STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1341

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 968

H.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 968, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to the University of Hawaii Pamantasan Council for three full-time equivalent Academic and Support Services Specialist positions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights, Sariling Gawa Youth Council, and nineteen individuals.

Your Committee finds that Filipino Americans continue to be underrepresented as undergraduates at the University of Hawaii compared to the proportion of Filipino Americans enrolled in the State's public schools. Filipino faculty, particularly holding tenure track positions, and administrators are also severely underrepresented across all University campuses. The University of Hawaii Pamantasan Council leads and supports efforts to address this underrepresentation of Filipinos at the University through workforce and curriculum development, research, and community service. Therefore, this measure appropriates funds to support the University of Hawaii Pamantasan Council's work to increase Filipino access, equity, and inclusion at the University of Hawaii.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 968, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair