Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 7, 1 July 2007 — Achieving the Dream [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Achieving the Dream

Aloha kākou. Over the past 20 years, the University of Hawai'i Community Colleges (UHCC) have done great work on increasing the number of Native Hawaiians enrolled in their programs. Native Hawaiians eomprise 22 percent of UHCC's total enrollment. While UH Community Colleges have been successful in getting more Native Hawaiian students through the door, they have been less successful in keeping these students in school long enough to graduate with a degree or certificate. In SY 2003-2004, the median successful turnover rate (continual enrollment) was 30 percent among Native Hawaiian students at all seven community eolleges. The median graduation rate was 14 percent among Native Hawaiian students as compared to 16 percent for nonHawaiians. The persistence and graduation rates of Native Hawaiians have not matched the success of the increased enrollment figures. To address these concerns, OHA trustees unanimously approved funding for the University of Hawai'i Community Colleges (UHCC) to participate in the national Achieving the Dream project aimed at improving the retention, persistence and success rates of Native Hawaiians attending community eolleges. Through the UHCC, Hawai'i will join 15 other states to participate in the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Achieving the Dream demonstration project, whieh provides

participating colleges with support and strategies designed to help more students earn degrees, complete certificates or transfer to other institutions to continue their studies. We realize that Native Hawaiians face obstacles that impact their ability to obtain the financial, intellectual, professional and social benefits associated with earning a college degree. By partnering with UHCC through the Achieving the Dream demonstration project, we are committed to helping Native Hawaiian college students find success in the classroom and beyond. Achieving the Dream will emphasize the use of data to direct, change and close achievement gaps by developing institutional practices that enhanee the success rate of Native Hawaiian students within UHCC. A core team with Native Hawaiian representation from eaeh eollege and the system was convened to oversee and integrate the work of this initiative. UHCC will gauge the measurable improvement in the success rates of Native Hawaiian students after five years by documenting the percentage of students who successfully complete developmental courses and progress to credit-bearing courses; enroll in and successfully complete "gatekeeper" courses; complete the courses they take, with a "C" or higher grade; re-enroll from one semester to the next; and earn certificates and/or degrees. OHA will continue to advocate for broader access to education and training for Native Hawaiians. As more Native Hawaiians are able to stay in college and earn a degree, our lāhui, as a whole, will grow stronger and more successful. OHA supports your dream for a brighter future, and we encourage you to take advantage of the many educational opportunities available in Hawai'i. S

Cūlette Y. Machadū TrustEE, Mūlūka'i and Lāna'i