STORY SUMMARY>>>
A combination of budget cuts and record enrollment has resulted in fewer class choices for students within the University of Hawaii system. That’s especially true at UH Manoa, by far the largest of the ten campuses statewide with an average of 20,000 students.
"A lot of people are just emailing the instructor now cause it's really hard to just show up and find a place,” said Chelsea DeMott, an incoming junior transfer at Manoa.
Manoa freshman AJ Salvador was forced to take literature courses that did not match-up exactly with what he was hoping for. He also found himself having to be flexible as far as his daily class schedule.
“All of the classes straight (through); like no breaks,” said Salvador.
The University of Hawaii was forced to cut spending $154 million through June of 2011 because of the severe downturn in the state’s economy the. At UH Manoa administrators tackled budget cuts through a variety of different initiatives, including more students packed into a single classroom.
“We are seeing bigger class sizes, we are seeing fewer choices among times (and) we are certainly seeing classes running fuller,” said UH Manoa Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Reed Dasenbrock.
At the Manoa campus, Lab Sciences and first year English appear to be among the most difficult for students to secure. Dasenbrock told Khon2 students committed to graduating in four years must budget their time wisely.
"You need to plan on taking courses in the summer probably as well as spring and fall, but it can be done if you're flexible on times and you make sure you take a full load every semester.”
RECORD ENROLLMENT
For the first time ever, system wide enrollment at UH schools is expected to top 60,000 students. Enrollment at the seven community colleges is over 31,000 – an increase of 16 percent from fall of 2008.
"Almost everybody has double digit enrollment,” said John Morton, UH Community Colleges Vice President. “The biggest percentage increases are at Maui which is up about 26 percent and Kauai which is up about 20 percent.”
UH officials were forced to reallocate a million dollars to fund more community college classes, as unemployed adults headed back to school to fine tune their job skills.
The record enrollment within the entire UH system has also caused a surge in those seeking financial aid.
System wide 18,597 students filled out applications this fall compared to 16,586 last year, a surge of more than 12 percent.
On the first day of disbursement for the fall 2009 semester, the University of Hawaii System distributed over $27 million in financial aid to students at all ten campuses.
Dasenbrock said any Manoa student having a difficult time filling out their class schedule could find help at the Queen Liliuokalani Center for Student Services.
Students with a declared major should report to the Manoa Advising Center, while those who are undeclared could find assistance at the College of Arts and Sciences. Both offices are across the hall from each other inside the Liliuokalani building. Dasenbrock said help is also available via the internet.
“(Students) can do a degree plan online through something called STAR and it's one of the most advanced systems of any university in the country.”
Despite the tough economic times UH is moving forward with a resident tuition schedule that will increase costs at the Manoa campus by 24 percent by fall of 2011.
Currently an undergraduate resident attending Manoa full-time pays $3,384 for a regular semester. By 2011 tuition will increase to $4,200.
All told, the UH system is considered better off than public universities in Western states such as Arizona, California and Nevada.
In July state lawmakers in California slashed nearly $3 billion from the state's 110 community colleges, the 23 campus California State University and the 10 campus UC system.
The UC system raised student fees by 9 percent, while making about $300 million in cuts.
DeMott, the junior who transferred to UH Manoa from MiraCosta College in Northern San Diego said she has no regrets about her decision to come to Hawaii. “It's worst in California,” said 22 year old, when asked about the financial troubles at UH.
Andrew may be reached at ph. 368-7273.
