Posted on: Thursday, September 16, 2004

EDITORIAL
Higher education in Hawai'i not up to par

National statistical surveys, no matter how carefully done, always involve an element of comparing apples to oranges.

And so it is with the latest report out of an organization called the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, which describes itself as an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on increasing opportunities for higher education.

The center concludes that despite some small gains, Hawai'i's performance on higher education is "mediocre."

Hawai'i lags behind national averages in the preparation of students for higher education and in participation in higher education.

Hawai'i also receives a "D" in affordability of higher education, a grade that might seem puzzling considering the emphasis policymakers have placed on keeping public higher education affordable to local residents.

It turns out that affordability, at least as viewed through the lens of the national center, is a serious problem across the nation. Nearly three quarters of the states received an "F" grade in this category. So a "D" is not complete dishonor.

The center does note that Hawai'i has done a good job on keeping the lid on costs at community colleges. But tuition rates at public four-year institutions (basically Manoa and Hilo) have moved ahead of gains in family income.

That's not surprising, since the university has been boosting tuition from historically low rates to something approaching, but not yet matching, that charged by peer institutions.

But none of that should hide the fact that — statistically — the chance and hope for a quality higher education is slipping away in Hawai'i.

The response, as local educators have already recognized, must be two-pronged.

At the university level, it means creating more options for students and finding new ways of helping those who are struggling to pay their way.

Hawai'i has a strong program of tuition waivers, generally aimed at specific groups. But we lag in our efforts to provide general financial support for students.

In addition, within financial constraints, the public university system should do a better job of offering the course selection and class times that students need. One of the things that drives students away is the simple unavailability of courses.

In terms of preparing students, the bottom line answer is improvement in our public school system, a goal the entire community supports.

But there is also a need for greater integration of what is taught in lower schools and what is demanded by the university.

This is the goal of the ambitious P-20 program, which seeks seamless integration between pre-schools and the university.

It is obvious that Hawai'i's economic future depends on a well-educated, well-prepared work force that has the intellectual and academic tools to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

This latest report simply serves as a reminder that we have a considerable way to go toward that goal.