Transferring to University of Hawaii at Manoa

[newUHprof]

Originally Posted by SacGrown

Do you have any advice about the school for an English major? What do you teach? What do you like about the school? What don't you like about the school? Would you recommend it?

I'm in the hard sciences, so not much help to an English major. I don't think I've even met anyone from the English department. But it looks like you have lots of info in the post above. One comment: the dorms are much better now. The new dorm, Frear Hall, is supposed to be quite nice. Others are being upgraded each year. And I second the recommendation to look carefully at what will transfer, and what additional requirements you'll have to fulfill.

What I like about the school is probably not relevant to a prospective student. What I like has a lot to do with the research emphasis of the school, and is pretty irrelevant to most undergrads.

What I don't like: Huge problems due to the economic crisis and budget slashing by the state government. Classes doubled in size (so your data about the class size might be old, unless English didn't have the same problems as every single science department). Faculty & staff who left weren't replaced, so we're grossly understaffed. The state approves money for athletic facilities but not for upgrading the academic facilities (some of which are quite literally condemned) or hiring faculty. The university closes down completely (including libraries & food service) when classes aren't in session, but that's when profs do most of their research work. (The closures are a new policy to save money on utilities, and not at all standard in academia.)

What I don't like probably boils down to: it's a large state school in the midst of a crushing budget crisis. If I ever leave, I will definitely go to a private school rather than public.

Would I recommend it? Probably not, honestly. Though I felt much more strongly about this a year ago, but things are still pretty bad. Students have a hard time getting the classes they need to graduate either because they're not offered or they're full. Also, it seems like my students work really hard to make ends meet, and don't get to dedicate enough time to their studies. Better to go somewhere with a lower cost of living and not work two jobs, unless UHM offers something you really can't get at another school (like, say, Hawaiian Studies).