The 10 campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi will temporarily move many spring 2022 in-person courses to an online delivery for the first two weeks of the semester because of the record surge of COVID-19 cases in Hawaiʻi due to the highly contagious Omicron variant. The first day of spring semester classes remains Monday, January 10 with a full return to scheduled course delivery on Monday, January 24.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ President David Lassner made the announcement in an email to students, faculty and staff of the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System. ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ joins dozens of other colleges and universities from across the country that are temporarily moving courses online to start the spring semester.

• Read campus messages:
  • ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo
  • ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹
  • ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu
  • Kapiʻolani CC
  • Leeward CC
  • Windward CC
  • More campus messages will be added

The announcement stated that only courses that can be “effectively taught online” will be impacted. Many lab sections, clinical experiences, Career and Technical Education (CTE) shop courses and studios will continue to be taught safely in-person, which includes physical distancing, wearing masks indoors, daily health screenings and other measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Each campus will determine which courses will be moved online based on considerations including COVID-19 conditions in the area, density of student populations in classrooms, number of students who will be traveling back to campus and instructional needs to keep all students on track to graduate. Students and employees are encouraged to monitor announcements from their campus leaders for campus specific information.

“We are not changing course modalities but merely making this adjustment to maximize the safety of our campuses including those who may be returning from another island or farther,” said Lassner in the announcement. “We are disappointed to take this action but believe it is appropriate to protect the health and safety of our students and employees.”

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campuses will remain open during the two week period, including residence halls at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo, and on-campus services which will remain available during normally scheduled hours.

Lassner also urged everyone to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot as soon as they are eligible, typically six months after the final dose. He said that planning is underway to make booster shots part of the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ vaccination requirement for students and employees.

As of January 3, all ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ students and employees are required to be fully vaccinated OR have a university approved medical or religious exemption. Those with an approved exemption are required to regularly submit proof of a negative test to the LumiSight ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ daily health check app. Students who are 100% online are the only exception to the vaccine requirements.

To be on a ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campus, you must receive an all-clear from the LumiSight ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ app, which means you have verified vaccination information, or have an approved exemption and a verified negative test result when you complete the daily health screening. Everyone is also required to wear face masks when indoors and when outdoors near others.

Campus messages

Most classes to start online at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo

Aloha ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo students, faculty, and staff,

I hope you have enjoyed a restful and rejuvenating break with family and friends and are excited to return to ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo for the spring semester. As President Lassner shared in his recent message, we have been closely monitoring the pandemic conditions here in Hawaiʻi. At ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo, we are paying particular attention to the increase in COVID-19 cases on Hawaiʻi Island. The ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System health and wellness team has been in contact with federal, state, and county officials, as well as our local hospitals. While it appears that the Omicron variant may produce lower levels of severe illness than other strains, we are still concerned about the capacity of ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±â€™s healthcare systems, given many more active infections and the large numbers of unvaccinated individuals across the state and island.

We will begin the spring semester with two weeks of online instruction. We are making this change in part because of the continued uncertainty about the Omicron variant, but primarily because of our concern for our students as they return to campus. Those students who test positive over the holiday break will need to isolate and would miss the first week of in-person classes. Those who are returning to Hawaiʻi Island for the start of the semester and test positive upon arrival would miss the first several days of in-person classes. Thus, we are making the decision now to do online instruction for the first two weeks of the spring semester in order to minimize possible disruption to student learning, and to give our employees, students and their families as much advance notice as possible. Clinical courses which have multiple COVID protocols in place may continue with face-to-face instruction, but I ask faculty to be accommodating for students who may have to miss class due to a positive test result or isolation requirement (pharmacy, teacher education [in both the School of Education or Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani], and nursing students should expect more specific information from their programs shortly). While students may opt to change their plans for travel back to Hilo, we will be ready to welcome you back for the January 10 start of the term, and the residence halls and dining service will remain open.

While instruction will move online for a period of time, in-person services for students and employees will continue with all the necessary health and safety protocols in place. We have extended the COVID-19 telework policy through the end of January, and I ask supervisors to continue with whatever rotations that they have had in place during the fall term. For this two week period, if appropriate for the position and office, supervisors may allow student employees in the state of Hawaiʻi to telework as well.

In-person instruction for face-to-face and hybrid courses will resume on January 24, by which time we expect a downturn in Omicron COVID cases.

I encourage all who are eligible (6 months after second Pfizer or Moderna, 2 months after Johnson & Johnson) to get their vaccine boosters. We will continue to have testing and boosters available every Friday on campus. The ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System may very well mandate boosters before the end of the term because we want to keep our campuses as safe as possible, and vaccines remain the best way to minimize transmission and serious symptoms. Remember that we are requiring vaccines of everyone without an approved exemption.

If you have traveled over the break, please consider getting tested upon return to Hawaiʻi Island and maintain your distance from others while awaiting results. (In addition to Friday campus testing, which resumes on January 7, the County of Hawaiʻi also has many testing sites.)

As a campus, we have been vigilant about masking, testing, and distancing, and we will have to continue to do so in order to ensure that ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo is a safe place for our ʻohana to learn and work. Please keep up the good work!

Bonnie D. Irwin
Chancellor

²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ to be online for first two weeks of spring semester

This message was shared with the students, faculty and staff of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ on December 28, 2021.

Aloha ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ students, faculty and staff,

I am writing to update you on our plans for the spring semester. As stated in President Lassner’s December 28 message, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½â€™s 10 campuses will be temporarily online for the first two weeks of the spring 2022 semester. We have been closely monitoring the pandemic conditions here in Hawaiʻi, with particular attention to the increase in COVID-19 cases and the uptick in hospitalizations. Our health and wellness professionals have been in constant contact with federal, state, and city and county officials, as well as our hospital systems. While evidence continues to emerge that the Omicron variant may produce lower levels of severe illness than prior variants, we remain concerned about the potential stress on Hawaiʻi’s healthcare systems, given many more active infections and the large numbers of unvaccinated individuals across the state. Our approach continues to place the health of our community as the highest priority.

Our decision to begin the spring semester with two weeks of online instruction is partially due to the continued uncertainty about the Omicron variant, but primarily motivated by our concern for our students and staff as they return to campus. Those who test positive during the holiday break will need to isolate and would miss the first week of in-person classes. Those who are returning to Oʻahu for the start of the semester and test positive upon arrival would also miss the first two weeks of in-person classes. Thus, we are making the decision now to move to online instruction for the first two weeks of the spring semester in order to minimize possible disruption to student learning and to give our employees, students and their families as much advance notice as possible.

While most instruction will shift online for a limited period of time, our campus will remain open. University operations will continue, including support services for students and employees. Students who choose to be on campus physically are welcomed. The residence halls are open, and our critical research and service activities continue, all with the necessary health and safety protocols in place. The COVID-19 telework policy has been extended through the end of January, and we expect that all high-risk employees will take advantage of this extension and remain safe as we navigate the coming month.

In summary:

1. All classes, with some exceptions, will begin in an online modality on January 10. In-person classroom instruction is scheduled to begin on January 24. Some essential in-person instruction (e.g., clinical skills, some laboratory and other hands-on instruction and training) will remain in-person. Those programs will be in contact with their students and will accommodate students who cannot join us in-person during this two-week period.
2. We strongly encourage all employees and students to get a COVID-19 booster shot if you have not already done so. Full vaccination plus a booster is your most effective defense against the Omicron variant, and it will significantly improve our chances of having a successful, healthy return to in-person instruction and campus activities.
3. While students may choose to change their travel plans, this is not required. You are welcome to return to Oʻahu and to our residence halls, if you are an on-campus resident, as long as you are healthy.
4. All other operations of the university are not affected. With the very high rate of vaccination among students and employees, coupled with our mask requirement, we consider the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ workplaces to be as safe an environment as any on Oʻahu. Supervisors should ensure that all essential face-to-face services are provided while also considering the need to accommodate requests for COVID-19 telework to the extent necessary to protect the health of our employees.
5. Please get tested 3–5 days after returning from any travel. If possible, employees should work from home while awaiting test results. Students should limit exposure to others while awaiting test results.

We will continue to get through the pandemic united in our care for each other.

Mahalo,
Michael S. Bruno, Provost

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½WO to temporarily move many spring 2022 in-person courses to online delivery

Aloha mai ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu ʻOhana!

The ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System COVID-19 Policies & Practices group has been closely monitoring the pandemic conditions here in Hawaiʻi, with particular attention to the increase in COVID-19 cases and the uptick in hospitalizations. This group is informed by our health and wellness professionals who are in constant contact with federal, state, and city and county officials, as well as our hospital systems. While evidence continues to emerge that the Omicron variant may produce lower levels of severe illness than prior variants, we remain concerned about the potential stress on ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±â€™s healthcare systems, given many more active infections and the large numbers of unvaccinated individuals across the state. Our approach continues to place the health of our community as the highest priority.

That said, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Officers met and on Tuesday, Dec. 28, President Lassner sent a message to all ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ community members that stated:

After much discussion, we are announcing that in-person classes that can be effectively taught online will be temporarily shifted to electronic delivery for the first two weeks of the semester. We are not changing course modalities but merely making this adjustment to maximize the safety of our campuses during the expected peak… All ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campuses will remain open…

You can read that message at:
/news/2021/12/28/online-first-two-weeks-of-spring-2022-instruction/

We are making this change in part because of the continued uncertainty about the Omicron variant, but primarily because of our concern for our students as they return to campus. Those students who test positive over the holiday break will need to isolate and could miss the first week of in-person classes. Those who are returning to Oʻahu for the start of the semester and test positive upon arrival would miss the first two weeks of in-person classes. Thus, we are making the decision now to do online instruction for the first two weeks of the spring semester in order to minimize possible disruption to student learning, and to give our employees, students, and their families as much advance notice as possible.

There are courses that require in-person attendance. Fortunately we have learned how to safely offer our on-campus, in-person classes employing LumiSight verification, masking, and physical distancing. We will still be able to hold in-person courses, e.g., lab sections, clinical or hands-on learning experiences, studios, and so on, all with the necessary health and safety protocols in place. Determination of which course sections will be held on campus will be made by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

In summary:

1. All classes will begin in an online modality on Jan. 10. In-person classroom instruction is scheduled to begin on Jan. 24.
2. Students who are registered for course sections that will begin in person will be notified.
3. We strongly encourage all employees and students to get a COVID-19 booster shot if you have not already done so. That is your most effective defense against the Omicron variant, and it will significantly improve our chances of having a successful, healthy return to in-person instruction and campus activities.
4. All other operations of the university are not affected. With our very high rate of vaccination among students and employees, coupled with our mask requirement, we consider ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu workplaces to be as safe an environment as any on Oʻahu. Supervisors should ensure that all essential face-to-face services are provided while also considering the need to accommodate requests for COVID-19 telework to the extent necessary to protect the health of our employees.
5. Please get tested 3–5 days after returning from any travel. If possible, employees should work from home while awaiting test results. Students should limit exposure to others while awaiting test results.
6. If you are on campus and end up testing positive, please inform the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu COVID-19 Response Team at covidwo@hawaii.edu or (808) 689-2525.

Within the next few days, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jeff Moniz will provide more information to all instructional faculty and staff regarding both online and in-person instruction during the first two weeks of the spring 2022 semester. During the week of Jan. 3, 2022, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jan Javinar will provide information regarding the start of the spring session to students and student support staff.

We look forward to seeing you very soon! Until then, we wish you and your ʻohana a safe and joy-filled New Year celebration!

E mālama pono!
Chancellor Maenette Benham

Some Leeward classes to move online for first two weeks of spring 2022

Aloha Students,

As you have probably read President Lassner’s recent message, some courses originally scheduled for in-person instruction, starting January 10, may transition to online for the first two weeks of the semester, as a result of the COVID surge we are experiencing. You will be notified by next week if your course will experience a modality shift, so please be sure to check your ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ email for any updates.

Aloha,
Keala Chock
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Class modality for the first two weeks of school

Aloha mai kākou,

I hope you are all well and enjoying the winter break. To promote the health and safety of our University of Hawaiʻi community, President Lassner has encouraged classes scheduled for hybrid and face-to-face modes to be delivered fully online for the first two weeks of instruction, through January 23, 2022.

Instructors have been encouraged to reach out to you regarding class plans so that you may prepare for the start of the semester. Please frequently check your hawaii.edu email and Laulima notifications to see how your instructors plan to offer the first two weeks of classes.

I hope you were able to rest and rejuvenate over this break and are ready for a great spring semester!!

Best Regards,
Jennifer Brown

This message was shared with the students, faculty and staff of the 10-campus University of Hawaiʻi system on December 28, 2021.

Aloha to all during this holiday season during which COVID-19 continues to throw us wrinkles.

With the explosive emergence of the , Hawaiʻi is experiencing another major surge in COVID-19 cases, and we have had significant clusters associated with ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ as well. Fortunately, neither ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ nor our communities are experiencing the truly alarming levels of illness and hospitalizations associated with previous surges. However, the case counts are extremely worrisome and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ leadership has been in regular conversation with our internal experts and others as we have monitored the COVID-19 numbers and models.

After much discussion, we are announcing that in-person classes that can be effectively taught online will be temporarily shifted to electronic delivery for the first two weeks of the semester. We are not changing course modalities but merely making this adjustment to maximize the safety of our campuses during the expected peak, including with those who may be returning from another island or farther. All ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ campuses will remain open, including residence halls at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Mānoa and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo, and on-campus services will remain available during normally scheduled hours.

We know that many courses require in-person attendance. Fortunately, over the past year and a half we have learned much about physical distancing and how to offer our lab sections, clinical experiences, Career and Technical Education (CTE) shop courses and studios safely under COVID-19 conditions. Determinations of which sections will move online for these first two weeks of the spring semester will be made on our campuses based on local considerations including COVID-19 conditions in the area, density of student populations in classrooms, number of students who will be traveling back to campus and instructional needs to keep all students on track to graduate. Look for more specific announcements from each campus in the next day or so.

We are disappointed to take this action but believe it is appropriate to protect the health and safety of our students and employees. Based on the best information available, a full return to the published modalities of instruction for all courses on January 24, 2022 should be safe for all.

We also urge all our students and employees to get their booster shot as soon as they are eligible, typically 6 months after the 2nd dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. We are encouraged by the high vaccination rates among our students and employees across the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ System and we are now making plans to include booster shots upon eligibility as part of the definition of what it means to be “fully vaccinated.”

We hope this information helps you with your planning, and we look forward to welcoming you back to campus next month.

Best wishes for the New Year—may it be safe and healthy for all!

E mālama pono,
David Lassner

Educational specialists from ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±â€™s prisons acquired refreshing new techniques and insights after a one-day training session with a instructor this summer. Like other industries, correctional facilities throughout the state experienced lockdowns and program cancellations due to COVID-19. This was especially challenging for educational staff who had to continue to deliver programs and services for the incarcerated population.

The State of Hawaiʻi Corrections Program Services-Education Branch, in partnership with the Leeward CC’s (OCEWD), provided a day-long training for education specialists, supervisors and select staff from statewide correctional facilities in June.

“Working at a correctional facility can at times be draining,” said Halawa Correctional Facility Education Supervisor Roseann Propato. “The ‘Train the Trainer’ session was helpful in getting to know more about my peers, realizing the value in the work we do, and renewed my sense of purpose.”

Drawing from 24 years of diverse experience, Leeward CC instructor Loretta Chen created an engaging, activity-filled day that included: “The Power of Perspective,” “Design Thinking and Active Empathy”, “From Broadway to Boardroom” (team building, singing and skits), and viewing of Chen’s short film The Secrets to Happiness (shot entirely in Bhutan, with a heartwarming message of the importance of gratitude and humility synonymous with the espousal of the aloha spirit).

“I enjoyed our all-day training session with Dr. Loretta. She taught me the absolute most important trait when communicating with anyone—empathy. Dr. Loretta’s emotional intelligence is impressively beyond reproach,” said Francis Taele, education supervisor at the Women’s Community Correctional Center.

Chen is now teaching entrepreneurship, customer service and financial literacy courses in ±á²¹·É²¹¾±ʻ¾±â€™s correctional facilities. These programs can be designed to suit most organizational needs.

or call (808) 455-0477 to learn more about OCEWD’s customizable training (for a variety of industries).

Members of the National Champion and some of their most diehard and well-known fans star in a Hawaiʻi Department of Health public service announcement (PSA) encouraging everyone to get vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus.

In the PSA, thanks to their vaccinated status, Warriors Gage Worsley, Jackson Van Eekeren and Head Coach Charlie Wade make a “love connection” with ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ volleyball aunties Lauretta Sewake, Lenora Yagi and Florence “Cookie” Kim.

“The national champs and their super fans were such good sports,” said DOH spokesman Brooks Baehr. “It is a lighthearted way to remind everyone to get vaccinated and do their part in helping and end the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The 2021 men’s volleyball team captured ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½â€™s fourth national team title following the sailing team’s national championships in 2004 and 2001 and the women’s volleyball team’s title run in 1987.

The pandemic exacerbated pre-existing stressors in the lives of many university students. Employment, housing and food insecurity have been compounded by new health concerns and the rapid shift to online learning.

During the 2020–21 academic year, like other University of Hawaiʻi campuses, shifted to mostly remote learning. The college’s early adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) and other no-cost resources helped reduce the financial burden presented by high-cost textbooks.

In spring 2021, Leeward CC, classes in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½â€™s 10-campus system, conducted more than half (52%) of all class sections with zero-cost textbooks.

“In spring 2019, Leeward CC had 35% of classes as TXT0, saving students over $3.4 million since we began tracking in 2015. I really thought the number of classes would start to plateau, but was amazed when two years later we are at 52% with $6.3 million in (cumulative) student savings,” said Leanne Riseley, interim dean of academic services.

Students save

For students working toward earning their degree during a pandemic without access to resources they would normally have, OERs are proving to be the difference in helping their pursuit of academic goals. Not having to pay for course materials gives them the opportunity to use their money in other ways to meet their personal needs.

Students are singing the praises of zero-cost textbooks. Brianna Dyson earned her liberal arts degree from Leeward CC in May 2020.

“With the $121.80 I didn’t have to spend on a textbook, I was able to pay for my son’s daycare!” Dyson said.

Genesis Larson used her textbook savings in a different way.

She said, “With the money I didn’t have to spend on a textbook, I saw the world I was learning about.”

The big picture

TXT0 is part of a larger initiative to make college more affordable by replacing high-cost commercial textbooks and other course materials with openly licensed versions that are available at no cost to students. The integral to OERs allow instructors to adopt the materials as is, or to adapt and modify them to align with their specific course learning outcomes.

At Leeward CC, this initiative inspired faculty and academic support personnel to collaborate and innovate—librarians helped instructors identify OERs for their classes and where OERs did not exist, the library supported their move to TXT0 by purchasing ebooks and subscribing to streaming video collections that were accessible (and free) to students. Instructional designers helped instructors to incorporate OERs into their online courses and guided them through the course redesign process when necessary.

“Leeward CC continues to strive to reach the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Community College strategic goal of reducing the cost of education for students through adopting OER to replace textbooks.” said Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza.

Since 2015, Leeward CC has offered professional development and trained more than 150 faculty from all ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Community College campuses, ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo and ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ West Oʻahu. They credited this training with giving them the skills and confidence to use OER in their classes.

Faculty see benefits

This synergy directly impacted student learning, and many of Leeward CC’s faculty believe that the benefits of transitioning away from costly commercial textbooks and course materials were well worth the effort.

Ashley Biddle, a psychology instructor, said, “Before, I found that students were overwhelmed with the amount of reading from a textbook and either just didn’t do it or read but didn’t do a great job pulling out important information. So, when I created my own re-mixed OERs, I pulled out this information for them, wove in YouTube videos, recorded my own mini-lectures on important topics and included links pointing them to popular press articles on related topics. And students are actually doing the reading now! Grades have improved, retention has improved!”

• Related ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ News story: More than $5M in ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ student savings from online textbooks [VIDEO], December 15, 2019

—By Tad Saiki

Last May, the University of Hawaiʻi began a partnership with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) to train Community Health Workers (CHWs) as part of the DOH-ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Contact Tracing Training Program and the in an effort to enhance health outreach in high-risk communities affected by COVID-19. A year later in May, nearly 150 students statewide will have earned their certification training through the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ online program, and have been or will be ready to play a vital role in the state’s response to the ongoing pandemic.

CHWs draw on our own resiliency building experiences to help other individuals navigate and heal
—Lia Thorne

As CHWs, these trainees have the skills to help connect disadvantaged populations with health care providers and community resources to improve the quality of their health and lives. These populations include the Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities, as well as uninsured and homeless individuals. CHWs are trusted advocates for their patients who oftentimes do not know where to turn to for help.

“Hawaiʻi is blessed with a rich and diverse population and afflicted with stark health inequities,” said CJ Johnson, DOH COVID-19 Outreach and Public Health Education community liaison. “As the Department of Health and its community partners rise to the formidable challenge of a vaccination campaign without any precedent in its scale and urgency, the importance of community health workers has never been clearer. The professional and lived experience they bring to the table ensures that our plans include community voices and address community needs.”

Helping to end homelessness

Martha Boyd is a CHW with the Queen’s Care Coalition (QCC). Boyd has been with the coalition since it began operating in 2018 and was able to complete the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ program while she was employed. “What I learned at ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ was priceless! I could take what I learned in school and immediately apply it to my patients I was seeing in the community,” she said.

At Queen’s, Boyd works with patients who are usually homeless, uninsured or underinsured. She assists up to 12 patients at a time for about 90 days, depending on the cases. “They come to the Emergency Department for colds, food or clothing because they do not know about resources in the community that can help them,” she explained. “I offer shelter options, food bank options, clothing, connection to insurance services, connections to a primary care doctor, and often accompany them to doctors appointments.”

“When I do this, the patient is not viewed as a ‘homeless, non-compliant patient,’ but as a ‘human being’ that needs care,” she said. “This changes the way doctors and staff respond to the patient.”

Boyd said their work at QCC is important “to really help end homelessness in Hawaiʻi, by trying to get our patients in housing, shelters and help with their problems, whether it is mental health, no money or no family connections.”

According to Boyd, some patients are not aware of COVID-19 or are resistant to getting vaccinated. To address their questions and concerns, she provides them with information from the CDC or consults with her medical director to make sure they have the facts and answers to help them make an informed decision.

“I don’t try to change their minds. The patient is still capable of making their own medical decisions,” she said. “My care for the patient is driven by what the patient desires and wants, not me ‘making’ them do what I want.”

Due to COVID-19, Boyd and her colleagues have adapted in the way they deal with their patients. While face-to-face interactions have been minimized, creative solutions have helped them build and sustain the relationships with their patients, including buying them cell phones so they can keep their telephonic appointments with doctors. According to QCC, the average cost savings per patient served through the QCC program is about 40%.

Addressing vaccine mistrust

Another ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ program graduate, Lia Thorne, serves as a CHW with HMSA and focuses on Quest HMSA members. Thorne provides members with services ranging from weekly touch-base phone calls to assisting them in navigating public programs, such as applying for federal , formerly known as Food Stamps, and/or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits. Her caseload can be as high as 25 patients at a time.

Thorne has extensive experience working at various health care systems across the island. She notes that while the role of CHWs has been brought to the forefront even more during COVID-19, they have been involved in patient care for as long as medical and health existed.

“We do not possess all knowledge, but we do possess the bonds that tie us to our communities,” she said. “We are a key component in the continuity of patient care because we have close relationships with those cultures and communities that we personally identify with, live in and serve.”

With regard to COVID-19 vaccinations, Thorne said she hears a lot of mistrust issues from members, including how vaccines are made, difficulty with understanding the different vaccination tiers, and concerns about how policy decisions were made. “Many people feel disgruntled about having to wait for a vaccination. Relaying accurate information is vital to bringing about understanding and trust,” she said.

Thorne provides members with visual aids that can be found on trusted sites such as CDC and DOH, especially in other languages. This sometimes leads her to sharing and educating members about using the internet, and accessing apps on their smartphones. She knows it’s important work, and part of her role as a CHW.

“The reality is this–[due to COVID-19] every human being on this planet now has a shared traumatic experience. CHWs draw on our own resiliency building experiences to help other individuals navigate and heal,” Thorne said.

More on CHW certificate program

The CHW program is a certificate program that can be completed in one or two semesters. The statewide program is accessible at . Additional programs are offered at and . Courses include: CHW fundamentals, counseling and interviewing, health promotion and disease prevention, case management, an in-person practicum component and COVID-19 health clinical training.

Interested students may visit the respective ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ community college websites to .

—By Arlene Abiang

Imagine meeting your new cohort for the next four years and future lifelong friends from behind a large face mask and six feet apart if not through the glow of a computer screen. For medical students in the class of 2024, this was their reality as they began their journey at the University of Hawaiʻi at ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹ (JABSOM) in July 2020.

“Due to COVID-19, our class missed out in getting to know each other. Not only did we have to overcome the struggles of a global pandemic and starting medical school, we had to do it practically isolated from our classmates,” said Amanda Tsuhako, MD 2024 candidate.

Wanting to bond with her classmates, MD 2024 candidate Vera Ong came up with the idea for them to create a music video—a fun project that would allow them to get to know each other outside of class while also showcasing their artistic talents.

“Through this video, we proved to ourselves that a little creativity and a lot of communication can go a long way,” said Ong. She added that her classmates were very receptive to the idea and willing to participate, with many volunteering to sing, act, dance, play musical instruments and edit the video.

Going the distance

The students came up with a number of song options, but ultimately “How Far I’ll Go” from Disney’s Moana won by a landslide. The planning of the project commenced in July 2020 shortly after they began medical school.

The lyrics were finalized in August, students recorded their instruments and vocals in the Medical Education Building auditorium-turned JABSOM music studio in November, and the video was completed in January 2021.

The project turned out to be a full production complete with 30 individuals involved in the logistics, acting, dancing and creating the music. The music video involved special faculty cameos, including Dean Jerris Hedges, as well as support from faculty and staff throughout JABSOM.

The MD Class of 2024 hopes the video brings joy to all those who watch it and encourages the Hawaiʻi community to continue to stay strong during this pandemic.

This work is an example of ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ ²ÑÄå²Ô´Ç²¹â€™s goal of (PDF), one of four goals identified in the (PDF), updated in December 2020.

University of Hawaiʻi President David Lassner discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education, how ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½â€™s 10 campus system responded, and the expected lasting impact on colleges and universities nationwide. Lassner made his remarks while appearing on on January 22, 2021 in the episode .

One of the first issues addressed was how the cost of higher education has remained the same despite the move to online instruction in spring 2020 because of the pandemic.

“There’s a national discussion around our students and getting what they’re paying for,” Lassner said. “What I would say from pretty much every college’s perspective is that costs haven’t gone down, they’ve gone up. We’re making incredible sets of arrangements to educate students effectively, and ensuring they stay on their pathways by providing additional assistance through this COVID-19 period.”

Lassner also highlighted the importance of embracing the positive impacts of the pandemic and what ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ will continue implementing when campuses shift back to in-person instruction in fall 2021.

“I think our embrace of technology in every aspect of teaching, learning, working, and I think our investments in mental health, those are things that will stick with us,” said Lassner. “What I am proudest of is the grit and resilience of the community. This was not an easy year to get through by any means. Succeeding and taking our students through last spring, growing our class in the fall, keeping our class through the fall and into this spring, that took everybody. All of our faculty, all of our staff, all of our students really digging in and showing resilience and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Lassner was one of four panelists on the show that included Chaminade University President Lynn Babington, Konawaena High School counselor Travis Nakayama and Maui High School senior Jadynne Zane. The entire episode can be .

Update January 11, 2021: The performance is available on Intercollegiate Marching Band’s and pages.

Original story:

Ten students will take the national spotlight during the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 11. They will be among 1,500 students from 200 bands across the nation performing virtually in the halftime show. This is a silver lining for the students after the ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Marching Band was sidelined this season due to COVID-19.

“It’s extremely cool that I’m part of something as big and memorable as this,” said drum major Casandra Ancheta. “This isn’t something that would normally happen during the season and being able to rep ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ during this is such a huge blessing. It’s a tough time right now for marching bands, and musicians in general, but knowing that there are still ways we can make music is really important for me and I’m sure for everyone else as well.”

The group will perform Beyoncé’s “End of Time.” The choreographed halftime show by the College Band Directors National Association, GPG Music and Our Virtual Ensemble, was created since many marching bands nationwide have been unable to rehearse and perform due to the pandemic. It will feature musicians, color guards, baton twirlers, majorettes and dancers. Fernando Pacheco, the “Voice of the Rainbow Warrior Marching Band,” was also selected as one of the halftime announcers.

“The pandemic impacted many marching band organizations and this project allowed us to make music with other college band members,” said trombone/euphonium section leader Joey Nakamoto. “Without the pandemic, this opportunity would not have been available.”

Participating students

• Haleysable Alicto—Color Guard
• Casandra Ancheta—Alto Saxophone
• Isaiah Avilla—Color Guard
• Zachary Chang—Snare Drum
• Michael Englar Jr.—Trumpet
• Callyn Marvell—Twirler (winner of Mountain West Conference Collegiate Fantastic twirling competition)
• Joey Nakamoto—Trombone
• Dane Pinell—Mellophone
• Candice Sarangay—Color Guard
• Katelyn Tokunaga—Color Guard

Season during COVID-19

The ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Marching Band modified its operations in fall 2020. COVID-19 restrictions limited large gatherings, which forced rehearsals to be held virtually. The band’s drumline also rehearsed safely in-person outdoors.

Despite not having full in-person rehearsals and performances, Ancheta, one of three drum majors, said she is proud of the band’s approximately 250 members.

“The band really stuck through this semester and still came to virtual rehearsals with a positive attitude every day,” Ancheta said. “For me, that’s what mattered the most because it showed that they really cared about the band and most importantly about each other.”

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—By Marc Arakaki

The ’s has a longstanding tradition called Great Leaps, a biannual production that features dance students from both the university and . The show provides students with the opportunity to showcase their artistic talents as well as technical progress within various dance styles including ballet, jazz, modern and aerial.

This year, the production took on a new look with Virtual Leaps Fall 2020 being delivered to audience members in a virtual space the weekend of December 4–6. This online debut was the result of coronavirus restrictions that paused meeting in person both for regular classes and the end-of-semester performance. Dancers and choreographers were challenged in new ways, making the end result a revolutionary experience.

“Having a virtual Great Leaps performance was so important to me to keep our connection to the dance community within ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo and to our greater community outside of the university,” said Kea Kapahua, head of the dance department and one of the leading contributors to the virtual showcase. “Dance, music and storytelling exist in every culture and we need to keep dancing, making melodies and telling our stories even if the platform of delivery changes.”

The beauty of the biannual dance performance taking place in a virtual format this year is that it actually expanded possibilities for human connection. Those who registered to watch the show were provided a link to an unlisted video on YouTube. This link could be used from anywhere on the island or in the country. Once there, viewers could watch the show as many times as they wanted during the weekend that the video was up. Supporters were able to view the show at their own pace, in the comfort of their own homes.

Student performances and reflection

Students performed beautiful ballets “” and “” at various outdoor Hawaiʻi locations.

ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo and Hawaiʻi CC dance instructor Annie Bunker included video projects of her classes from last spring and this past semester, giving students who didn’t get a chance to perform last spring the opportunity to have their hard work shown. Her spring students did an while her fall students showcased the as well as an .

Students danced to Andra Day’s “Rise Up” in a that resembled themes of home, hope and resilience.

The Virtual Leaps Fall 2020 show also featured a new section for students to speak on their experiences taking dance classes online. This is not usually included in ordinary performances as students are expected to express themselves purely through movement; however, this part of the show went a long way to prove how determined and hard-working these students have become. Jordan Ancheta, a ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo dance student, described the process of practicing and filming for Virtual Leaps Fall 2020 during the COVID-19 era in his .

—By Kiaria Zoi Nakamura, a ÌÇÐÄVlog¹Ù·½ Hilo English student