In their September 4 Question-and-Answer Forum, the Brigham Young University Hawaii President's Council fielded queries on topics including athletics versus academics, the new tuition deadline, the role of the sailing canoe Iosepa in the community, student employment hiring, the status of Honors and other programs, and the married student housing waiting list.
BYUH President Steven C. Wheelwright [pictured at upper left] started the 7 a.m. meeting in the Little Theater by pointing out the President's Council was scheduled to review the 2009 budget and submit it next week to the Board of Trustees. "Once that's approved, we'll be sharing more details of that," he said.
In response to questions on why business classes were being cancelled "yet we continue to fund sports teams," or why not hire more faculty instead, Vice President of Academics Dr. Max L. Checketts said, "We first have to recognize that there's a linkage with everything we do on campus, but sometimes we can't make a direct link. [However] the president has asked me to look at athletics...from top to bottom — budgets, policies, practices and outcomes. Then we'll be coming in with a number of proposals."
He also pointed out that the School of Business added a new faculty member this year, "and if we continue to have growth, we'll try our best to continue to add faculty where we can. Typically, the Board of Trustees expects us to have the growth first and then get the resources. They don't front-load resources and then say, we hope you grow."
He also said one of the discontinued classes was a small upper-division elective economics course "with five students, but there were 30 other students begging to have a lower econ class, so we did a transfer."
Asked why students had to pay tuition before the semester started, Michael B. Bliss, Vice President of Administrative Services, explained the new deadline was necessary to eliminate financial accountability problems and alleviate long lines. He added BYUH also reviewed how Church and other universities handle tuition issues before changing the deadline.
"It's taken care of so many problems. We were having some situations where students were finding ways to postpone tuition payments to the end of the semester, and then we were into a collection problem," Bliss said. "Paying tuition in advance makes sure students have the finances to go to school." He added students on scholarship and loans could also arrange to get their funds in advance of the deadline.
Asked what the role of the sailing canoe Iosepa in the community is, and if the vessel would be allowed to join the Hokulea canoe at Kahana Bay on September 20, President Wheelwright explained the Church Educational System Executive Committee and Board of Trustees previously agreed "the Iosepa would go into the water up to once a year. This sailing already happened this year... [while the invitation] came up late." But, he said, a Hawaiian Studies crew would likely join the Hokulea crew at the Kahana event.
"The canoe is, in fact, at the heart of our Hawaiian Studies program." He also said that program director "Uncle Bill" Wallace was teaching this semester after undergoing chemotherapy.
Checketts added, "We would like to provide easier access closer to the Iosepa [for example, use the gate closest to the canoe]. That's what we're working on."
Asked about confusion that recently arose over student hiring practice procedures, Debbie Hippolite Wright, Vice President of Student Development and Affairs, noted the number of stakeholders, legal regulations and new policies resulted in a crunch.
"In July we had five résumés loaded onto Y Careers [the online BYU-Hawaii Job Network], the first part of August we had another handful, but I understand we had 580 in the last two weeks. There's a lot going on," she said, pointing out her staff and others are evaluating the process, which is smoothing out.
"We are very committed in making all that goes on in student employment a part of the developmental process, so that students are better qualified, their résumés are sharp, and they know how to go through the process;" President Wheelwright added, "so that by the time they leave here, they're very employable and very attractive because of what they've learned how to do. We're still working on the training side of that, so we appreciate your patience, but we also want to know what the issues are."
Asked who's in charge of the convocation, the Honors Program, several of the institutes and centers on campus, Vice President Checketts noted there have been "lots of discussions" and reiterated BYU-Hawaii is waiting for the Board of Trustees to approve current organizational proposals before he can answer.
"But let me talk about some of the principles that will guide us," he continued: These include faculty generally serving on only one university-level committee or council — "but I already know of one exception"; and each college would manage one center or institute, but some may be managed at the university level."
"Our intent is very much to create a dialog with the people who are interested from the faculty, students and campus at large," Checketts said. "For example, I think for a center to be successful you really have to have someone, typically from the faculty, to champion it. Then, of course, the administration has to give support and a resource base to it."
In reference to married students applying for housing on campus, Hippolite Wright explained the present policy is designed to give current students an advantage. "In the past we have allowed returning and future students to apply, pay their money and get on the priority wait list; however, that disadvantaged our present students." During those times, for example, she said current students who got married while in school could not get into campus housing "because future students were ahead of them on the list... Current students were left without options, and so many of them left."
"Current students can make an application at any time and pay their $50 fee, whether they are engaged or not," she continued. "As soon as future and returning students are admitted to the university, they can apply but they will not go onto the wait list until their first day of class." Among these students, she added, those who pay their application fees first will get first priority on the housing list.
Among other questions submitted:
- Why can't the Bookstore let students know about required textbooks further in advance? "Typically, faculty know three-to-six months in advance what textbooks they're going to use," Vice President Checketts replied, noting he would ask the deans to see if the information can also be including in online syllabi. "Clearly, part of the reason they're asking the question is the students would like to go out and shop the Net and get cheaper books."
- Why do many of the new faculty members not have terminal degrees? Checketts pointed out that some of the recently hired faculty don't have terminal degrees, "but they have professional licensure — primarily in business, such as a CPA or Certified Financial Manager — who are either working on or will work on a doctorate degree." He added that hiring "great teaching faculty" would improve the quality of instruction faster than just hiring people with a terminal degree. "When we hire people with master's degrees, for example," he said, "part of their progress is they will have to agree to finish a doctorate to get out of the probationary period."
- Why were there changes in the last commencement? Checketts explained a graduation oversight committee recommended making the changes to shorten the program and put more emphasis on the graduates receiving their degrees.
- What is the status of allowing faculty to purchase their Moana Street homes? "The Board has asked us to submit a long-range plan, which we're currently working on. This is all part of that plan," President Wheelwright said. "We certainly hope that will go forward. The Board wants to make sure we have an overall plan that will solve our [housing] problems." He added the university is moving ahead with plans to sell the townhouses to faculty members.
The next President's Council Question-and-Answer Forum will be held on Friday, October 10, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Little Theater.
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:: The Q&A forum compilation of previous answers