On October 11, 2019, the Faculty at Hawaii Community College hosted a Faculty Meetup with about 35 people attending. Held at a rented beach house overlooking Hilo Bay, the meetup featured “really good food”, a little bit of swimming and apparently was an overall good time.

Hawaii CC holds faculty meetups “at least twice a semester” with a gala Spring dinner at the Hilo Yacht Club in May. The faculty meetups are organized by UHPA Reps and other members.

Ashley Maynard, UHPA president, commented on the event, “Hawaii Community College has clearly set the standard for all other campuses to follow. If the rest of the campuses and colleges can replicate something like this, our faculty would be immeasurably stronger and more unified in the pursuit of creating a better academic workplace for all”.

Sam Giordanengo, UHPA Board Member representing Hawaii Community College and part of the team that organized the meetup, said, “This is a good way for faculty to see each other outside of the college setting. We talk shop, talk family, and just get to know each other as people. Normally on campus we’re either in meetings and too busy doing our jobs to take time out of the day to connect. These Faculty Meetups allow us to just be friends, share food, and have fun together.”

Hawaii CC meetups have been going on for the past 5 years on a regular basis and were started by now-retired (but still working as a lecturer!) Joel Peralto who kicked off the idea for a special celebration at the time. The event was so successful that the faculty decided it shouldn’t be a one-time-only event, and they have been going on ever since.