University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel provided updates to the ����Vlog�ٷ� Board of Regents on state legislative measures on tuition and fee reserves during her monthly report at the board’s April 16 meeting at Kapiʻolani Community College.

Hensel noted that the Legislature continues to consider proposals related to tuition and fee reserve balances and that the university is developing reinvestment plans to strengthen advising and student support services and expand statewide online learning opportunities. She added that the university is having productive conversations with legislators and recognizes the challenges they face in balancing many urgent needs for Hawaiʻi’s people this year.

Her report also highlighted record breaking systemwide participation in ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day, which generated more than $1.3 million from more than 1,580 gifts across the 10 campuses.

Hensel concluded by congratulating the No. 6 ranked ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� women’s water polo team on advancing to its third consecutive NCAA national championship tournament appearance after .

• Legislative update: tuition and fee reserves ()
• ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day breaks record ()
• Rainbow Wahine water polo ()

This week’s ����Vlog�ٷ� News Image of the Week is from ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz�.

Aloha Bash is on Friday! Students from all ����Vlog�ٷ� campuses are welcome, so featuring Grant Nakasone for more info! (No students were harmed in the making of this video.)

Previous Images
Mōʻī Wahine
Cleaning up
Through the water
Breeze block
Shark tag
All Images of the Week

Send us your image!

A big mahalo to everyone who has sent in their images! If selected, they will be posted throughout the semester, so check back to see the amazing work, research and experiences of the ����Vlog�ٷ� ʻohana!

Want to get in on the action? The next ����Vlog�ٷ� News Image of the Week could be yours! Submit a photo, drawing, painting, digital illustration of a project you are working on, a moment from a field research outing or a beautiful and/or interesting shot of a scene on your campus. It could be a class visit during which you see an eye-catching object or scene.

• .

Please include a brief description of the image and its connection to your campus, class assignment or other ����Vlog�ٷ� connection. By submitting your image, you are giving ����Vlog�ٷ� News permission to publish your photo on the ����Vlog�ٷ� News website and ����Vlog�ٷ� social media accounts. The image must be your original work, and anyone featured in your image needs to give consent to its publication.

Gov. Josh Green appointed Keith Amemiya and Marie Laderta to the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents (BOR), subject to confirmation by the Hawaiʻi State Senate.

“Keith and Marie are exactly the kinds of leaders we need guiding the future of our ����Vlog�ٷ� system,” said Green. “Keith brings a deep understanding of the university from the inside, along with strong ties to our business and education communities. Marie has dedicated her career to public service and brings a wealth of experience in government operations and accountability. Together, they will help ensure ����Vlog�ٷ� continues to serve our students, strengthen our workforce and drive innovation across our state.”

Amemiya and Laderta replace regents Diane Paloma and William F. Haning III whose terms end in 2026.

Amemiya brings decades of leadership experience across Hawaiʻi’s legal, financial and education sectors. He currently serves as Senior Vice President at Central Pacific Bank and previously held leadership roles with Tradewind Group and the Hawaiʻi High School Athletic Association. Amemiya also has direct experience with the ����Vlog�ٷ� system, having served as executive administrator and secretary to the BOR.

“As a proud University of Hawaiʻi graduate, I’m honored to be nominated by Governor Green to the Board of Regents,” said Amemiya. “����Vlog�ٷ� is integral to the success of our state, especially our younger generations and I’m thus committed to best ensuring a strong higher educational system with opportunities for all if confirmed by the legislature.”

Laderta brings nearly three decades of public service experience in Hawaiʻi state government and the judiciary. She has served as deputy attorney general, deputy director of the Department of Taxation and Director of the Department of Human Resources Development. She currently serves on the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board, adjudicating workers’ compensation appeals.

“I am humbled and grateful to Governor Green for my appointment as regent to the ����Vlog�ٷ� system,” said Laderta. “I look forward to being given the opportunity to help steward higher education for the benefit of the institution, its students, faculty, employees and stakeholders.”

The BOR is responsible for overseeing the 10-campus ����Vlog�ٷ� system, including policy direction, financial oversight and long-term strategic planning. The BOR is the governing body of ����Vlog�ٷ� and consists of 11 non-compensated volunteer members. Representation includes five from the City and County of Honolulu; two from Hawaiʻi County; two from Maui County; one from Kauaʻi County and one ����Vlog�ٷ� student.

Amemiya and Laderta will serve terms as prescribed by law, pending Senate confirmation.

—Flying fish.

More ʻŌlelo of the Week

“Ka iʻa lele me he manu (The fish that flies like a bird).”
ʻŌlelo Noʻeau (Hawaiian proverb) 1364

—Sean Mills, he haumāna ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language student), Kulanui Kaiāulu o Honolulu (Honolulu Community College)

For more information on other elements of the definition and usage, go to the ����Vlog�ٷ� Hilo .

The Candidate Advisory Council (CAC) for the has presented a list of three candidates to Gov. Josh Green to fill one Hawaiʻi Island seat for a five-year appointment beginning July 1, 2026, subject to confirmation by the state Senate. The finalists are:

• Chad Cabral
• Makai Freitas
• Wendy Laros

Finalist biographies are available at the Candidate Advisory Council website (PDF).

“The Candidate Advisory Council members extend their sincere appreciation to all the individuals who took the time to apply to serve as a University of Hawaiʻi Regent,” said CAC Chair Brigitte Yoshino. “While the selection was difficult due to the quality of the candidates, we are pleased to submit these names for consideration to the governor and the state senate.”

Candidate lists are compiled after a comprehensive review and selection process, which is solely and exclusively merit-based and according to procedures set forth in state statutes and the council’s administrative rules.

The Board of Regents is the governing body of ����Vlog�ٷ� and consists of eleven (11) volunteer members. Representation includes five (5) from the City and County of Honolulu; two (2) from Hawaiʻi County; two (2) from Maui County; one (1) from Kauaʻi County; and one (1) ����Vlog�ٷ� student.

Members of the CAC serve voluntarily and are not paid.

All state and county offices on Oʻahu, including all University of Hawaiʻi campuses and facilities on Oʻahu, will be closed Friday, April 10, due to expected severe weather conditions. A decision regarding government offices and ����Vlog�ٷ� facilities in Maui County and Hawaiʻi County will be made early Friday morning.

The official announcements for Oʻahu were issued at 6:40 p.m., Thursday, April 9, by Gov. Josh Green and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi.

Forecasts from the National Weather Service indicate a prolonged period of heavy rain through the morning and into the afternoon on Oʻahu, with the potential for flash flooding and possible power disruptions. Residents are strongly encouraged to limit travel unless absolutely necessary to allow emergency responders and utility crews to address weather-related impacts.

University leadership continues to monitor conditions closely and will provide updates as additional information becomes available.

Official County Notification

Conditions will vary by county and location. The most timely and location-specific alerts will come from the county where you live. Sign-up information for each county’s notification system is provided below:

• (Oʻahu)

You may also monitor these trusted sources for real-time weather updates:

• The app

����Vlog�ٷ� RAVE Alert System

For added safety, all ����Vlog�ٷ� students, faculty and staff are encouraged to sign up for mobile alerts through the ����Vlog�ٷ� RAVE Alert system to receive emergency notifications directly.

A $14-million investment is set to transform the through the design and construction of a large-scale photovoltaic (PV) system paired with battery storage. This major renewable energy initiative will significantly expand the campus’s sustainability efforts while securing its energy future.

The project will feature solar panel canopies installed over existing parking areas, transforming them into dual-use infrastructure that generates clean energy while providing shaded parking for the campus community. Planning and design are currently underway, with construction anticipated to begin in August 2026.

Supporting critical functions

Once completed, the system is projected to produce approximately 2.38 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to power the equivalent of about 270 Hawaiʻi homes each year. The project is expected to support the ����Vlog�ٷ� System’s broader net-zero energy goals, contributing to both systemwide sustainability targets and supplying an estimated 50% of the net-zero energy needed to power the ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu campus. The next phase of the university’s efforts to become fully net-zero is the replacement of its chillers with new high efficiency units and control systems. That upgrade is planned for fiscal year 2027.

The solar canopy will span multiple parking lots across campus and include an industrial-scale battery storage system designed to enhance operational resilience. In the event of a power outage, the system will be capable of supporting critical campus functions, an especially important feature within �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s isolated island electrical grid.

“The new PV system is designed to offset 100% of the campus cooling load, significantly reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels while lowering greenhouse gas emissions,” said Miles Topping, director of energy management for the ����Vlog�ٷ� System. “Producing clean energy while providing shade just makes sense, it’s the right thing to do, and it also strengthens our resilience as a community.”

Campus buildings

All campus buildings at ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu are LEED-certified and incorporate energy-efficient systems, each supported by approximately 100-kilowatt solar installations. The campus also utilizes rainwater catchment systems for irrigation and benefits from proximity to public transportation, including on-campus bus and rail service.

The project is being delivered through a combination of funding sources, including roughly one-third campus funding, one-third state capital improvement program funds, and one-third federal tax incentives.

Project management is led by the ����Vlog�ٷ� Office of Project Delivery and the ����Vlog�ٷ� West Oʻahu Office of Planning and Design. The team also includes local industry partners Elite Pacific Construction and RevoluSun.

The University of Hawaiʻi has been selected as one of 10 recipients of a national grant from Lumina Foundation’s to expand its Direct2����Vlog�ٷ� program. The $400,000 grant is part of the foundation’s $3.5 million investment to simplify the college admissions process and expand student access across the country.

Building on the success of Direct2����Vlog�ٷ�—the direct admissions initiative launched in October 2025, offering free entry to public high school seniors based on their GPA—the grant will fund a unified admissions system with enhanced outreach and guidance. This creates a more equitable pathway for Hawaiʻi students to apply, access financial aid and enroll across nine campuses, with ����Vlog�ٷ� ����ԴDz� expected to join the program later this year.

“This investment allows us to build a simpler, more connected pathway to college for Hawaiʻi‘s students—one that ensures every learner, regardless of background or geography, has clear and supported opportunities, making it easier for more students to move from aspiration to enrollment and ultimately to success,” said Farrah-Marie Gomes, ����Vlog�ٷ� associate vice president for student affairs. “This work matters locally because it directly addresses the barriers our students face and strengthens our responsibility as a statewide system to serve every community.”

Lumina’s Great Admissions Redesign initiative supports states, systems and institutions in integrating admissions, financial aid, advising and enrollment systems. The goal is to remove unnecessary barriers and help more students successfully enroll in and complete college.

“Across the country, we’re seeing real momentum to rethink how students access college,” said Melanie Heath, Lumina strategy director. “This cohort reflects a clear shift from fragmented fixes to coordinated, student-centered systems.”

Commitment to college access

At full scale, Direct2����Vlog�ٷ� will reach students at all public and charter high schools across the state, with implementation in partnership with the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education and Hawaiʻi P–20. By aligning systems and expanding support, it will increase college access and enrollment statewide, particularly for rural and underserved communities.

Lumina’s Great Admissions Redesign initiative is part of a broader national effort to increase post-high school attainment and advance Lumina’s Goal 2040, which aims for 75 percent of working-age adults to hold a credential of value.

����Vlog�ٷ� Foundation is calling on the ����Vlog�ٷ� ʻohana—including alumni, friends and community members—to participate in ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day on April 8, a 24-hour effort to support students and research across the 10-campus system.

Gifts of any size will directly remove financial barriers for students, expand hands-on learning and advance research addressing �Ჹ�ɲ���ʻ��’s most pressing needs, from healthcare and education to environmental stewardship.

“Philanthropy offers critical support for our students, faculty and staff, and assists ����Vlog�ٷ� in serving communities across our state,” said ����Vlog�ٷ� President Wendy Hensel. “Giving Day highlights the vital role our supporters play in expanding opportunity and sustaining the university’s mission.”

To further increase that impact, Hensel has personally created a special systemwide challenge: when 1,500 donors make a contribution to any project across the 10 campuses, her $15,000 challenge gift will be unlocked to directly benefit the fund. Donors can also take advantage of other matching gifts applied to a wide range of specific campus initiatives.

• To learn more or to make a gift, .

Critical timing

This year, ����Vlog�ٷ� Giving Day arrives at a critical time. As flooding affects communities across Hawaiʻi, urgent student relief is a top priority. Your involvement now helps ensure support reaches students quickly, when it can make the greatest difference.

Throughout the event, ����Vlog�ٷ� Foundation will share real-time progress, campus updates and student stories across its social media platforms with the hashtag #4����Vlog�ٷ�Giving Day.

“Giving Day is about coming together as a ����Vlog�ٷ� ʻohana to invest in the people and programs that matter most,” said Tim Dolan, ����Vlog�ٷ� Foundation CEO and VP of Advancement for ����Vlog�ٷ�. “When our community unites around a shared purpose, the collective impact of every gift—no matter the size—is amplified.”