Aloha UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ ʻohana,
Happy new year and welcome back to campus! I hope you all enjoyed the winter break and are re-energized for the start of the spring 2026 semester.
It is an exciting time to be at UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ as we strengthen our standing as a distinguished teaching and world-class research university rooted in our commitment to be a Native Hawaiian Place of Learning and to our unique role in the Pacific. As the flagship campus of the University of Â鶹´«Ã½, we offer a unique blend of experiences, opportunities, and learning environments in scholarship, research, innovation, and a true sense of place that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
We are a remarkable institution and a true destination of choice. A fact that was recently reaffirmed by the 2025 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects that placed UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ in the top 12 nationally in oceanography, atmospheric sciences, and tourism management, in addition to posting strong rankings nationally and internationally across the sciences and in engineering.
As higher education institutions across the nation continue to face unprecedented challenges, it is important for UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹ to “stay the course” by remaining not only strong, but by also being resilient and agile. To assist us with this task, I have brought on Professor Margaret Anne McManus as our inaugural chief academic advancement officer, and Professor Rob Wright as the new interim vice provost for research and scholarship. Together, they will collaboratively work with our schools, colleges, and departments to further strengthen UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹’s research and academics, through new philanthropic initiatives and capacity.
Our students are the lifeblood of what we do. Their successes are our successes and we must continue to provide them with the education, tools, and services necessary to help them achieve their goals and dreams. Together with our team of dedicated faculty, staff, and administrators, I look forward to hearing about all the new discoveries, achievements, and partnerships that we have in store for spring 2026 at UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹.
With aloha,
Vassilis L. Syrmos
Interim Provost, UH ²Ñ¨¡²Ô´Ç²¹