Performance art, concerts, "happenings" inaugurate weeklong kickoff for UH Manoa SPIKE-M

A joint initiative of the UH Manoa Chancellor‘s office, Manoa faculty and staff, and undergraduate and graduate students has created a weeklong schedule of performance art, concerts and other activities that aim to call attention to ongoing implementation of the UH Manoa Strategic Plan — Defining Our Destiny.

The program is being assembled by SPIKE-M — the Strategic Plan Implementation Kickoff Events-Manoa, and will include performances of hula and chant, the UH Manoa marching band and UH cheerleaders, lanterns and banners in place along the tree-lined McCarthy Mall at the center of the campus, a Chinese New Year‘s lion dance, puppet performances and much more.

"We want to make sure everyone on campus — and in the community at large — is aware that the Plan is alive and well, and that everyone effected — students, faculty and staff — know that they have an opportunity to contribute to the way it is put into action," said Mamo Kim, SPIKE-M coordinator for the office of Manoa Chancellor Peter Englert.

Englert has identified four target areas where plan implementation is focused this year — improving graduate education, making the Manoa campus a Hawaiian place of learning, improving student life on campus, and distance education and educational entrepreneurship. Forums on each of these topics will be scheduled through the semester so that campus issues get a thorough airing.

"Several hundred people from across the campus contributed a tremendous amount of creativity at the time the Plan was originally drafted," said Denise Konan, Manoa assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs. "Next week will create more opportunities for the campus to get involved in the process. We want to make sure just as much energy is directed to continuing the momentum and putting the plan in place."

For more information, visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/spikem