Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 3, 1 March 1992 — Tuition waiver for Hawaiians before legislature [ARTICLE]

Tuition waiver for Hawaiians before legislature

One of Operation Kua'ana's main projects is lobbying the legislature to approve a bill that would provide a full tuition waiver to all students of Hawaiian ancestry. Operation Kua'ana is a student services support program at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, whose goal is to encourage students of Hawaiian ancestry to perpetuate the excellence of their kupuna by continuing their education at UHM. Last November, Sen. Mike McCartney, chairman of the Education Committee of the state Senate, spoke about tuition waivers with over 50 Hawaiians students on the Manoa campus. Senator McCartney stated that Hawaiians must

act now and not wait for the hearings to begin testifying in support of the bill. In order for the bill to pass Hawaiians have to take the responsibility to educate the senators and representatives. According to McCartney, this education should take the form of writing letters and meeting with the 78 senators and representatives. Everyone's help is needed. The most all-inclusive bill introduced to the Senate was Senate Bill 3122 signed by Senate President Richard Wong. This bill states that "all Hawaiians who request a tuition waiver and who meet the minimum academic requirements for attendance at the university shall be

granted a full tuition waiver at the college of their ehoiee within the university system." House Bill 3183 is the eompanion bill in the House of Representatives. Everyone is asked to contact (by phone, letter, and personal appointment) their district senators and representatives to support these bills. People are also needed to attend hearings or give testimony. Approval or disapproval of this bill affects al! Hawaiians. Write letters for the entire Hawaiian nation, and tell friends and family the same. For more information, eall Operation Kua'ana at 956-2644.