HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	50
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the university of hawai i board of regents to consider renaming leeward community college to pu uloa community college.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, community colleges play a vital role in expanding access to higher education and providing pathways to opportunity, workforce development, and lifelong learning; and

 

     WHEREAS, strengthening campus identity can enhance student pride, recruitment, alumni engagement, and community connection; and

 

     WHEREAS, Pu uloa holds deep cultural and historical significance within the moku of  Ewa on the island of O ahu, including having the highest concentration of traditional loko i a, which sustained communities through food production, irrigation, and stewardship of natural resources; and

 

     WHEREAS, Pu uloa is also associated with important cultural traditions and mo olelo, including the guardian sharks Ka ahup hau and Kahi uka, and represents longevity, abundance, and resilience; and

 

     WHEREAS, Leeward Community College is situated within the historic and cultural region of Pu uloa, encompassing areas within Waiawa and Lualualei; and

 

     WHEREAS, Leeward Community College aspires to be a leading indigenous-serving community college dedicated to inclusion, innovation, and a strong Hawaiian sense of place; and

 

     WHEREAS, section 304A-105, Hawaii Revised Statutes, grants the University of Hawai i Board of Regents exclusive jurisdiction over the internal structure, management, and operation of the University; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the University of Hawai i Board of Regents is requested to consider renaming Leeward Community College to Pu uloa Community College to reflect the cultural and historical significance of the area and to strengthen the campus's identity and connection to place; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, in considering such action, the University of Hawai i Board of Regents is encouraged to consult with campus leadership, faculty, students, alumni, and community stakeholders; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the University of Hawai i Board of Regents, President of the University of Hawai i, and Chancellor of Leeward Community College.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Leeward Community College; Renaming; BOR