STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1371

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 193

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Higher Education, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 193 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF BACHELOR'S DEGREE PROGRAMS THAT DIRECTLY ALIGN WITH JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND INDUSTRY NEEDS WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE REGION OF SERVICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the University of Hawaii Community Colleges to develop a comprehensive list of bachelor's degree programs that directly align with job opportunities and industry needs within their respective region of service.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the University of Hawaiʻi System and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly.

Your Committee finds that the State's economic vitality depends on a skilled workforce that meets the needs of key regional industries, including tourism and hospitality, agriculture, marine research, renewable energy, and health care. Your Committee further finds that each of the University of Hawaii Community Colleges plays a vital role in providing accessible, regionally-relevant higher education that supports local economic development. This measure will align academic programs offered at the University of Hawaii Community Colleges with current and emerging job opportunities in each region to benefit students, local employers, and the overall economic growth of the State.

Your Committee notes the concern raised by the University of Hawaii System that focusing exclusively on bachelor's degree programs may limit the flexibility to offer academic pathways that anticipate future workforce trends. Your Committee finds that expanding the scope of this measure to account for future workforce trends and other innovative workforce development pathways, including micro-credentials, will better address the State's workforce needs in a more sustainable, efficient, and equitable manner.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language that requests University of Hawaii Community Colleges to include workforce development pathways other than bachelor's degree programs in its comprehensive list of programs that directly align with job opportunities and industry needs within their respective region of service;

(2) Inserting language requesting the University of Hawaii Community Colleges to consider current job needs and future workforce trends in developing the list;

(3) Specifying that the University of Hawaii Community Colleges are requested to include future workforce trends in its assessment of these programs in collaboration with local industry leaders and stakeholders;

(4) Amending its title accordingly; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Higher Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 193, as amended herein, and recommends its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 193, S.D. 1.

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

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DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair