THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	66
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO CHARGE RESIDENT TUITION TO PACIFIC ISLAND STUDENTS; PROVIDED THE RATE IS OFFERED ON A NEEDS-BASED BASIS.

     WHEREAS, the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii last year eliminated the non-resident tuition waiver for Pacific Island students who are from Pacific Island jurisdictions that have historical ties to the United States and do not have degree granting public higher educational institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees; and

     WHEREAS, students from these Pacific Islands must now pay non-resident tuition rates equal to one hundred fifty per cent of the resident tuition-rate; and

     WHEREAS, this tuition rate is less than that imposed on non-residents from other jurisdictions throughout the United States; and

     WHEREAS, the Pacific Island students who are now required to pay the reduced non-resident tuition rate comprise a very minute portion of the total tuition revenues of the University of Hawaii; and

     WHEREAS, the tuition increase for this small group of students has a disproportionately larger financial impact on them as compared to students because the minimum wages of, and the median household income of families in, those islands fall far below the minimum wage and median household income of families of their American counterparts in states that require the payment of full non-resident tuition; and

     WHEREAS, a scheduled system-wide increase in tuition coupled with the elimination of the tuition waivers have forced some Pacific Island students to apply for student loans; and

WHEREAS, although the University of Hawaii instituted a University of Hawaii Pacific Islander Scholarship Program, the various campuses have the option of implementing such a program by utilizing revenues from their tuition increases; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii is respectfully requested to allow students from Pacific Island jurisdictions that have historical ties to the United States but do not have degree granting public higher educational institutions that grant baccalaureate degrees to pay resident tuition rates; provided that the tuition rate is offered on a needs-based basis; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii Board of Regents is requested to submit a report on this matter to the Legislature not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chair of the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii and the President of the University of Hawaii.

Report Title: 

Non-resident Tuition Waivers; University of Hawaii