Changes are coming to UH student services

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

UH sophomore Raymond Yee enjoys his Subway sandwich on the steps of Campus Center. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Like the first day in 20-year-old junior Justin Young's physiology class.

"There weren't enough seats for everyone," Young said. "And some were broken. They didn't have that little arm you write on."

Or not enough textbooks in the bookstore.

Or running all over campus to find the services you need as 19-year-old sophomore Amy Kalawe did, making three visits to the housing office in the Johnson Hall basement, five trips to financial aid in the Student Services Center and two to dining services in Campus Center.

Or the parking hassles for the 20-year-old Gregg twins who transferred from Indiana and spent an hour finding parking the first day — "way up a mountain and a 40-minute walk to school," Amber Gregg said.

As a new year begins on the state university system's flagship campus, the needs of students and the way they are met — or not met — is under scrutiny after the release of a survey that found student dissatisfaction with everything from the lack of parking to the new computer enrollment system, to old dorms and a lack of quiet, late-night study areas.

For the Manoa infrastructure, the result is a potential administrative shakeup that comes amid financial uncertainties and a budget that seems to change monthly, plus turmoil that has accompanied changes already directed by Chancellor Peter Englert.

What isn't clear is what changes will be made and what they'll cost, although many suggestions involve better coordination of current services rather than additional dollars.

As Englert looks at reshuffling the office responsible for student affairs, concern has been raised by those administering the vast smorgasbord of services available to students.

"We're not against change," said Amy Agbayani, director of the office of Student Equity, Excellence and Diversity in the Office of Student Affairs. "But we want to be included in the process."

"Student Affairs should have been involved from the get-go in even conceptualizing these proposals and we have not been," said Dean of Students Alan Yang. "My concern has been and continues to be the lack of consultation and communication."

Englert said he appointed a broad-based committee and its members talked extensively with campus constituencies. While he praised the hard work being done by those in student services, he said there are structural "inadequacies" and "a lot of room for improvement."

For students, the shakeup promises improvement in everything from speedier enrollment and course availability to being able to socialize around coffee carts sprinkled across campus.

Ideas under consideration

The hallways of the Art Building become popular for students studying for exams. A survey found student dissatisfaction because of such things as lack of parking, problems with the computer enrollment system and old dorms. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

• Establish a vice chancellor for students as an advocate to give students a voice in decisions affecting them and direct access to the chancellor's office for those with persistent problems.

• Combine academic advising with financial aid, admissions and records, and school and college services for a "one-stop shop." Kapi'olani Community College has done that, cross-training five staffers to handle registration, financial aid, records and cashiering.

• Establish a student advisory group of student dorm leaders and transfer responsibilities for housing management to the office of Rodney Sakaguchi, vice chancellor for administration. With dorms one of the primary areas of concern, this would presumably bring faster resolution of complaints some students say often get ignored.

Englert has told Housing Director Darryl Zehner that his contract won't be renewed. Though students have been vocal both for and against Zehner, Englert said he expects imaginative leadership in that area to create such things as 24-hour study spaces in the dorms, to work with faculty to offer academic enrichment, and to provide something as basic as buses from the dorms to UH games during the bus strike.

He was troubled that the housing office didn't offer to provide buses until he came up with the idea.

"These are simple things," Englert said. "Things that create university spirit and university support."

The power of students

Englert's push to make student-friendly improvements comes from his "live-in" dorm experience a year ago and the recent vacancy left at Manoa by Doris Ching, who moved to head student services for the whole 10-campus system.

But it also comes from a growing recognition that college students are a powerful consumer group driving the latest national trend toward "student-centered" campuses.

"When I saw the lines again and students lining up at many different places I thought something needs to be done to promote seamless service so students don't have to go to many different places," Englert said.

Last spring, Washington, D.C.-based Research Strategies International surveyed 2,000 students for its 2003 National Students' Outlook Pilot Study, discovering that one-third of college students transfer before completing their degrees, searching for the right combination of challenging academics, social life and pleasing environment.

The survey discovered that the location and academic reputation of a college topped the students' list of 10 reasons for choosing it, with social life ranking seventh. But 93 percent of students surveyed said the maintenance of academic buildings and dormitories was as important as academic advising.

Places such as Princeton University, named by U.S. News & World Report as the top school in the country four years in a row, show what can be done when students are the top priority. Princeton's reputation is built on academics, but it also provides extras. For instance, its Frist Campus Center stays open until 3 a.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and serves free pizza, cookies and doughnuts at 2 a.m. during midterms and finals. As well, several of the more than two dozen libraries on campus are open 24 hours a day.

Then again, tuition and housing hits $38,000 a year at the private New Jersey campus, compared with around $8,400 a year at UH-Manoa for tuition, housing and a mid-priced meal plan.

But Englert believes Manoa can offer much more to improve students' lives.

Better than before

Junior Martina Mazik, right, makes a shopping list of things for the market while she hangs out at the Campus Center mall with friends and fellow juniors — clockwise, Matthew Nickel, Tyler Bouland, Chris Koo (standing) and Justin Young. The mall is a popular place for students to meet between classes. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

Last week the Board of Regents announced that $59 million worth of repair and maintenance projects will go out to bid this year for fixes throughout the system, including 28 projects at Manoa of the 57 total.

Compared with high school, said Jayce Arakaki, a 17-year-old freshman from Kailua, UH is the bomb.

"The scheduling is super," he said, hanging out with friends one morning last week on the lush green central mall. "I made my schedule so I could have long breaks and work in between. It's convenient; you can go to school and work."

The smell of baking bread wafting through Campus Center from the newly opened Subway is evidence the administration has listened to complaints about food. Jamba Juice is expected to open in January.

The campus food service, Sodexho, is already trumpeting the new Chow Mein Express at Paradise Palms Cafe, a pizza pickup program at Hale Noelani dorm, and fresh sushi and a better salad selection at Campus Center cafeteria.

While the bulk of students do clear out before 5 p.m. each day, there are an increasing number of pockets of nighttime activity. The Hemenway Hall cafe called Manoa Gardens stays open until 9 p.m. — and serves liquor.

Last semester the dorms began offering weekend games called "Balls Between the Halls" once a month for the 3,000 dorm students to compete with weekend drinking. Hamilton Library is now open until 11 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays and on Sunday, with new computers and Internet connections. Last fall Friday and Sunday night hours were expanded, plus it opened half an hour earlier daily.

It's a long way from perfection.

"The library, it's not like a Borders," said 23-year-old senior Kory Kurokawa, relaxing under a shady monkeypod outside Campus Center that now offers wireless computer connections and patched concrete steps, but not the cozy warmth and intimate spaces she yearns for.

"Only hard-core students go to the library. There are no places to sit and lounge. It's good that Subway came in, and they added Sushiman. That other food wasn't that healthy."

And yet it's coming closer for many students.

After driving in from 'Ewa Beach with his bicycle crammed in the back of his car so he can park farther away and pedal the last few blocks, Matthew Jackson, a 22-year-old Hawaiian language major, can settle down and speak Hawaiian with a native speaker for as long as he wants. You don't find that on the Mainland.

"They're there all week," he said. "I can go anytime."

Kristine Wada, who came home to UH after a semester at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, finds herself content. Often she begins the day at 7:30 a.m. curled up doing homework in a quiet corner of Hamilton Library after her mother drops her off.

"Initially I didn't want to stay at home but a lot of good opportunities are here," said Wada, nibbling a small luncheon salad and gazing into the Art Building's peaceful bamboo courtyard. "People aren't going to hand-feed it to you, but it's all there. The other day a woman from Study Abroad came into our Japanese class and told us she'd help plan out a program for us. And I've found in my classes if you ask for extra help they'll help you or point you in the right direction.

"Even though it's so big, people are really helpful and you don't feel so lost."

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.