ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½

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A goal for the cohort is for the campus community to understand their kuleana to Hawaiʻi and the world. (Photo credit: OCCE/Phil Lampron VISTA Leader)

The University of Hawaiʻi at ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ (NHPoL AO) is leading the charge and has developed a multi-step process to achieve goals articulated in the to advance the university as a Native Hawaiian place of learning.

side view of a woman
ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ faculty, staff, students and executives will engage in a 5-day in-person professional development initiative.

“There are three goals in the Native Hawaiian Place of Learning area of the strategic plan. The one we are focusing on right now is that 100% of schools and colleges and other similar nonacademic units will create five-year strategic plans focusing on how their units can take steps toward becoming a Native Hawaiian place of learning in four specific focus areas,” said NHPoL AO Director Kaiwipunikauikawēkiu Punihei Lipe.

The four focus areas, which come from the and the and , include:

  • Native Hawaiian Student Success
    Native Hawaiian students are holistically supported from recruitment through post-graduation. Best practices are gleaned from efforts to support Native Hawaiian students and are applied to student success strategies for all students across the campus.
  • Staff and Faculty Development
    Native Hawaiian staff and faculty are holistically supported from recruitment through promotion and leadership development in every unit across the campus. All staff and faculty at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ are more knowledgeable and culturally rooted in ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ and Hawaiʻi.
  • Native Hawaiian Environments
    ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ is a physical, cultural, spiritual and interactive environment that exemplifies the values of ?ohana and community, m¨¡lama ¡®¨¡ina and kuleana, thereby perpetuating Native Hawaiian values, culture, language, traditions and customs.
  • Native Hawaiian Community Engagement
    ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ and Native Hawaiian communities are consistently connected and engaged in order that there can be reciprocal teaching and learning for positive impact throughout Hawaiʻi.
a man and woman sitting on a bench talking
The process is geared toward being responsive to Native Hawaiians and reflective of Hawaiʻi.

A total of 13 units comprise the first cohort of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ units, called Cohort Kumukahi, that will engage in an initial two-year process with the NHPoL AO. These units include:

  • ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Cancer Center
  • College of Arts, Languages and Letters (CALL)
  • College of Engineering (CoE)
  • College of Social Sciences (CSS)
  • Division of Student Success (DSS)
  • Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB)
  • Institute for Astronomy (IfA)
  • John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM)
  • Nancy Atmospera-Walch School of Nursing (NAWSON)
  • Office of Communications
  • Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health
  • Sea Grant
  • School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST)

“While also meeting the goals of the , this initiative keeps in line with our office¡¯s commitment to foster a rooted, resilient and responsive community that advances ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ as a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning: a place that is responsive to Native Hawaiians and reflective of Native Hawaiʻi for all to learn, grow, connect and heal from,” said Lipe.

Cohort Kumukahi

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Sunrise at Kumukahi on Hawaiʻi Island. (Photo credit: Makanalani Gomes)

Situated on Hawaiʻi Island, Kumukahi marks the furthest eastern point of ka pae ʻāina o Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian archipelago). The name “Kumukahi” holds poetic significance, often invoked when discussing fresh starts or beginnings. This name was chosen intentionally since this is the first cohort of its kind.

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