HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	277
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA TO ESTABLISH A MUSLIMS IN ASIA RESEARCH AND STUDIES INSTITUTE.

     WHEREAS, several years ago, discussions began within the University of Hawaii at Manoa regarding the establishment of an interdisciplinary Muslims in Asia research institute, and such discussions are still ongoing; and

     WHEREAS, although other universities have successfully established and secured both national and international funding for Middle Eastern research institutes, an interdisciplinary Muslims in Asia Research and Studies Institute (Institute) would be the first of its kind in the United States, filling an educational gap about Muslims in Asia and relevant to the University of Hawaii's international focus on Asia and the Pacific; and

     WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UH-Manoa) is ideally suited for such an Institute, since it has faculty expertise for Islam in Asia, and serves as the gateway between the United States and the nations of the Pacific Rim, which have large Muslim and Asian populations; and

     WHEREAS, several Asian governments and partner schools, various national groups, as well as the federal government have expressed interest in such an Institute; and

     WHEREAS, to diversify our economy, higher education is a viable means to attract revenue, and with an interdisciplinary Institute comes the opportunity for grant and research moneys and the ability to tap a niche in the higher education market, as well as promote better international understanding of Islam in Asia; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, that UH-Manoa is requested to establish such an Institute; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that UH-Manoa, through the Institute, is requested to establish an exchange program with the University of Mindanao in the Philippines; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the United States Secretary of State; President of UH-Manoa; Chancellor of UH-Manoa; Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies; Director of the Center for South Asian Studies; Resident Director of UH-Manoa's Study Abroad Center; Director of the Pacific Asian Management Institute; Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education at UH-Manoa; Director of the Center for International Business Education and Research; Chair of the Department of Indo-Pacific Languages and Literatures at UH-Manoa; Chair of the Department of Philosophy at UH-Manoa; Dean of the School of Pacific and Asian Studies at UH-Manoa; President of the University of Mindanao; President of the East-West Center; Director of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies; and Chair of the Muslim Association of Hawaii.

Report Title: 

UH Manoa; Muslims in Asia Research and Institute