74
THE SENATE                           S.R. NO.              S.D. 1
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  RESOLUTION

  REQUESTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHER
    TRAINING CENTER.


 1        WHEREAS, the President of the United States has mandated
 2   that the K-12 science curriculum in American schools be
 3   reformed in order to enable high school graduates to
 4   successfully enter the workplace of the twenty-first century;
 5   and
 6   
 7        WHEREAS, the American workforce of the twenty-first
 8   century will require skills and competencies in high technology
 9   industries; and
10   
11        WHEREAS, significant reform in K-12 educational systems in
12   Hawaii will become necessary in order to enable Hawaii's high
13   school graduates to enter the high technology industries which
14   will become established in Hawaii; and
15   
16        WHEREAS, Leeward Community College is a member of the
17   IMPACT consortium; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, this consortium has chosen Oahu to become the
20   center for an international science teacher training center to
21   bring about necessary reforms in science education to enable
22   students to successfully enter the workplace of the twenty-
23   first century; and
24   
25        WHEREAS, Leeward Community College in Hawaii has been
26   designated by the IMPACT consortium to become the lead
27   institution for development and implementation of this
28   international science teacher training center; and
29   
30        WHEREAS, the international science teacher training center
31   will require research grade telescopes capable of remote
32   operation over the Internet; and
33   
34        WHEREAS, the former federally-owned Nike base at Peacock
35   Flats above Mokuleia on Oahu is now public land owned by the
36   State and has furthermore been selected by the IMPACT
37   consortium as the best site for the remote-operated telescopes
38   for the international science teacher training center; and
39   
40        WHEREAS, only a small portion of the state-owned Nike base
41   is required to establish the necessary telescope facilities for

 
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                                  S.R. NO.              S.D. 1
                                                        
                                                        


 1   the international science teacher training center; and
 2   
 3        WHEREAS, the telescopes will be operated by Leeward
 4   Community College for the residents of Hawaii and for the
 5   IMPACT programs to reform science education in America's K-12
 6   schools; and
 7   
 8        WHEREAS, these telescopes will link Hawaii with the rest
 9   of the world by establishing networks of science programs for
10   educational reform both nationally and internationally; and
11   
12        WHEREAS, having the facilities at Mokuleia will ensure
13   that Hawaii's schools will become leaders in science education
14   reform nationally; now, therefore,
15   
16        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
17   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, that the Board
18   of Land and Natural Resources allow a portion of the Nike base
19   at Mokuleia to be used by Leeward Community College for the
20   establishment of telescope facilities and for the development
21   of an international science teacher training center to bring
22   about necessary reforms in science education in America's
23   schools; and
24   
25        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Leeward Community College is
26   further requested to make the telescopic facilities available
27   to teachers and students in the K-12 educational systems in
28   Hawaii; and
29   
30        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Leeward Community College is
31   further requested to work to address any concerns of community
32   members that may arise regarding the establishment of the
33   telescope facilities and the international science teacher
34   training center; and
35   
36        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Leeward Community College is
37   requested to submit a report on the progress of its
38   implementation of the telescope facilities and the
39   international science teacher training center to the
40   Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of
41   the regular session of 2000; and
42   
43        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
44   Resolution be transmitted to the Chair of the Board of Land and
45   Natural Resources, the Chair of the Board of Regents of the
46   University of Hawaii, the Chancellor of the Community Colleges
47   of the University of Hawaii, and the Interim Provost of Leeward
48   Community College.