Speaker: Chancellor Don Straney
Posted
on Jul 30, 2014
Federal Grants/Contracts at UHH Mean 500+ Local Jobs
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"Research at UH-Hilo is a significant economic driver for East Hawaii and the Big Island," said UH-Hilo Chancellor Donald Straney, Ph.D. at Wednesday's (7/30/14) meeting. He said $14 million in federal grants and contracts have produced more than 500 jobs, many of them filled by UH-Hilo grads, and netting a $42,000 a year average salary.
"Our core business is graduating students prepared for the workforce," Straney said.
The chancellor said UHH should be a model for energy and food sustainability. He said the university hopes to cut the utility cord by producing enough of its own power. He added that UHH wants to work with the utility. "We should be training the next generation of utility workers.
A major plan in that direction is the energy engineering degree program his administration is working to establish. Also in the pipeline is an aviation program. "We are taking it to the board soon," he said. It will be the only four year aviation program in the state. "This will open a new set of careers," Straney said, and with the rapid growth of Asia airlines, it will attract international students.
He said UHH continues "to attract powerful faculty."
Major areas of focus he mentioned included working "to protect our status as a premier indigenous-serving institution," and will include a new heritage management masters. Another was to promote 21st century facilities, which means upgrading, and getting the necessary permits for the College of Pharmacy.
He spoke about athletics, the high cost of travel, and that funding may not continue to be sufficient to maintain the strong competiitve sports to attract students. He said this is an area where they may need community help.
Straney reminds faculty that UHH "exists because Hilo willed it to be," he said; plans are underway for a Village Phase 2, which will be mixed residential and commercial, with shops or services aimed to also attract local residents.