The University of Hawaiʻi launched a new effort this fall to boost student success by spotlighting effective strategies and ensuring students have a smoother, more supportive route to graduation. UH Hilo and Honolulu Community College are the first campuses to partner with the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) to examine its policies and practices to spot issues that may unintentionally hold students back. NISS will help each campus identify those barriers and create a clear plan to better support students from enrollment through graduation.
“This is one of several undertakings intended to advance the systemwide student success initiative,” said UH President Wendy Hensel. “NISS will help us identify where students are getting stuck and give concrete guidance on how to remove barriers to timely graduation. We anticipate that many of these insights will translate across the university.”
In-depth evaluation
The NISS team has been meeting regularly with task force groups at UH Hilo and Honolulu CC in the fall 2025 semester to look closely at how each campus supports students. The four-month review will result in a customized “playbook” with clear, research-based steps to improve retention, close student outcome gaps and raise graduation rates.
“This work gives our campuses the clarity and data they need to strengthen what’s working and enhance the areas where students need more support,” said Kim Siegenthaler, Senior Advisor to the UH President. “When we remove friction for students and surround them with consistent support, we open more doors for them to stay on track, finish strong, and move into the future they’ve worked so hard for.”
Proven results
NISS’ track record shows what’s possible. At Georgia State University, its strategies cut “summer melt” (students who are accepted to college but don’t show up) in half. Other institutions that partnered with NISS have seen double-digit gains in first-year retention, and increases in graduation rates by more than 15 percentage points.
“UH Hilo serves a unique population, many first-generation college students balancing work and family,” said Bonnie Irwin, UH Hilo Chancellor.
“NISS will help us identify where our systems may be inadvertently creating roadblocks and give us the tools to clear those paths so more students can reach graduation.”
Strengthening support
When the NISS review ends, campuses can start implementing the recommendations. Some changes can be made right away, while others, such as updating advising structures, improving early alerts, redesigning high-failure courses and standardizing communication tools, will require broader coordination with faculty and staff.
The effort centers on building proactive, consistent support so students don’t have to depend on chance or the “right” office.
“Everything we do at Honolulu Community College comes back to one thing – helping our students succeed,” said Karen C. Lee, Honolulu CC Chancellor. “What excites us about the NISS partnership is the chance to step back, look at our work with fresh eyes, and strengthen the systems that guide our students every day. We want to ensure that they feel guided from the moment they enroll to the moment they walk across the stage.”
The initiative is funded through the UH president’s performance funding, using part of the portion not allocated to campuses this year.
Expanding the work
A second cohort begins in spring 2026. UH Maui College and Kauaʻi Community College will participate next, expanding the systemwide push to strengthen student success.
