University of Hawai'i at Hilo Logo

Seal of the University of Hawai'i System

The University of Hawaii at Hilo is one of ten branches of the University of Hawaii system anchored by the University of Hawaii at M?noa in Honolulu, Hawaii. The University of Hawaii at Hilo is a public, co-educational university located in Hilo, Hawaii in the United States. It was founded as Hawaii Vocational College (Hawaii College) in 1941. In 1970 it was reorganized into its present unit by an act of the Hawaii State Legislature.

Until the early 1990s UH Hilo and Hawaii Community College operated almost as a single unit with students able to cross register at either campus. The campuses are located across the street from each other. It was at this time that those in charge of the University of Hawaii system separated the two entities against the advice of then-UH Hilo Chancellor Edward Kormandy. Even with the split, the two schools still share facilities.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo primarily serves residents of Hawaii but also enjoys a considerable international student body. It offers 33 undergraduate and three graduate degree programs for an average of 3,045 students served each year. It is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Academics

The university's curriculum is especially strong in marine biology, volcanology, astronomy, and Hawaiian studies. One of its three graduate programs, the Masters of Arts in Hawaiian Language and Literature, is distinguished for being the first in the United States to focus on an indigenous language. http://www.olelo.hawaii.edu/khuok/

Colleges

College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management

College of Arts & Sciences

Humanities division

Natural sciences division

Social science division

Other programs

College of Business and Economics

Ka Haka ?Ula O Ke?elik?lani, College of Hawaiian Language

College of Pharmacy

College of Continuing Education (CCES)

Undergraduate

The University of Hawaii at Hilo offers BA, BBA, BS, and BSN degrees in addition to certificates. Students can also choose minors in some programs. See the catalog for specific degrees and minors offered by the program of interest.

Graduate and Research Programs

Graduate Programs

Research at UH Hilo

Athletics

UH Hilo sponsors ten intercolligiate athletic programs as a member of the NCAA. Until 1994 UH Hilo belonged to the NAIA. The teams are known as the Vulcans. The team colors are red, white, and navy blue. Principal sports venues are the new UH Hilo gymnasium, the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, Dr. Francis Wong Stadium, UH Hilo Tennis courts, and UH Hilo Softball field. In 2006 the University added men's and women's soccer and women's basketball to the program. http://vulcans.uhh.hawaii.edu/news.php?n=827&s=aa

• Baseball (NCAA Div. II)
• Basketball, Men's (NCAA Div. II)
• Basketball, Women's (NCAA Div. II)
• Cross Country, Men's (NCAA Div. II)
• Cross Country, Women's (NCAA Div. II)
• Golf, Men's (NCAA Div. II)
• Golf, Women's (NCAA Div. II)
• Soccer, Men's (NCAA Div. II)
• Soccer, Women's (NCAA Div. II)
• Softball (NCAA Div. II)
• Tennis, Men's (NCAA Div. II)
• Tennis, Women's (NCAA Div. II)
• Volleyball, Women's (NCAA Div. II)

Chancellors

Shared with UH West Oahu 1976-1997.

• Rose Tseng (1998? )
• Kenneth Perrin (1993?1997)
• Edward J. Kormondy (1986?1993)
• Edwin Mookini (1975?1978)
• Paul Miwa (1970??)

Growth

In recent years, the Hilo campus has seen a growth in enrollment. In the past seven years, enrollment has increased 30 percent. In addition, federal financing has grown by more than 500 percent, in addition to new buildings for the campus's marine science and volcanology programs.

"Hawaii State University?"

There has been a growing movement throughout the last decade to separate the Hilo campus from the University of Hawaii system, creating a "Hawaii State University". Supporters of the separation argue that the growing Hilo campus is "shortchanged" by its sister campus in M?noa 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 M?noa and Hilo are fair, given that M?noa 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 Hawaii system.

A bill was introduced in the 2005 session of the House of Representatives of the Hawaii State Legislature to draft legislation to spin off the Hilo campus as the independent Hawaii 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. http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Mar/11/ln/ln01p.html

Points of interest

Campus art includes:

• Mosaic Obelisk, mixed media sculpture by Peter Almeida
• Hoolana, copper and bronze sculpture by Bumpei Akaji, 1984
• Anticipated Motion, stainless steel and bronze sculpture by Rowland Morita, 1984
• Flow and Flower, ceramic tile and epoxy paint mural by Yukio Ozaki, 1985
• Moon Pots, ceramic sculpture by Toshiko Takaezu, 1977
• Universe City: 2000, suspended metal sculpture by Andrew Yanoviak, 1980
• Hawaii #4, painted steel sculpture by Valdis Zarins, 1973
• Cromlech, concrete filled ceramic sculpture by Laura Ruby, 1980
• Untitled Cor-Ten steel sculpture by Kim Chung, 1978

Also of interest:

• University of Hawaii at Hilo Botanical Gardens

References

• The University of Hawaii-Hilo: A College in the Making (2001) ISBN 0-8248-2495-4.

External links

• University of Hawaii at Hilo
• University of Hawaii at Hilo Athletics
• Ka Haka Ula O Keelik?lani, College of Hawaiian Language