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

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the board of regents of the university of hawaii to charge resident tuition to pacific island students.

     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 have degree granting public higher educational institutions; and

     WHEREAS, students from these Pacific Islands must now pay non-resident tuition rates governed by the Western Undergraduate Exchange, which equates to one hundred fifty per cent of the resident tuition-rate; and

WHEREAS, the Western Undergraduate Exchange tuition rate was apparently intended to apply to American students from states that lie to the west of the Mississippi River; and

     WHEREAS, in contrast, the Board of Regents continues to grant non-resident tuition waivers to Pacific Island students who are from island jurisdictions that have historical ties to the United States but lack degree granting public higher educational institutions; and

     WHEREAS, the Pacific Island students who are excluded from receiving the non-resident tuition waiver 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 are a part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange as compared to students; 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, hopes for financial assistance through a Pacific Island scholarship program have not materialized; 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 reinstitute non-resident tuition waivers for students from Pacific island jurisdictions that have historical ties to the United States and have degree granting public higher educational institutions; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the 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.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Non-resident Tuition Waivers; University of Hawaii