Survey says UH
a top value

Some dispute findings of the
survey that say the campus
dorms are "like dungeons"

The University of Hawaii at Manoa might have "dorms like dungeons," and "long lines and red tape," but it is still one of America's best value colleges, according to the Princeton Review, which publishes annual guides to colleges and universities.

UH-Manoa ranked second in the "dorms like dungeons" category, sixth in "long lines and red tape" and "professors make themselves scarce," seventh in "least happy students," and 12th in "professors get low marks."

It is a first mention for UH-Manoa in the dubious dorm category.

Some UH-Manoa students said even though the dorms are in need of maintenance and repair, life in the residence halls is really not that bad.

"We don't have closet doors but it's OK," said freshman dorm resident Ryan Nakamitsu.

"It's better than everyone said," said Kalina Kama, another freshman who lives in the dorms. "They're good enough, I guess."

Apparently more students are unhappy in this year's survey than last year, when UH-Manoa ranked 17th in the "least happy students" category.

But the university improved in two categories over last year when the university was second in "professors make themselves scare" -- meaning students surveyed thought too many classes were taught by graduate assistants, and ninth in "long lines and red tape."

"I give it an I (incomplete) in red tape," said Associated Students of the University of Hawaii student senator Katie Barry. "There's definitely red tape at the university."

UH-Manoa also dropped off the top 20 in the "class discussions rare" category, which surveyed students on the ratio of discussion vs. lectures in class and in the "students (almost) never study" category, where the university ranked sixth last year.

Some comments from students posted online at the Princeton Review Web site are: "Some tell us that Hawaii is half and half, half 'study nonstop' and half 'don't know what studying means.' Others, however, feel that 'while there's a handful of students who have ambitious career objectives are focused on studying, the typical student is focused mainly on the beach or going to the clubs.'"

The Princeton Review's rankings are based on surveys of 110,000 students at 361 colleges and rates schools in 62 categories.

In another Princeton Review publication, UH-Manoa was also rated as one of 81 "Best Value Colleges."

That could be part of the problem, said Kelly Aune, interim assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at UH-Manoa, noting that enrollment at Manoa jumped by 3,000 students without a corresponding budget increase.

"We got caught with our pants down," Aune said, and long lines for financial aid and classes were the result.

Neal Smastrek, vice chancellor for academic affairs, said the university learned from the experience and installed new computer software that enables them to track demand and add classes.

The financial aid office was also reorganized so that lines were cut down significantly, he said.

"It was easy. It was fast," said freshman Shane Sato, about his experience registering for classes online.

When the surveys are done for next year's book, Smastrek said he is hopeful UH-Manoa will get better reviews.

"Students read them (Princeton Review books) all over the country, and I think it's a shame that a handful of students interviewed here haven't perceived they've had a better experience," Smastrek said. "We want a place that people are proud of."