STAND. COM. REP. NO. 279

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1418

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 1418 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds for four full-time equivalent (4.00 FTE) positions for the University of Hawaii system-wide Pamantasan Council, including instructional faculty, student personnel, and graduate assistantships.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawai‘i System; University of Hawai‘i Pamantasan Council; Pamantasan 2019 Conference Committee in Hawai‘i Island; The Filipino Community Center, Inc.; Filipina Advocacy Network; Filipino-American Historical Society of Hawaii; Filipinos for Affirmative Action; O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; and twelve individuals.

Your Committee finds that, despite their high representation in the general population and in schools within the Department of Education, students of Filipino ancestry are underrepresented at certain campuses within the University of Hawaii System. While students of Filipino ancestry are well-represented at the University of Hawaii West Oahu and University of Hawaii community colleges, students of Filipino ancestry are severely underrepresented at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, comprising only ten percent of undergraduate students and four percent of graduate students.

Your Committee further finds that support for the Filipino community in higher education will increase the representation of Filipino students and professionals in the education, health, legal, business, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. This measure provides additional resources for students of Filipino ancestry that may increase academic interest, student success, and graduation among Filipino students.

Your Committee notes that although the appropriation is blank, an appropriation of $390,000 is necessary for the four full-time equivalent (4.00 FTE) positions for the University of Hawaii system-wide Pamantasan Council, including instructional faculty, student personnel, and graduate assistantships.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1418 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Higher Education,

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair