HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	50
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAIʻI BOARD OF REGENTS TO CONSIDER RENAMING LEEWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO PUʻULOA COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

WHEREAS, community colleges play a vital role in expanding access to higher education and providing pathways to opportunity, workforce development, and lifelong learning; and

WHEREAS, strengthening campus identity can enhance student pride, recruitment, alumni engagement, and community connection; and

WHEREAS, Puʻuloa holds deep cultural and historical significance within the moku of ʻEwa on the island of Oʻahu and is historically known for its abundance of traditional loko iʻa, which sustained thriving communities through established systems of food production and resource management; and

WHEREAS, Puʻuloa is also associated with important cultural traditions and moʻolelo, including the guardian sharks Kaʻahupāhau and Kahiʻuka, and represents longevity, abundance, and resilience; and

WHEREAS, Leeward Community College is situated within the historic and cultural region of Puʻuloa, encompassing areas within Waiawa and Lualualei; and

WHEREAS, Leeward Community College aspires to be a leading indigenous-serving community college dedicated to inclusion, innovation, and a strong Hawaiian sense of place; and

WHEREAS, section 304A-105, Hawaii Revised Statutes, grants the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents exclusive jurisdiction over the internal structure, management, and operation of the University; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents is requested to consider renaming Leeward Community College to Puʻuloa Community College to reflect the cultural and historical significance of the area and to strengthen the campus's identity and connection to place; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in considering such action, the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents is encouraged to consult with campus leadership, faculty, students, alumni, and community stakeholders; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents, President of the University of Hawaiʻi, and Chancellor of Leeward Community College.

Report Title:

Leeward Community College; Renaming; BOR