THE SENATE

S.C.R. NO.

26

TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO PROMOTE COOPERATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII CAMPUSES TO INCREASE ONLINE COURSES AND DEGREE PROGRAMS.

 

 

     WHEREAS, online courses and degree programs are increasingly important to ensure access to education for many students; and

 

     WHEREAS, the geography of Hawaii makes online and distance education options especially valuable in the State, both for local and out-of-state students; and

 

     WHEREAS, students on neighbor islands are in particular need of affordable, high quality distance education options; and

 

     WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii is well situated to offer a unique and valuable perspective to local and out-of-state students in a variety of important subject areas, including oceanography, renewable energy, and climate change; and

 

     WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii currently offers online options for students to earn seventeen different Bachelor's degrees, fourteen different Master's degrees, and numerous certificates; and

 

     WHEREAS, the University of Hawaii has been a national leader in providing distance education options to students in the past; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, the House of Representatives concurring, that the University of Hawaii is requested to develop a plan to promote cooperation between the University of Hawaii campuses to increase online courses and degree programs; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii is requested to examine the current status of the University's online programs and any resistance that the University's faculty may have against online courses and degree programs; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University of Hawaii is requested to provide a report of its findings and plan to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2017; 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 and President of the University of Hawaii System.

Report Title: 

University of Hawaii; Online Courses; Online Degree Programs