University of Hawaii braces for potential job losses, funding cuts
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The University of Hawaii (UH) is bracing for potential job losses and significant funding cuts following recent changes in federal policies.
UH President Wendy Hensel addressed these concerns during an open forum held today, where she discussed how the new federal directives could impact the university system's 10 campuses across the state.
Lawmakers drill UH President and Board on budget requests
The university operates on a budget of $1.3 billion, with $636 million coming from the state, $410 million from tuition, and $370 million from federal funding.
However, Hensel warned that with the new federal policies in place, as many as 2,500 jobs could be at risk. This represents a significant portion of the university's 16,000 employees.
In addition to potential job cuts, critical programs could be affected, including technical training at community colleges, initiatives serving Native Hawaiians, and biomedical research efforts.
Hensel emphasized that biomedical research, which often leads the way in drug development, vaccine creation, and disease prevention, is especially at risk.'We don't want to quantify what's going to happen with biomedical research, but clearly it's at risk,' Hensel said.
'Nobody predicted, that I know of, that we would be having this kind of conversation. This is the kind of research that's usually at the top of the list. But if the NIH cap going forward persists, it will have serious implications for our biomedical research.'
Biomedical research at UH includes critical work in testing new drugs, developing vaccines, and finding ways to prevent or cure diseases—efforts that could be severely hindered by the loss of federal funding.
Check out more news from around Hawaii
To provide ongoing updates and support during this uncertain time, UH has launched a 'Federal Policy Update Resource Page' to keep students, faculty, and staff informed about developments and to offer guidance on how to navigate the changes.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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