The University of Hawaiʻi is entering the final stage of a multi-year effort to create a unified, fully articulated general education curriculum across the 10 campuses, a reform aimed at improving transfer, reducing barriers and enhancing student success. UH President Wendy Hensel updated the UH BOR on the initiative at its October 16 monthly meeting held at Honolulu Community College. The BOR passed a resolution on May 15 calling for a fully articulated general education program.
The initiative, which started five years ago, is an attempt to respond to longstanding challenges that have hindered seamless student movement between campuses. While about 50% of UH Community College students consistently express an intent to earn a bachelor’s degree, actual transfer rates remain significantly lower. Issues such as inconsistent course designations, varying credit requirements and differing course names and numbering systems across campuses often result in credit loss, confusion and extended time to degree.
Ensuring collaboration and student focus
“The goal is to ensure that everyone is part of this conversation, and that we’re doing it in a way that preserves respect for each campus while recognizing that, at the heart of this discussion, are the students we serve,” said Hensel. “We asked the campuses to submit faculty nominees to participate in the process.”
A newly formed General Education Conference Committee, with representatives from all campuses, convened on October 10. Its charge is to recommend a single, student-centered curriculum that enables junior standing upon transfer and is easily understood by students and advisors. The committee’s work will center on resolving the proposals under consideration over the last five years. The committee will also clarify terms and requirements, standardize credits and review areas such as oral communication, diversification and Hawaiʻi and global/multicultural components.
Faculty-driven process and next steps
“I shared this with the committee, and I think it’s a really important message from the very beginning, faculty are in the driver’s seat,” said Hensel. “They are at the table and will be close partners as we move through this process. But no single individual, campus or faculty member will control the outcome. We will reach a consensus and bring a recommendation to you.”
The timeline calls for a first draft by mid-December 2025, followed by systemwide faculty consultation from January to March 2026, with a final proposal presented for BOR consideration in May 2026. Implementation is targeted for fall 2026.