STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3266

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 38

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 38 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII NOT TO RAISE STUDENT FEES TO BALANCE THE BUDGET OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT OR BUDGET DEFICIT OF ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Board of Regents of the University of Hawaii not to raise student fees to balance the budget of the University of Hawaii's athletic department or the budget deficit of any other University of Hawaii department.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that the University of Hawaii athletics department is facing a potential budget deficit of $2,000,000, partly as a result of a shortfall in projected football ticket revenues and its inability to generate sufficient monies through fundraising.  Your Committee further finds that University of Hawaii officials have publicly stated that the University may raise student fees in order to offset the athletics department's deficit, in addition to the $50 per semester fee that students already contribute to the athletics department.  Your Committee believes that students should not be asked to shoulder the burden of making up for the budget deficit of the athletics department or budget deficit of any other department of the University of Hawaii.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 38 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair