University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (UH Hilo) is a public university in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.[6] It is one of ten general campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi System. It was founded as Hilo Center at Lyman Hall of the Hilo Boys School in 1945 and was a branch campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. In 1970 it was reorganized by an act of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and became a campus within the newly created University of Hawaiʻi System.

University of Hawaiʻi—Hilo
Former name
Hilo Center at Lyman Hall (1945–1950)
University of Hawai'i Hilo Branch (1950–1970)
MottoMaluna aʻe o nā lāhui āpau ke ola ke kānaka (Hawaiian)[1]
Motto in English
"Above all nations is humanity"
TypePublic university
Established1945 (1945)
Parent institution
University of Hawaiʻi
AccreditationWSCUS
Academic affiliations
Space-grant
Endowment$341.7 million (system-wide) (2020)[2]
ChancellorBonnie D. Irwin
PresidentDavid Lassner
Academic staff
210 (2016) [3]
Students3,539 (fall 2019) [4]
Undergraduates2,971
Postgraduates568
Location
Hilo
,
Hawaii
,
United States

19°41′59″N 155°04′54″W
Campus115 acres (47 ha)
NewspaperKe Kalahea
Colors  UH Hilo Red
  UH Hilo Black[5]
NicknameVulcans
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division II – PacWest
MascotVulcan
Websitehilo.hawaii.edu
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

The university has been accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission or its predecessor since 1976.[7] It offers thirty-three undergraduate and three graduate degree programs and has about 3,000 students; most students are residents of Hawaiʻi but many are international students.

History

Although post-high school non-credit courses had been offered in Hilo as early as 1945, under the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Adult Education Services, the university was established as Hilo Center at Lyman Hall of the Hilo Boys School. After an attempt to close the school in 1951 by Governor Oren E. Long, Big Island residents, local legislators, and the University of Hawaiʻi Alumni Association led efforts to save its only college to then establish the University of Hawaiʻi Hilo Branch as an two-year campus of the university.[8]

In 1955, the branch moved to its present location on a thirty-acre parcel of land with an enlarged faculty to support its growing student population.

In 1964, University of Hawaiʻi president Thomas Hamilton released a feasibility study on creating a statewide system of community colleges operating as part of the university. The study recommended that the Hilo Branch and the Hawaii Technical School to create a community college in Hilo. However, due to resistance from Big Island legislators, Hawaii Technical School became Hawaii Community College with oversight from the Hawaii Department of Education. Both Hawaii Community College and the Hilo Branch, however, would share the same facilities until 1984.[8]

In 1970, University of Hawaiʻi president Harlan Cleveland led efforts to reorganize the Hilo Branch by renaming the campus to Hilo College and merged with Hawaii Community College. Collectively they were known as the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo with Paul Miwa as its first chancellor.

Amid a failed plan to create a new state college system, of which the UH Hilo would be its 'flagship', Hawai'i Community College was separated from university in 1990. In the 1990s, the former branch campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa would emphasize liberal arts, education, agriculture, and vocational programs.[8]

Academics
Academic rankings
Regional
U.S. News & World Report[9]96-127
Master's university
Washington Monthly[10]166
National
THE / WSJ[11]601-800

The university specializes in marine science, volcanology, astronomy, and Hawaiian studies. The Masters of Arts program in Hawaiian Language and Literature was the first in the United States to focus on an indigenous language.[12]

Colleges

Undergraduate

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo offers BA, BBA, BS, and BSN degrees in addition to certificates. Students can also choose minors in some programs.

Graduate

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo offers a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, which meets educational requirements for licensure as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. The program is accredited by the Masters in Psychology and Counseling Accreditation Council (MPCAC).[13]

Athletics
Main article: Hawaii–Hilo Vulcans
Vulcans banner

Until 1994 University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo belonged to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics or NAIA. Since 1992, it has been a member of the NCAA Division II Pacific West Conference. It fields teams in baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. The sports teams nickname is the Vulcans.[14]

Chancellors

Shared with University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu 1976–1997.

  • Bonnie D. Irwin (2019–present)
  • Marcia Sakai (Interim, 2017–2019)
  • Donald O. Straney (2010–2017)
  • Rose Tseng (1998–2010)
  • Kenneth Perrin (1993–1997)
  • Edward J. Kormondy (1986–1993)
  • Edwin Mookini (1975–1978)
  • Paul Miwa (1970–?)

Argument for separation

There has been a growing movement throughout the last decade to separate the Hilo campus from the University of Hawaiʻi System, creating a "Hawaiʻi State University". Supporters of the separation argue that the growing Hilo campus is "shortchanged" by its sister campus in Mānoa and that being independent of the system would allow the college to grow faster, better serve the community, and draw in more money from independent sources. Opponents argue that the state is too small for competing university systems and that financial divisions between Mānoa and Hilo are fair, given that Mānoa places emphasis on research and Hilo places emphasis on teaching. There are also concerns that this movement will hurt relationships between the Hilo campus and the rest of the University of Hawaiʻi System.

A bill was introduced in the 2005 session of the House of Representatives of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature to draft legislation to spin off the Hilo campus as the independent Hawaiʻi State University. The bill was approved by the House Higher Education Committee but no hearing on the bill was planned by the House Finance Committee, effectively killing it.[15]

Points of interest at University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo

University Park

Main Campus
  • University Classroom Building (UCB)
  • Marine Science Building (MSB)
  • Sciences & Technology Building (STB)
  • Edith Kanakaʻole Hall (EKH)
  • Wentworth Hall
  • Campus Center
  • Student Life Center & Pool
  • Edwin H. Mookini Library & Media Center
  • University of Hawaiʻi Hilo Student Services Building
  • University of Hawaiʻi Hilo New Gymnasium
  • University of Hawaiʻi Hilo Performing Arts Center[16]

Alumni

See also

References
  1. Otsubo Monument Works Archived 2020-07-02 at the Wayback Machine, National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, DLNR, p. 85
  2. As of June 30, 2020. U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 (Report).
  3. "Welcome to the IRAO - Data Access Portal". www.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  4. "UH Hilo at a Glance". hilo.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
  5. "UH Hilo Vulcan Athletics Quick Facts page". Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2015-04-16.
  6. "Hilo CDP, Hawaii Archived 2011-11-24 at the Wayback Machine." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 21, 2009.
  7. Statement of Accreditation Status: University of Hawaii at Hilo. WASC Senior College and University Commission. Accessed April 2015.
  8. Kamins, Robert M. (1998). Mālamalama : a history of the University of Hawaiʻi. Robert E. Potter, University of Hawaii. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press. ISBN 0-585-32644-4. OCLC 45843003.
  9. "Best Colleges 2023: Regional Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  10. "2020 Rankings -- Masters Universities". Washington Monthly. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  11. "Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2022". The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  12. "KHUOK Home - Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani". Kualono.
  13. "Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology". counseling.uhh.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
  14. "The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo". Vulcans.uhh.hawaii.edu. Archived from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2006-08-14.
  15. "Clamor increases to spin off UH-Hilo". The Honolulu Advertiser.
  16. "UH Hilo Main Campus map" (PDF). Hilo.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
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