STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3904

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 53

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 53 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII BOARD OF REGENTS TO CONDUCT A SYSTEMWIDE ASSOCIATE DEGREE COMPLETION AUDIT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the University of Hawaii Board of Regents to conduct a systemwide audit to identify current and former students who have accumulated sufficient academic credits to qualify for an associate degree but have not been awarded the credential.

Your Committee did not receive any testimony on this measure.

Your Committee finds that, although many students earn sufficient credits to meet associate degree requirements, they often leave the University of Hawaii System without receiving that credential due to issues such as transfer patterns, financial hardship, or administrative barriers. Recognizing the economic and societal benefits of awarding earned credentials, other states have successfully implemented reverse transfer and degree audit initiatives to identify former students eligible for associate degrees. This measure seeks to align the University of Hawaii System with this best practice in higher education to increase post-secondary degree attainment, thereby recognizing student achievement and improving workforce readiness.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 53, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 53, S.D. 1.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair