Urging The University Of Hawaii To Evaluate The Effectiveness Of The University Of Hawaii At Manoa Kokua Program And Disability Services Across The University System And Identify Areas For Improvement And Expansion.
Summary
H.R. 101 is a House Resolution urging the University of Hawaiʻi to review and assess the effectiveness of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Kokua Program and disability services across the University of Hawaiʻi System. The resolution frames the issue as part of the university’s obligation to provide accessible, inclusive, and supportive learning environments for students with disabilities and cites data suggesting that disability prevalence among college students is rising while registration with campus disability centers remains comparatively low.
The resolution also asks the UH Mānoa SEED program to conduct a study or survey on how to improve student outreach and awareness of disability supports. It specifically highlights several areas for review: simplifying the disability services registration process, speeding up faculty notification and classroom relocation, addressing long-term accessibility problems such as broken elevators, expanding accommodations for a broader range of disabilities, and creating a framework to address transportation, attendance, and basic-needs barriers. SEED is requested to report findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature before the 2027 Regular Session.
Impact
Because H.R. 101 is a resolution rather than a bill, it does not directly amend Hawaii statutes or create enforceable legal requirements. Its practical effect is to place legislative attention on disability access within the University of Hawaiʻi system and to encourage internal review, data collection, and potential policy or legislative follow-up. The resolution targets university programs and administrative practices, especially the Kokua Program, campus disability services, and student-success efforts at UH Mānoa.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is supportive and affirmative toward improving disability access and student inclusion. The measure is grounded in concern about unmet needs, under-registration for services, and barriers faced by students with disabilities, and it presents the requested study as a constructive step toward better support. No votes or committee transcripts were provided, so there is no recorded opposition or formal debate in the available materials.
Contention
The resolution itself identifies the main areas of concern: whether current disability services are effective, whether students are adequately informed about available support, and whether the university is responding quickly enough to accessibility problems such as delayed accommodations or broken elevators. Potential points of contention, if any arise in implementation, would likely involve the scope of recommended changes, resource needs, and how broadly the university should define disability-related accommodations, including transportation and basic-needs barriers. No specific opposing viewpoints are included in the available record.
Same As
Urging The University Of Hawaii To Evaluate The Effectiveness Of The University Of Hawaii At Manoa Kokua Program And Disability Services Across The University System And Identify Areas For Improvement And Expansion.