Academic Record Updates
Students who are enrolled at another UH Campus this fall 2008 semester should submit the Academic Record Update form (www.uhwo.hawaii.edu/forms) to the UH West O‘ahu Office of Admissions to have their credits evaluated. No official transcript is required.

Students who are enrolled at a non UH college/university this fall 2008 semester should have their final official transcript sent directly to the UH West O‘ahu Office of Admissions to have their credits evaluated. Unofficial transcripts (e.g., issued to student, hand-carried transcripts, faxed materials, and student copies of transcripts or grade reports) will not be accepted as official.

Fall 2008 Grades
Grades for the fall 2008 semester will be available on the MyUH Portal beginning Friday, Dec. 26 at 12 p.m. If there is a discrepancy with your final grade, please contact the Registrar’s Office at 454-4700 within 10 calendar days of when the final grades are posted.

Students who receive an “I” or incomplete grade should contact the instructor to discuss what work must be completed to make up the incomplete. The deadline for instructors to submit a grade change is March 30. If a grade change is not submitted by this deadline, the “I” grade will convert to the letter grade assigned with the incomplete.

Diplomas and Official UHWO Transcripts
Students who need their official UH West O‘ahu transcript with fall 2008 grades and/or degree conferred should complete the Transcript Request Form (www.uhwo.hawaii.edu/forms) and submit it to the Student Services Office. Transcript requests for fall 2008 grades will be processed beginning Dec. 26. Transcript requests for conferral of a degree and/or certificate will be completed within 8-10 weeks after commencement.

Spring 2009 Pre-Registration Continues Through Jan. 2, 4 p.m.
All eligible currently enrolled classified students who have not yet pre-registered for the spring 2009 semester may still do so until Jan. 2 at 4 p.m. Regular registration begins Jan. 6 – 8. Registration is done online through the MyUH Portal http://myuhportal.hawaii.edu.

Students who pre-register for the spring 2009 semester between Nov. 19 – Jan. 2 must submit payment of tuition and fees by Friday, Jan. 2 at 4 p.m. HST. All students who have not made payment in full or signed up for the UH installment payment plan by this date will have their spring 2009 registration cancelled. Registration will not be cancelled for financial aid awardees. Students who have not yet received notice of a financial aid award, should check with the Financial Aid Office.

For more information regarding tuition payment deadline, schedule of classes, advising, etc., please view the spring 2009 Registration Bulletin.

MyUH Portal Online Registration System
Online registration via the MyUH Portal will not be available from Jan. 2 after 4 p.m. – Jan. 5. Registration services will re-open on Jan. 6 at 12:01a.m.

Attention Students: 'Laulima' Gets You Access to Academic Success
Laulima is the course management and collaborative resources tool supported for enhanced/total online teaching and collaborative projects at the University of Hawai‘i. Will it affect you as a UH West O‘ahu student? Yes!

Laulima is used to deliver online courses at UH West O‘ahu. Hybrid courses and those delivered over Interactive TV (ITV) may also include Laulima as an online component of the course. In addition, more instructors are choosing to use Laulima tools to enhance in-person courses.

About a week before the spring semester begins, you will be able to log in to Laulima using your UH username and password at https://laulima.hawaii.edu.
Online tutorials and information are available at http://uhwo.hawaii.edu/dltutorials and http://www.hawaii.edu/talent/laulima_students.htm. The computer requirements for online or hybrid courses at UH West O‘ahu can be viewed at http://www.uhwo.hawaii.edu/pdfs/dl/compreqs.tutorial.pdf.  

For Laulima technical support, contact Linda Maeno at linda@hawaii.edu or (808) 454-4785. You may also request help while in Laulima by clicking the “Request Assistance” link at the very bottom of every Laulima page.

Call for Proposals Addressing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersexed (LGBTI ) Topics
The Presidential Commission on LGBTI Equity is now accepting abstracts of completed or proposed research on LGBTI topics or related areas for Say the Word: The Annual System-wide Conference, April 3-5, 2009. The conference will feature LGBTI topics in an academic setting for students, faculty, and the community. The abstract for proposed research on LGBTI topics should include the research objectives, proposed methodology, and a discussion of expected outcomes.

Accepting academic research, student papers, case studies, work-in-progress reports or proposals for future research, reports on issues related to teaching, poster sessions, panel sessions, creative and performing arts presentations. This may include visual, dance, drama, theatre, fashion, poetry, creative fiction, personal essay, and performance art relating to LGBTI topics.

Please email Word, RDF, or PRF documents to the Chairs of the Research Committee Dr. Jeanne Marie Iorio at iorio@hawaii.edu or Dr. Andy Reilly at areilly@hawaii.edu with the following information by Jan. 30:
• Name
• Affiliation
• Contact information
• Outline or abstract
• Needs (e.g., multimedia, performance space)

Calling all writers!
The Writing and Learning Center will publish a “Tales of Academic Survival” booklet featuring essays about the road to college success. Tell us your story about:
• an experience that made you a better student
• a person who helped you master a skill
• a strategy that helped you survive (or any advice for newcomers)

Send manuscripts (1,000-word maximum, typed, double-spaced) to the Writing and Learning Center, B-108, uhwowc@hawaii.edu, or call 454-4794 for more information. Illustration submissions (black/white drawings or other graphics) will also be accepted. Submission deadline is Friday, Jan. 30.

Funded by a Diversity and Equity Initiative Grant, Office of Student Equity, Excellence, and Diversity.

West Press Deadline, Jan. 12
All students, faculty and staff are encouraged to send in submissions for the Feb. issue of the West Press. The submission deadline for story ideas including club events, recent publications, class projects and any UH West O‘ahu items of interest is Monday, Jan. 12. Please send all submissions and questions to westpress@uhwo.hawaii.edu.

Graduating Senior Exit Survey
Hey, graduating senior! Please send in your completed Graduating Senior Exit Surveys by Dec. 20. For questions, contact the Office of Assessment & Institutional Research at uhwoairo@hawaii.edu.

Accounting Club News
On Wednesday, Dec. 3, the Accounting Club enjoyed a successful fundraiser! A special mahalo goes out to all the members that sacrificed their time to sell tickets, deliver donuts and volunteer to help with the pick-up table.

The club will host its end of the semester dinner on Dec. 20 at Dave & Busters. Members will enjoy some relaxation and fun after a long productive semester. Congratulations and thanks to all graduating students and active members for their support!

Join the new Investing Club!
Did you ever wonder exactly what is the DOW or NASDAQ? Curious about stocks, bonds and the credit market? Do you want to learn a little more about the stock market? Well here is a great chance for you learn about methods and strategies used in the stock market. Beginning spring 2009, UH West O‘ahu will have its very own Investing Club. All students are encouraged to come out and see what the hype is about. Please contact Dr. Eun Ahn at euna@hawaii.edu or Investing Club President Carlo Soogrim at soogrim@hawaii.edu for more information.

Join the JAH Club!
UH West O‘ahu students can enroll to become a member of the Justice, Public and Health Administration Club (JAH Club). All majors are welcome! Students are invited to attend JAH Club meetings and sign up for membership. We will discuss upcoming events, career opportunities and talk story. Refreshments will be served. Fees are $8 for membership, $15 for a JAH Club T-shirt and $20 for membership and T-shirt. Contact JAH Club President Kehau Deboma at deboma@hawaii.edu for more information.

UH West O‘ahu's Sociology and Anthropology Clubs Send Mahalo!
The Sociology Club and Anthropology Club thank all those who contributed non-perishable food items to our annual Food Drive for Maililand Transitional Housing Project. Leianne Nagum, Malia Love, and Drs. Nishigaya and Chinen took the collection out to Maililand on Friday, and received a warm mahalo from the Maililand staff. Mahalo for your much-appreciated contributions this year, and we hope we can count on you again next year. Happy Holidays!

Congratulations to the UH West O‘ahu fall 2008 graduates!
Tonight’s commencement ceremony will be held at the Leeward Community College Theatre at 6:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. to ticket holders and promptly close when the ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. Latecomers and those without tickets may view the live ceremony from an outdoor screen. Graduates are expected to greet friends and family members outside of the theatre at 7:30 p.m.

Library Building Closed During Winter Break
Due to ongoing renovations, the library building will be closed during winter break, Dec. 20 – Jan. 11.
 
Call 455-0497 or email uhwolib@hawaii.edu for

• Research assistance
• Math/Statistics pre-test appointments
• Book returns or payment of fines

Regular hours will resume on Monday, Jan. 12.

Last Career Services Update
Happy Holidays to all! UH West O‘ahu Career Services will no longer be staffed but students can access handouts on majors, practicums, job or graduate school search, resumes and interviews, and more at the Career Resources website at http://www.uhwo.hawaii.edu/career2.

Take time to explore the direction you want to go with your major. Talk to academic advisors and faculty, conduct informational interviews with people in your field of interest, get experience in your field through a service-learning option in a class or an internship, and take advantage of the handouts at the website as you prepare for the workforce or graduate school. Enjoy your break and best wishes for the year ahead.

Pam Haight
Career Services Specialist

Want to work for Target?
See yourself in red! Attend the Target Job Fair, Dec. 18 – 21 at the Hawaii Convention Center from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Apply at www.target.com/careers (click on hourly positions in stores). Salt Lake and Kapolei stores opening in March.

Got financial aid?
If you have already been awarded for the spring 2009 semester, your spring registration will be held based on your award and you will not be subject to the Jan. 2 payment deadline. If you do not have financial aid, you may still apply for spring 2009 by completing the 2008-2009 FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. For assistance, call 454-4700 or send an email to finaid@uhwo.hawaii.edu.

New scholarships posted! Check out the latest scholarship information at www.uhwo.hawaii.edu/scholarship and view our online "Scholarship Bulletin Board."