HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	217
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII BOARD OF REGENTS TO DEVELOP PLANS FOR A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR HAWAII RESIDENTS TO STUDY ABROAD.

     WHEREAS, a National Geographic global literacy survey found that 87 percent of students in the United States between the ages of 18 and 24 cannot locate Iraq on a world map, 83 percent cannot find Afghanistan, 58 percent cannot find Japan, and 11 percent cannot even find the United States; and

     WHEREAS, according to the Coalition for International Education, institutions of higher education in the United States are struggling to graduate enough students with the language skills and cultural competence necessary to meet the current demands of business, government, and educational institutions; and

     WHEREAS, through the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), the United States Congress recognized that the security, stability, and economic vitality of the nation in an increasingly complex global age depends largely upon having a globally competent citizenry and the availability of experts who specialize in world regions and foreign languages; and

     WHEREAS, with today's increasingly complex trade relations, concern for the preservation of our global environment, and the constant goal of world peace, international education becomes increasingly important to our national security, foreign policy, economic competitiveness, and capacity for tolerance; and

     WHEREAS, educating students through study abroad programs is an important way to share the values of Hawaii and the United States, to create goodwill for Hawaii and the United States around the world, and to work toward a peaceful global society; and

     WHEREAS, study abroad programs help students from Hawaii to be more informed about the world and to develop the cultural awareness necessary to avoid offending individuals from other countries; and

     WHEREAS, study abroad programs not only open doors to foreign language learning, but also empower students to better understand themselves and others through a comparison of cultural values and ways of life; and

     WHEREAS, students gain:

(1) A deeper knowledge and understanding of other cultures

    and their environments;

(2) Different perspectives in regard to other nations;

(3) Increased capacity to analyze issues with appreciation

    for disparate viewpoints; and

(4) Increased respect and tolerance of differences—all

    contributing to a citizenry better able to succeed in  

    the twenty-first century; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's educational institutions must continue to increase opportunities for local students to acquire the linguistic and intercultural skills needed to interact effectively within the changing multicultural context of the state; and

     WHEREAS, ensuring that the citizens of Hawaii are globally literate is the responsibility of Hawaii's educational system; and

     WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) provides 27 study abroad programs in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, the Pacific and Russia; and

     WHEREAS, UHM provides scholarships for students who are United States citizens who achieve at least a 3.0 grade point average, but does not set aside scholarship moneys specifically for Hawaii residents to travel abroad; and

     WHEREAS, for a Hawaii resident, the average cost of attendance at UHM for a semester is $7,434.  In comparison, the average cost of attendance for a semester-long UHM study abroad program is $13,000; and

WHEREAS, 462 students were able to study abroad during the 2007-2008 academic year through the Study Abroad Center at the UHM and fulfill UHM degree requirements; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the Senate concurring, that the University of Hawaii Board of Regents is requested to develop plans for a scholarship program for Hawaii residents to study abroad; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Regents is requested to submit a report on its progress to the legislature at least twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2010; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents, the President of the University of Hawaii, and the Director of the Study Abroad Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Report Title: 

Scholarship Program; Study Abroad