The Hawaiʻi Graduation Initiative (HGI) is a system-wide strategic initiative endorsed by the University of Hawaiʻi Board of Regents that focuses on increasing the number of educated citizens within the state. HGI’s award winning strategies reflect the University’s commitment to support increased student participation and completion, particularly for Native Hawaiians and students from underserved populations and regions, and to expand workforce development opportunities across the state.
HGI was formally established in 2010, at a time when states began setting ambitious goals to boost college completion rates. Across the nation, states recognized the need for an educated labor force and engaged citizenry that could thrive in today’s global, knowledge-based economy. Hawaiʻi implemented its own initiative, the 55 by ’25 Campaign. The goal of 55 by `25 is to increase the percentage of working age adults with some degree or certificate to 55 percent by 2025. As the state’s sole public higher education system, the University of Hawaiʻi is committed to doing its part to contribute to this goal.
Initiatives
15 to Finish
The 15 to Finish campaign encourages students attending or planning to attend the University’s two or four-year campuses to take 15 credits per semester to graduate on time.
STAR GPS
Undergraduate student pathways are linked to registration via the University’s newly launched STAR GPS registration.
Like the global positioning systems units that help guide us to a destination, GPS registration presents students with the optimal path to their destination, i.e., graduation. If a student is interested in pursuing a course outside of his/her pathway, GPS registration recalculates the student’s roadmap and advises the student how to get back on track. Similarly, if a student selects a new program of study, GPS registration creates a new path for the student based on where they are and where they want to go.
Implementation of a Guided Pathway System and its Impact on Student Success
Measuring Our Success
The University of Hawaiʻi has adopted a data-driven approach to student success. Several dashboards and scorecards have been created to help track student success.
Student Success Council
The Student Success Council (SSC) is comprised of leaders across the UH and UHCC system, and focuses on coordination, alignment, and scaling of best practices for student success.
Returning Adults
The Returning Adults Initiative aims to re-engage students who leave college after obtaining some credits but prior to receiving a degree
HGI Team
The HGI team is comprised of members from the UH System Academic Affairs and Student Affairs units. The team focuses on planning and implementation of system projects targeting student success. System projects involve increasing the system and campus’ awareness of UH’s goals and outcomes, strengthening UH’s data infrastructure, reviewing policy levers, and promoting communication of key HGI messages throughout the UH System. The system team works in collaboration with campuses to collectively reach HGI’s completion goals.
Members
- Vice President for Academic Strategy
- Debora Halbert, Associate Vice President for Academic Programs & Policy
- Hae Okimoto, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs
- Tammi Oyadomari-Chun, Interim Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, UHCC
- Cathy Bio, Director for Student Success, UHCC
- Pearl Iboshi, Director, Institutional Research, Analysis & Planning Office
- Joshua Kaakua, Academic Affairs Program Officer, UHCC
- Sherry Proper, Director of Financial Aid Policy & Strategy
- Steve Schatz, Executive Director, Hawaiʻi P-20 Partnerships for Education
Contact
1633 Bachman Place
Sinclair Annex 1, Room 7
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 956-9404
avpapp@hawaii.edu
