017 Scholarship Donor Mahalo Breakfast on November 3, we presented a video about paying it forward featuring former VCSA Barbara Arthurs. The video represented the strength of our community partners and donors in building their legacy. What is so heartwarming is Barbara’s strong connection to our Kauhale. She is and always will be one of us. In this video, we also featured two outstanding students and their journey to success. Beyond the financial donation, what you do everyday makes a world of difference to our students. MAHALO NUI.
  2. Finally, I am always very interested in meeting with you, either individually or in a group. Please feel free to invite me to your area, your office, your classroom, your department, your division, or anywhere else you spend time to meet with you, you and your co-workers, or your students. The more I know you, understand processes, areas, instructional programs, and how the college works and functions, the better I can represent you.