Pūko'a no nā 'Ewa – Native Hawaiian Focus Planning Committee

As part of Pūko'a no nā 'Ewa, a Native Hawaiian focus planning committee was formed on February 2, 2006 to address the goals and needs of Native Hawaiian students and programs at Leeward Community College. Over this period our working group consisted of Native Hawaiian representatives from academic disciplines, student services, vocational-technical education and support services that center on the needs and goals of Native Hawaiian students. These programs include, Ho'oulu, Ka 'Āina 'Ike, Hawaiian studies and Hawaiian language disciplines, student services, Distance Education and Educational Media Center, the Youthful Offenders & STAR Program and other non-programmatic Native Hawaiian faculty and staff.

Nā Ewa acknowledges that there are two programs on campus where Hawaiian students could be easily gathered and surveyed (Leeward Community College Wai'anae and Hālau 'Ike o Pu'uloa.) However, Nā Ewa is well aware that Hawaiian students are represented throughout the entire College; enrolling in courses and participating in programs that include all instructional disciplines, vocational/technical programs, distance education, Running Start/Gear Up, evening/weekend programs, etc. Therefore, Nā Ewa will use this initial report to offer data that best reflects methods and resources with which we currently assess Native Hawaiian student needs, while asserting that:

Native Hawaiian students share goals similar with other cultures: to improve their lives and the lives of their families. The College has done some research (see 1999 Title III Application) so it is not lacking benchmarks. However, more needs to be done to evaluate the ways Native Hawaiian students bring more culturally relevant or unique goals and needs to our campus. Through MAPS enrollment data, we see that Native Hawaiian students have enrolled in most academic programs. If we are to strengthen the Hawaiian Nation, we need to recruit our people to schools where they can train for success in all fields.

Following is a summary of the major findings and recommendations of Nā 'Ewa to improve student learning and institutional effectiveness for Native Hawaiian students, faculty and staff to the Administrative Team:

Finding: Leeward Community College does not have a dedicated, free-standing, physical facility and resource base from which to provide, coordinate and support Native Hawaiian epistemology, academic disciplines, student services, vocational-technical education and support services. Most services are already offered at Leeward Community College, however they are disjointed or culturally irrelevant. The lack of dedicated space fosters this sort of disruption.

Recommendation: A Native Hawaiian Success Center building is proposed to house Native Hawaiian serving programs, academic classrooms, faculty offices, meeting rooms and gathering spaces. The goal of this recommendation is to combine in one indigenous type architecture Native Hawaiian epistemology, academic disciplines, student services, vocational-technical education and support services as well as Native Hawaiian faculty and personnel. Further, the Center will be used to streamline resources and use them to address Native Hawaiian needs and goals, as well as to serve as a repository. Nā 'Ewa avers that offering a permanent, comprehensive range of services in the Center will improve student learning and institutional effectiveness to the community.

Moreover, this building will ensure that Leeward Community College not only support Native Hawaiians learning in a culturally appropriate context, but also encourages non-Hawaiians to experience alternatives to Western epistemological models. Place-centered, collaborative and experiential learning are hallmarks of Hawaiian epistemology. It is of utmost importance for kumu (teachers) to take haumāna (students) to sites where they physically and emotionally connected with their subject. In sum, Hawaiians teach and learn better when they are fully engaged with our physical, intellectual and emotional learning spaces. These conditions are essential within the process of Native learning. Furthermore, the Center could position Leeward Community College as "one of the world's foremost multicultural centers for indigenous studies" (as recommended in the University of Hawai'i System Strategic Plan, 2002-2010, Goal #3).

The Native Hawaiian Success Center should include but is not limited to the following chart:

Finding: Currently available campus-wide services such as counseling, student orientations, job placement, tracking, institutional research and financial aid do not sufficiently address the special needs of Native Hawaiian students. As noted above, more methods, tools, personnel are needed to assess Leeward Community College student needs/interests of Native Hawaiian students in particular.

Recommendation: It is proposed that there should be dedicated, qualified, Native Hawaiian personnel in each of the above areas who would address the specific cultural, and socio-economic needs of Native Hawaiian students. It is further proposed that more methods and tools be develop to assess the needs/interests of Native Hawaiian students. Other proposals include the development of an orientation program specifically for Native Hawaiian students (that includes an orientation to services available to them, a tour of the Hālau ‘Ike o Pu’uloa, a workshop about the experiences of Native Hawaiians in college, etc.). Assign a qualified Native Hawaiian counselor(s) to address the special needs of Native Hawaiian students. And, educate all students about Native Hawaiian culture, history, language and politics by making HWST 107 a required course.

Finding: There is a lack of sustainability due to the tenuous nature of grant funds that support Native Hawaiian programs. Leeward Community College has yet to institutionalized grant-based programs that center on serving Native Hawaiian students. This instability and resulting program closures at the end of grants interrupts or cancels services to Native Hawaiian students, diminishes confidence among Native Hawaiian faculty and staff who invested in these programs, and can damage recruitment and retention efforts.

Recommendation: A sound action plan should be developed to institutionalize these programs in advance of their closure. Native Hawaiian faculty engaged in getting grants and sustaining the requirements of grants should be gathered to link up with other grant appliers system wide to form a group that addresses their special needs.

Finding: It appears that Native Hawaiians are underrepresented in the faculty at Leeward Community College. The number of Native Hawaiian faculty at Leeward Community College does not reflect the proportion of Native Hawaiian students enrolled. Again, there appears to be a lack of methods, tools, personnel needed to assess the accurate number of Native Hawaiian faculty at Leeward Community College in proportion to Native Hawaiian students enrolled. As noted in the Ka'ū Report, this affects the retention of Native Hawaiian students who need the support and mentoring of Native Hawaiian faculty (Ka'ū Report, 1986, 5). The relationship between student retention and faculty representation suggests that the prolonged absence of a significant amount of Native Hawaiian faculty has had an adverse impact on the retention of Native Hawaiian students in the University of Hawai'i system (Ka'ū Report, 1986, 5-6). Tangential to this is the lack of cultural sensitivity training for new and existing faculty and staff.

Recommendation: It is recommended that a plan for recruitment of qualified Native Hawaiian faculty be developed that should include a link to faculty development in the UH system. This plan should include the setting of timetables and goals for recruitment and should work hand in hand with recruitment of Native Hawaiian students (Ka'ū Report, 1986, 5-6). This kind of coordinated plan is the only way to increase equal access and opportunity for Hawai'i's Native people (Ka'ū Report, 1986, 5-6). In addition, it is also recommended that there be professional development opportunities for Native Hawaiian faculty and staff. These could include educate faculty about the socio-political, health and economic history of Native Hawaiians to facilitate awareness of the lives of Native students outside of Leeward Community College, and educate faculty about the diverse learning styles of all students and teaching strategies to accommodate these styles.

Further, there should be workshops and orientation for new and existing faculty and staff at Leeward Community College to facilitate cultural sensitivity.

Finding: Despite the existence of the Leeward Community College Pearl City campus and the Wai’anae satellite campus, Leeward Community College's visibility within the target community is low.

Recommendation: The Native Hawaiian Success Center should employ a full-time person who would coordinate services and programs for the Native Hawaiian community. These services will ensure faculty and community interaction. Service to the Native Hawaiian community will be expected of every faculty and staff member in the Native Hawaiian Success Center. There should be more opportunities made available for collaborative projects between Leeward Community College and the larger community.

Unit/Area: Projects & Services for Native Hawaiian Students and the Native Hawaiian Student Population

Discuss the goals and needs of Native Hawaiian students. How does the College know what their educational goals are? What programs are they interested in? Are they achieving their goals?

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result no quantitative data is available to effectively respond to this question.

However, through informal surveys conducted by instructors we see a direct correlation between solid career goals and success within a given course. This can be said about all students at the tertiary level, but Native Hawaiian students tend to need a stronger counseling component to reach their educational goals.

The cost of tuition, fees and books continues to be a barrier for native Hawaiian students. Currently, the LCC Financial Aid Office is understaffed and under-resourced to effectively assist this population with their particular financial aid needs. The institution should support the mission of the Financial Aid Office by providing adequate staff and space to respond to the needs of Native Hawaiian students.

Due to time restraints the following people were unable to supply their full and complete recommendations in regards to this question: Auli'i Ross, Jamie Boyd, Ka'eo Bradford and Genie Mann.

Discuss the success of Native Hawaiian students when they transfer and the degree to which the College is meeting the learning and employment needs of these students (based on Accreditation Standard IIA.1a, b).

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

Discuss the employment needs of Native Hawaiian students. How is the College and its programs and services addressing these needs?

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

An informal inquiry in a 200-level business class revealed that native Hawaiian students expressed a greater need to provide for family (children, parents, grandparents) than non-Hawaiian students. This is consistent with Hawaiian cultural norms and should be acknowledged as a legitimate matter within the College's system.

The college has addressed employment needs by employing a Job Developer and a support staff. This office has played an essential role in facilitating the transition from educational goals to career goals and was recently made permanent at the request of Leeward Community College's Acting Chancellor.

Due to time restraints and technical difficulties the following people were unable to supply their full and complete recommendations in regards to this question: Jamie Boyd, Kaeo Bradford.

Discuss graduation, persistence and retention rates of Native Hawaiian students. What can be done to improve these achievements?

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

Retention: Retaining Native Hawaiian students at Leeward Community College is challenging due mostly to two related external factors; family and employment obligations. Students have shared that it is difficult to attend class at times because of lack of childcare or the need to remain home with their children when they are ill. In addition, students often help care for grandparent(s) or some other elder relative, which can make regular class attendance difficult. Many, if not most, students work full or part-time and often financial stability outweighs the need for education.

Ideas for Improvement: In order to address child-care needs, childcare could be provided starting at age 2. Also, LCC could provide information about different childcare programs (such as Kamehameha, State Assistance, etc.). Increase and improve career and personal counseling for Native Hawaiian students

How do the projects and services geared to Native Hawaiian students contribute effectively to student learning, access, retention and the achievement of student learning?

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

The services provided by the Ho'oulu project within the Hälau 'Ike o Pu'uloa are often utilized by instructors in their respective curriculum.

Due to time restraints the following people were unable to supply their full and complete recommendations in regards to this question: Auli'i Ross, Jamie Boyd, Ka'eo Bradford and Genie Mann.

How can the College address any unmet, documented needs of Native Hawaiian students?

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

Hire more Native Hawaiian instructors. Create a mentorship program for Native Hawaiian students, develop an orientation program specifically for Native Hawaiian students (that includes an orientation to services available to them, a tour of the Hålau ‘Ike o Pu’uloa, a workshop about the experiences of Native Hawaiians in college, etc.). Assign a counselor(s) specifically to Native students, educate faculty about the socio-political history of Hawai’i to facilitate awareness of the lives of Native students outside of LCC, educate faculty about the diverse learning styles of all students and teaching strategies to accommodate these styles. Educate all students about Native Hawaiian culture, history, language and politics by making HWST 107 a required course.

Due to time restraints the following people were unable to supply their full and complete recommendations in regards to this question: Auli'i Ross, Jamie Boyd, Ka'eo Bradford and Genie Mann.

Discuss room for growth in number of Native Hawaiian students and ideas for recruitment, in terms of the College as a whole and for the individual projects and initiatives currently offered.

There is tremendous room for growth in the recruitment of Native Hawaiian students, especially on the Leeward coast.

Despite the existence of the Wai’anae satellite campus, LCC visibility within the community is low.

There needs to be more recruitment in the high schools, advertisement of the services/projects available to Native Hawaiian students (if more services are offered, this could be key in successful recruitment). The community and individual families need to “buy” into higher education for their children, spouse, or sibling. Some families prefer to have students bringing in money rather than spending time in school. LCC could host Hawaiian clubs from high schools in our target area. They could visit a few classes for hands-on activities, learn about the benefits of attending college and familiarize themselves with the campus, facilities and services offered.

Increased support of current Native Hawaiian programs such as Ka Aina Ike, Ho'oulu, Student Transition and Retention (STAR) Program, and Hawaiian Studies will ensure a constant recruitment stream of prospective students.

Discuss any applicable results of your project or service’s assessment activities. What have you learned and what changes do you propose to improve student learning?

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

As a result of these programs (academic, student and instructional support) the recruitment and retention of Native Hawaiians to the campus were increased. As a result of hands-on cultural activities, Native Hawaiian students in Hawaiian Studies courses tend to participate more, make more connections in class and improve attendance. Hands-on cultural activities are integral to Native Hawaiian student success. LCC curriculum should include more opportunities for hands-on cultural activities.

As a result of assessment of HAW 101, is a need to increase opportunities for both speaking and listening to the language both inside and outside of the classroom. There were five recommendations. First, create a language lab where students can work on listening, listening comprehension, pronunciation, intonation and other related skills. Second, create opportunities for students to meet with Native Hawaiian speakers to and “listen and talk story.” Third, develop and implement more in-class activities that promote speaking and listening. Fourth, conduct more research about functional-notional approaches to language teaching and implement these approaches in the classroom. Fifth, a long term goal/change would be to develop an entirely new curriculum/textbook that integrates many different strategies/approaches to language which meet the diverse learning styles and needs of students.

Due to time restraints the following people were unable to supply their full and complete recommendations in regards to this question: Auli'i Ross, Jamie Boyd, Ka'eo Bradford and Genie Mann.

Discuss the adequacy and appropriateness of faculty & staff professional development activities as they relate to area/unit and college goals. List applicable activities. (based on Accreditation Standard IIIA.5.a,b)

Current faculty and staff professional activities are inadequate to address the needs of Native Hawaiian faculty. There are very few opportunities for Native Hawaiian centered professional development in regards to student services, academic support or instruction for faculty and staff. One of the few opportunities for Native Hawaiian centered professional development is the participation in local, national and international conferences concerning indigenous peoples and related ethnic studies (i.e., Native Hawaiian Education Association, The National Association of Ethnic Studies Conference, World Indigenous Peoples Conference).

To facilitate cultural awareness among non-Hawaiian faculty and staff, there should also be professional development activities (such as workshops and orientations) for non-Hawaiian instructors who make up the majority of the faculty at LCC. We didn't have any money in the first Title III for this. Programs that may assist in this effort are the Native Hawaiian Leadership Project and the student services staff of UH Hilo.

Thus, there is a need to hire more trained Native Hawaiian faculty and staff to address Native Hawaiian priorities, needs and interests.

Describe any special projects, grants, professional organizations, presentations or contributions to the College by faculty and staff.

Projects

Ho'oulu Lecture Series

Grants

Title 3 Federal grant for Alaska and Native Hawaiian Strengthening Institutions Grant. The last Title III grant provided for remodeling of the Hālau 'Ike o Pu'uloa and the development of the Hawaiian Studies Subject Certificate. Other than these, there was minimal impact on Native Hawaiian students. One recommendation is to ensure that Federal grants focused on Native Hawaiians are primarily used for programs and services which focus on the needs of Native Hawaiian students.

Native Hawaiian Cultural Garden and shadehouse

Professional and Community Organizations

Alu Like

Royal Order

Ka’ala Farms

Puko’a (UH System-wide Native Hawaiian Council)

Puko'a no Na 'Ewa (Native Hawaiian Council at LCC)

Ka Pa Hula o Ka Lei Lehua

Pua Ali'i 'Ilima

Hui Malama Makua

Ho'omau Ke Ola

'Ilio'ulaokalani

Presentations

STAR Program Initiative presented before Hawai'i Paroling Authority

conferences [ Jaime ]

World Wilderness Conference on Conservation

Makahiki Celebration presentation for the College Colloquia

Other Contributions

Na ‘Ewa- Participation in the larger Puko’a council, meetings on issues that affect Native Hawaiian students, Title III needs.

Ho’oulu- Provides counseling, tutoring, use of laptop computers, Native Hawaiian speaker series, Ho’olaule’a, writing workshops, and a number of other workshops geared to the needs of students.

Financial Aid Workshops

Due to time restraints the following people were unable to supply their full and complete recommendations in regards to this question: Auli'i Ross, Jamie Boyd, Ka'eo Bradford and Genie Mann.

Are project faculty and staff sufficient in number and training to provide effective support for student learning?

No, there are no tenured faculty in Native Hawaiian serving academic programs. Currently, all but two faculty members are in grant funded positions. The lack of secure funds creates a tenuous environment for Hawaiian serving programs. Currently, there is no formal facility or staffing for addressing Native Hawaiian student and community needs.

To better accommodate working students who require afternoon/evening classes, it is recommended that LCC hire at least one more Hawaiian studies faculty member.

To increase student listening and speaking skills in Hawaiian language, there is a need for part-time Native speaker to meet with students weekly.

Currently, the LCC Financial Aid Office is understaffed and under-resourced to effectively assist this population with their particular financial aid needs. The institution should support the mission of the Financial Aid Office by providing adequate staff and space to respond to the needs of Native Hawaiian students.

Discuss how the College can address the values and priorities of the Hawaiian culture through its curriculum.

As noted above, there is a need to hire more trained Native Hawaiian faculty and staff to address Native Hawaiian priorities, needs and interests. Second, Hawaiian Studies 107 should be a required course for all students pursuing an AA degree at LCC is it gives students a broad foundation of Native Hawaiian values, priorities, history, language and culture, particularly as Hawaiian education is mandated in the Hawai'i State Constitution. Third, currently trained Native Hawaiian faculty could facilitate conferences and workshops for new and existing faculty and staff to integrate Hawaiian values, priorities, history, language and culture into current curriculum. Fourth, hire Native speakers for students to meet with weekly to increase cultural knowledge and provide valuable real-life experience for students. Fifth, Hawaiian concepts and literature can be introduced in other curriculums such as English. For example, Maui CC has been successful in creating an Eng 22 with Hawaiian writings and support, including visitations, by Hawaiian language instructors. For Eng 100 the Kumulipo could be utilized as an example of epic poetry and Native literature.

What are the opportunities for collaboration within the projects and services offered for Native Hawaiian students? With other programs on campus?

Native Hawaiian faculty and staff need surveys to provide quantifiable data facilitate future programs

Opportunities for collaboration

Upward Bound

GEAR UP

Phi Theta Kappa

Student Government

Kanaka Maoli Program - Prison programs teaching Hawaiian studies and Hawaiian language in partnership with Kamehameha Schools and the Kawananakoa Foundation. This program facilitates transfer back to mainstream society with the while increasing pride, self-esteem and self-worth through the Hawaiian culture.

Amongst instructional faculty, arranging guest speakers or class exchanges. For example, an instructor of business could teach a short overview on business technology and an instructor of Hawaiian studies or language would teach the business class Hawaiian management concepts. Students in both classes would get information that they may not have gotten normally. This would benefit both Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian students by encouraging cultural awareness and applying such knowledge to real-life situations.

Discuss the level of participation in your project or level of use of your service. Is there sufficient demand for expansion? Has there been a significant increase or decrease in participation or usage?

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

Partly as a result of a new H-focus requirement at UHM, there has been a significant increase in demand for the course HWST 107: Hawai'i in the Center of the Pacific (one of two H-focus qualified courses, the other is HUM 270: Hawaiian Mythology which has an ENG 100 prerequisite). The Hawaiian studies discipline is currently unable to accommodate student demand; HWST 107 courses are typically over enrolled by 5% per section. In the Fall of 2007, the core requirements to earn an AA degree at LCC will include an H-focus course. There is more than sufficient demand for expansion of Hawaiian studies faculty and courses.

If courses were offered in the afternoons and evenings, it is likely that student enrollment would increase.

Due to time restraints the following people were unable to supply their full and complete recommendations in regards to this question: Auli'i Ross, Jamie Boyd, Ka'eo Bradford and Genie Mann.

What are the opportunities for technologically based instruction, alternative learning formats or delivery modes?

Every organization has an office that is run by technology and most often keeps up with the latest developments. All students and of course Hawaiian students need to have that skill edge to survive in the working world. In recognition of this fact, Leeward Community College provides faculty and staff with numerous training opportunities to integrate technology into the curriculum. The Educational Media Center provides both technical and pedagogical instruction on the use of WebCT as an enhancement to a face-to-face course as well as a fully delivered Internet course. Cable Television is another delivery option for faculty to offer courses, which would accommodate students with limited access to transportation or childcare. Additionally technology mentoring and workshops are offered each semester to develop or hone faculty, staff, and students' technology skills. At the beginning of each semester hands-on orientations are offered to classes utilizing WebCT.

In light of family and employment obligations, these alternative teaching methods may help to facilitate Native Hawaiian student participation.

Discuss enrollment trends of Native Hawaiian students. Are there any proposed changes that might affect enrollment?

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

Currently, Native Hawaiian students make-up approximately 15% of the total student population at LCC. LCC's primary service area includes the Leeward coast, which has the highest concentration of Native Hawaiians on the island of O'ahu. LCC can increase enrollment by implementing the changes aforementioned: (1) increased community visibility, (2) culturally sensitive educational and personal counseling, (3) enhancing currently available resources and programs to center on the needs of Native Hawaiian students, (4) increase cultural awareness of faculty and staff, (5) increase the number of Native Hawaiian faculty and staff.

Discuss adequacy of physical resources in providing access, safety and security for student learning. (IIIB.1.b) Does size, access, or availability of facilities limit growth or modification in any significant way? If yes, please explain.

There is currently no central office for Native Hawaiian programs on the LCC campus, which hinders timely dissemination of information to students as well as faculty and staff in other Native Hawaiian centered programs. Native Hawaiian centered programs are dispersed throughout the Leeward Community College campus. The only area dedicated to Native Hawaiian programs is the Hālau 'Ike o Pu'uloa, which consists of 2 classrooms, 4 offices and a student lounge area on the bottom floor of the DA building. The Native Hawaiian programs housed here are Ho'oulu Project and Ka 'Āina 'Ike. One classroom is for Hawaiian language courses and one is for Hawaiian Studies courses (while these courses have priority use of these classrooms, other programs utilize them at other times).

Is existing equipment adequate to meet the instructional demands of the division? If no, explain. Does access to or availability of instructional equipment limit growth or modification in any significant way? If yes, explain.

The Educational Media Center on the campus of Leeward Community College provides much of the technical equipment for Native Hawaiian programs. In order to incorporate alternative educational delivery systems that can address the special needs of the Native Hawaiian student population, it will become necessary to increase access to equipment such as projectors, laptops and "smart' classrooms.

Discuss adequacy of learning and information technology resources used by Native Hawaiian students and the projects and services geared to these students.

There are several areas from which students may access technology resources on the Leeward Community College campus such as general computer labs and the Learning Resource Center. There is currently one locale with laptop access and wireless capabilities within the jurisdiction of a Native Hawaiian program: Ho'oulu Project in the Hālau 'Ike o Pu'uloa.

Discuss adequacy of counseling, assessment, testing, and other student support services used by Native Hawaiian students and the projects and services geared to these students.

There is a need to address the unique counseling needs of Native Hawaiian students.

What trends are affecting your use of technology?

There is a trend towards the increased incorporation of technology in the classroom.

Discuss any issues regarding job placement for your students.

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

Discuss any issues of marketing and recruitment efforts.

Marketing for Native Hawaiian programs is minimal. As a result, the community and students are unaware of the services currently offered by Leeward Community College.

Discuss any issues regarding human resources support.

There is no formal office charged with measuring these outcomes for Native Hawaiian students exclusively. As a result, quantitative data is not available to effectively respond to this question.

Discuss any issues regarding professional development and training.

There is currently no professional development and training focused on the needs of Native Hawaiian faculty, staff or students at Leeward Community College.

Discuss any assistance from the UHCC system that would enable you to do your job more effectively.

In a broader view, the UHCC system needs to recognize the needs of Native Hawaiians not enrolled Hawaiian language or studies.

Discuss the impact of trends and issues in higher education and any community issues on your project or service. See Trends website [ http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/cs/Planning/Trends.html ] for some example articles.

Community Issues

Health in the Native Hawaiian population is a big issue as a result, Ka ‘Aina ‘Ike program seeks to broaden and deepen our awareness and understanding of ways to repair much of the ill-health in our population. Connected to this is a national trend toward health and developing curriculum associated with different aspects therein.

Workforce development is also recognized as an issue that faces all of our students as well as Native Hawaiians. The Ho’oulu Program is one response to this need.

Another issue is political and historical in nature. A bill called the Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act, also known as the "Akaka" bill, is currently in the US Congress. If passed it would provide a process for the Federal recognition of Native Hawaiians as indigenous peoples of the United States on par with Native American and Native Alaskan nations. This bill could have a significant impact on Native Hawaiian agencies, programs and community. Both the Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian communities must be educated about this proposed legislation and its potential impact on individuals, families, communities, society and the economy. This issue is addressed in the Modern issues unit of the course HWST 107: Hawai'i in the Center of the Pacific.

What input on student learning or on your area/unit’s operations has been provided by advisory boards, the community, employers, transfer institutions? (based on Accreditation Standard IIA.2.b)

The requirements set by the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa affect the academic and counseling arms of Native Hawaiian programs. For example, Hawaiian studies and Hawaiian languages courses offered must articulate to the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa curriculum.

Discuss any developments and professional trends in your area.

As for the Hawaiian Studies program, a key development has been the acceptance by the UH Board of Regents in the Fall 2005 for the Master’s degree in Hawaiian Studies. This program is expected to generate teaching faculty, researchers, trained people to work in the community and will have a constructive and encouraging impact throughout the UH system.

Due to time restraints the following people were unable to supply their full and complete recommendations in regards to this question: Auli'i Ross, Jamie Boyd, Ka'eo Bradford and Genie Mann.

Discuss any involvement with Community Groups (connections to High Schools or community agencies; other forms of community involvement).

Community Group Associations

'Īlio'ulaokalani Coalition, Inc.: An island wide grassroots organization comprised of kumu (master teachers) and loea (cultural experts) whose purpose is to link and apply traditional Hawaiian cultural principles, practices and skills to effect educational, social, environmental and economic change for the betterment and advancement of native Hawaiians and the community at large.

Hui Mālama Makua: Community group opposing military training in Makua valley on the Leeward coast.

Ho'omau ke Ola: Substance abuse treatment services

Ka'ala Farms: nonprofit Native Hawaiian organization has focused on restoring ancient, abandoned lo`i kalo (taro paddies) to their traditional role as the breadbasket of the Wai`anae coast.

Ma'o Farms: Mala 'Ai 'Opio (hereafter MA'O) Organic Farm - in Wai'anae, Hawai'i (a) to reverse the social decline by reclaiming the community's identity through Hawai'i's long-standing tradition with local agriculture; (b) to give the at-risk youth population a career direction through a youth training and entrepreneurial volunteer program that provides hands-on business skills, and which will build up the fledgling project.

Alu Like, Inc.: A private, non-profit service organization that assists Native Hawaiians in their efforts to achieve social and economic self-sufficiency.

Royal Order of Kamehameha: Founded by His Majesty King Kamehameha V in I865, the Royal Order of Kamehameha I to guard, maintain, and preserve the rituals and the memory of the ruling Chiefs of Hawaii.

Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center: Queen Lili‘uokalani Children's Center is a social service agency committed to the orphaned and destitute children in the State of Hawai‘i, with preference given to those of Hawaiian ancestry.

Native Hawaiian Leadership Project: The Native Hawaiian Leadership Project (NHLP) assists Native Hawaiians in attaining undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate degrees and develop leadership skills in Native Hawaiians so that they may utilize these skills in their own communities.

High Schools

Waipahu HS Hawaiian club

Dan Forman of Wai'anae HS Hawaiian club

Collaborative projects between students and certain community groups such as Pūnana Leo o Wai’anae: Hawaiian Immersion Preschool Program and/or Nānākuli Elementary School’s Hawaiian Immersion program. Projects may include book translations, Hawaiian language activities, school visits, and/or presentations.

Hawaiian focus made these events relevant and deeply fulfilling.

Do you have any external assessment of your area/unit, i.e. employer survey, student follow-up surveys, advisory board surveys? If yes, please summarize:

There are currently no outside agents that review the progress of Native Hawaiian programs as a whole. However, individual programs may have outside assessments. For example, both the Ho'oulu Project and Ka 'Āina 'Ike is associated with Alu Like.

Due to time restraints the following people were unable to supply their full and complete recommendations in regards to this question: Auli'i Ross, Jamie Boyd, Ka'eo Bradford and Genie Mann.

1)	More methods, tools, personnel are needed to assess Leeward Com 2)
munity College student needs/interests generally, as well as those of Native Hawaiian students specifically,
3)	Nā Ewa would like to contribute to the planning, designing and implementation of assessment tools that may capture Native Hawaiian student needs, 4)
goals, etc. and,
5)	Through its Vision Statement and Planning Agenda, Nā Ewa will strive to support Hawaiian students’ access to, progress within and graduation from Leeward Community College.

·	Establish a Native Hawaiian Success Center
·	Improve current services
·	Institutionalize grant-based programs
·	Faculty development
·	Service to the Community

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