Kalbert Young, UH vice president for budget and finance and chief financial officer, shares his analysis of the concluded 2025 Legislative session.
Aloha UH ʻohana,
The 2025 legislative session concluded on May 2. While not all of the funding requests submitted by the UH Board of Regents (BOR) at the beginning of the legislative session were included in the final state budget, the university appreciates the funding we did receive, and we believe it could have a positive impact on our 10 UH campuses and the State of Hawaiʻi.
Overall, State general funds account for approximately 50% of UH’s operating budget, and depending on the individual campus, general funds can represent as much as 70% of their annual budget. This level of funding places UH amongst the top third of public universities in terms of the degree of state support in the U.S.
This significant legislative support has allowed UH to keep tuition relatively flat for the past eight years. When adjusted for inflation, the cost of attending a UH campus is actually lower today than it was in 2017, a rare achievement in higher education or any industry, for that matter.
UH will continue to work with the State and the Legislature to advocate for additional funding to support new initiatives and excellent programs.
UH Cancer Center and JABSOM
One potentially positive outcome of the 2025 legislative session relates to the UH Cancer Center and passage of a bill that increases the cigarette tax from 16 to 18 cents per cigarette. The new revenue will be dedicated to covering the UH Cancer Center’s debt service until 2030 and could provide additional financial stability for the center.
The BOR had also requested: $6.9 million a year for the Cancer Center and $2.7 million a year for John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) for each year of the biennium budget. The Governor’s budget included: $9.4 million a year for the Cancer Center, $1.1 million in FY26 and $1.5 million in FY27 for JABSOM. This specific funding was not included in the budget.
In order to meet financial obligations in these areas, the programs and university will draw upon existing university funds. I expect that we will continue advocating for additional support in the next legislative session.
Athletics
Also some positive news for UH Mānoa and UH Hilo athletics. The Legislature permanently added $3.2 million annual for UH Mānoa Athletics, matching the BOR’s request. UH Hilo Athletics received a $500,000 increase in its base budget (the BOR had requested $800,000). Previously, the money was not part of the base budget, which meant we had to make the funding request each session.
A proposed $12.8 million increase for UH Mānoa Athletics that was requested by Governor Green and numerous community partners, and strongly supported by UH, was not included in the final budget.
The request aimed to help UH remain competitive in the rapidly evolving landscape of Division I athletics. A pending settlement in the House v. NCAA lawsuit would eliminate scholarship caps and expand roster limits, allowing schools to award scholarships to more student-athletes. If implemented, this change would significantly increase costs for UH Mānoa to stay competitive.
Nursing programs and Hawaiʻi Promise
The Legislature did fund several of the requested nursing initiatives, including a joint UH Mānoa–UH West Oʻahu nursing collaboration, a new Pre-Nursing Pathway at UH West Oʻahu, and an expansion of the nursing cohort size at UH Hilo.
However, the university’s long-standing request to expand the Hawaiʻi Promise needs based scholarship program to four-year campuses was not approved. The last dollar program will continue to serve students at UH’s seven community colleges. The university is considering other alternatives to help students at the four years with proven need.
Overall budget request and outcome
The BOR’s biennium budget included requests for $37.8 million in FY26 and $38.7 million in FY27. The final legislative budget provided $9.3 million in FY26 and $9.8 million in FY27.
A table comparing the BOR’s budget request to the final legislative appropriation is included below.
| Campus | Project Description | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Regents | Legislature | ||||
| FY26 | FY27 | FY26 | FY27 | ||
| Permanent Funding | |||||
| UH Mānoa | Make Mānoa Athletics subsidy permanent | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 | $3,200,000 |
| UH Mānoa | HIMB Positions from Act 181/23 | $246,118 | $246,118 | $246,118 | $246,118 |
| UH Mānoa | K–12 Expanded Teaching Cohort from Act 141/22 | $420,556 | $375,556 | ||
| UH Mānoa | Pamantasan Council from Act 64/23 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 | $85,500 |
| UH Hilo | Make Hilo Athletics subsidy permanent | $800,000 | $800,000 | $500,000 | $500,000 |
| UH Hilo | Full Year funding for BS in Education Studies and Kahuawaiola Indigenous Teacher Education | $142,500 | $142,500 | $142,500 | $142,500 |
| UH Community Colleges | Windward CC Mental Health Tech Certificate of Competence Program from Act 107/24 | $210,150 | $210,150 | $210,150 | $210,150 |
| UH Community Colleges | Maui College Practical Nursing Bridge Program from Act 74/23 | $330,000 | $330,000 | $330,000 | $330,000 |
| UH Community Colleges | Pamantasan Council from Act 64/23 | $196,000 | $196,000 | $196,000 | $196,000 |
| Hawaiʻi Promise | |||||
| UH Mānoa | Hawaiʻi Promise Program Expansion | $8,683,397 | $8,683,397 | ||
| UH Hilo | Hawaiʻi Promise Program Expansion | $920,938 | $920,938 | ||
| UH West Oʻahu | Hawaiʻi Promise Program Expansion | $2,451,832 | $2,451,832 | ||
| Student Support | |||||
| UH Mānoa | Financial Aid Counselors | $904,152 | $904,152 | $199,440 | $398,880 |
| UH Hilo | Retention Coordinator | $37,500 | $75,000 | ||
| UH Hilo | Internship Coordinator | $37,500 | $75,000 | ||
| UH Hilo | Student Enrollment Management | $432,500 | $640,000 | ||
| UH West Oʻahu | Admissions and Financial Aid | $213,600 | $213,600 | $37,650 | $75,300 |
| Workforce Development – Nursing | |||||
| UH Mānoa | UH Mānoa-UH West Oʻahu Nursing Collaboration Phase III | $447,936 | $447,936 | $447,936 | $447,936 |
| UH Mānoa | Online RN to BS Program | $111,984 | $111,984 | ||
| UH Hilo | Increase School of Nursing cohort size | $297,500 | $595,000 | $357,500 | $475,000 |
| UH West Oʻahu | Pre-Nursing Pathway | $424,364 | $424,364 | $107,776 | $215,552 |
| Workforce Development – Other | |||||
| UH Hilo | Administration of Justice Program Expansion | $75,000 | $150,000 | ||
| UH Hilo | Data Science Program | $42,500 | $85,000 | ||
| UH Hilo | Biocultural Science Program | $85,000 | $170,000 | ||
| UH West Oʻahu | Teacher Preparation Programs | $90,455 | $90,455 | ||
| Medical Facilities | |||||
| JABSOM | Debt service for Kakaʻako Health and Wellness Campus | $2,725,000 | $2,725,000 | ||
| UH Cancer Center | Debt service and operational costs | $6,857,810 | $6,857,810 | ||
| Other Requests – Core Functions | |||||
| JABSOM | Central Chiller Plant Operations | $63,000 | $63,000 | ||
| UH Hilo | Groundskeepers | $101,280 | $202,560 | ||
| UH West Oʻahu | ACM Facilities and Core Services | $341,748 | $341,748 | $66,888 | $133,776 |
| UH System | Information Security | $1,500,000 | $1,500,000 | ||
| Other | |||||
| UH Mānoa | Expand Concussion Education to Middle Schools | $200,000 | $200,000 | ||
| JABSOM | Focus on cardiovascular disease and treatment | $700,000 | $700,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | Convert Athletics Positions and Additional Support | $4,519,341 | $4,519,341 | $320,000 | $320,000 |
| Governorʻs Message | |||||
| UH Mānoa | Pamantasan Council (additional funds) | $175,000 | $175,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | Economic and Policy Research at UHERO | $480,000 | $480,000 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | Pamantasan Council (additional funds) | $175,000 | $175,000 | ||
| House Adjustment | |||||
| UH System | I Hoa Nā Moʻolelo | $179,378 | $179,378 | ||
| Senate Adjustment | |||||
| UH West Oʻahu | 3 positions for Henry Giugni Moving Image Archive | $754,644 | $719,203 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | 1 APT and Equipment for Water Quality Lab at UH Maui College | $125,000 | $125,000 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | AI-Based Career Pathways Program | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | ||
| TOTAL | $37,895,161 | $38,733,941 | $9,336,480 | $9,830,293 | |
Non-recurring items in red.
On the capital improvement side of the budget, there were a few notable developments. One of the most significant involves student housing improvements at the Mānoa campus. The BOR requested $61.5 million in FY26 and $57 million in FY27 in state-financed General Obligation (GO) Bonds.
The Legislature approved half of that amount through GO Bonds and authorized UH to issue revenue bonds for the remaining portion, which will require new income streams to cover future debt service.
Lawmakers passed a measure allowing UH to issue $30.7 million in revenue bonds in FY26 for student housing improvements. However, this is still less than half of what was requested and for what was appropriated across the biennium in the budget. UH will need to return next session to seek authorization for the remaining balance.
In total, the Board requested $381 million in FY26 and $331.2 million in FY27 to meet critical capital needs systemwide. The Legislature ultimately appropriated $178.5 million for FY26 and $38.5 million for FY27 in GO Bonds.
These figures do not include the portion of student housing funding that will be financed through UH-issued revenue bonds.
| Campus | Project Description | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board of Regents | Legislature | ||||
| FY26 | FY27 | FY26 | FY27 | ||
| UH System/Mānoa | RIM Projects | $100,000,000 | $100,000,000 | $50,000,000 | |
| UH Mānoa | *Student Housing Services Improvements | $61,500,000 | $57,000,000 | $30,750,000 | $28,500,000 |
| UH Mānoa | Assessment and Feasibility of Hamilton Library | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | Waikīkī Aquarium Improvements | $4,000,000 | $1,702,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | Athletics Improvements | $10,000,000 | $10,000,000 | $10,000,000 | |
| UH Mānoa | Holmes Hall | $9,000,000 | $9,000,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | PV Rooftop and Canopies and Various Energy Efficiency Projects | $20,000,000 | $20,000,000 | ||
| UH Mānoa | Mini Master Plan Phase 3-Kuykendall Hall | $5,000,000 | |||
| UH Mānoa | Admin Office and Parking Phase I and II | $9,000,000 | |||
| UH Hilo | RIM Projects | $29,625,000 | $22,685,000 | $15,000,000 | |
| UH Hilo | Puakō Marine Education and Research Center, Phase I | $750,000 | |||
| UH West Oʻahu | RIM Projects | $6,900,000 | $5,000,000 | $6,500,000 | |
| UH Community Colleges | Capital Renewal and Deferred Maintenance | $37,500,000 | $25,000,000 | $20,000,000 | |
| UH Community Colleges | Minor CIP | $37,500,000 | $25,000,000 | $20,000,000 | |
| UH Community Colleges | Kapiʻolani CC-Kauila and Kopiko Renovations for Health Sciences | $34,800,000 | |||
| UH Community Colleges | Honolulu CC-Technology Renovations, Phase 2 | $32,000,000 | |||
| UH Community Colleges | UH Maui College-Heona Modernization | $15,000,000 | |||
| UH Community Colleges | UH Maui College-Hale Modernization | $12,000,000 | |||
| UH Community Colleges | Windward CC–Alakaʻi Building Renovation | $15,000,000 | |||
| UH Mānoa | Waimānalo CTAHR CARES center | $4,000,000 | |||
| UH Mānoa | Magoon Research Station | $6,000,000 | |||
| UH System | Demolition of Undersea Laboratory Building (Makai Pier) | $500,000 | |||
| UH System | Project Adjustment Fund | $4,000 | $4,000 | ||
| UH Community Colleges | Kauaʻi CC-Student Housing and Faculty/Staff Housing | $5,000,000 | $10,000,000 | ||
| TOTAL | $381,025,000 | $331,235,000 | $178,456,000 | $38,504,000 | |
*Legislature also added $30,750,000 in FY26 and $28,500,000 in FY27 in revenue bond appropriation for Student Housing
The University is grateful for the level of support demonstrated from the Legislature and the Governor with the continued investment in the University of Hawaiʻi. Future work remains to collaboratively address the evolving needs of our students, faculty and staff across all ten campuses.
The UH administration is currently reviewing all enacted legislation from multiple angles to evaluate potential impacts and next steps. Of the 322 bills passed this session, 84 are expected to have either a direct or indirect impact on UH—ranging from operational and policy considerations to broader institutional concerns—for the university.
Gov. Green has until July 9, 2025, to sign, veto or allow bills to become law without his signature. There are also early indications that a special legislative session may be held later this year to address the loss of federal funding resulting from recent cuts by the Trump administration. I will share updates as more information becomes available.
Mahalo for your time and attention,
Kalbert Young
Vice President for Budget and Finance/Chief Financial Officer
