Chaminade University of Honolulu

University Communications & Marketing

PacWest Postpones Fall Sports Until 2021

Due to the concerns arising from all the challenges surrounding COVID-19, the PacWest Executive Board voted unanimously Thursday to postpone intercollegiate competition in PacWest fall sports until after January 1, 2021. PacWest fall sports include men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball. The action was taken due to rapidly changing information and guidelines from the NCAA, as well as the states, counties, and areas where the 11 PacWest institutions compete.

While this decision postpones fall 2020 sports competition, institutions will still be allowed to conduct organized team activities at their own discretion, including workouts, practices, strength and conditioning, and access to their athletic training staff, as local, county, and state guidelines permit. Options for moving fall sport schedules into the winter/spring are being developed and reviewed.

“Chaminade University and its partner institutions in the PacWest Conference did not make the decision to postpone the fall season lightly and understand it is very disappointing news to our student-athletes,” said Chaminade President Dr. Lynn Babington. “We know how important athletics are in the lives of our students and so we appreciate their continued resilience and flexibility as we navigate this crisis together.

“By delaying the upcoming PacWest season, we are making a difficult but appropriate choice that prioritizes the health and safety of our communities. Chaminade joins our conference partners in looking ahead to the resumption of competition soon.”

“This was not an easy decision for the PacWest Executive Board,” said Chaminade Director of Athletics Dr. Tom Buning. “However, the main concern was keeping our student-athletes safe with so much uncertainty that COVID-19 has created. While we are saddened that we can’t see our fall sport student-athletes suit up, we look forward to having them return to competition in the new year.

“With the decision to delay fall sports, our student-athletes have the chance to ensure a strong start to the academic year,” he continued. “I share our coaches’ optimism that this is a unique occasion to emphasize strength and conditioning, individual and team skills, and building team camaraderie. To ensure that we provide the best possible experience for our Silversword student-athletes, we can tailor our preseason preparation to ensure that our teams are exceptionally prepared to compete when their season starts.” A decision on the start of the 2020-21 winter sports season, as well as the non-championship segments of spring sports, is expected to be made by October 1.

Important Travel Update for Out-Of-State Students

Following discussions with Chaminade University and other institutions of higher learning in Hawaii, Governor David Ige has announced special modifications to the State’s 14-day quarantine for out-of-state college students registered for classes this fall.

The modifications, coupled with strong safety protocols, are meant to protect the broader community while recognizing the importance of student participation in their own learning―and in university activities at the beginning of term.

“At Chaminade, we have worked hard to institute a host of protocols aimed at protecting our campus and community from the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Lynn Babington, Chaminade president. “These quarantine modifications balance the needs of our incoming out-of-state students with the appropriate safety concerns of the Ige administration, and we are happy to offer them to our students this fall.”

Details of the modified quarantine for out-of-state students have just been finalized and include allowing out-of-state students who have tested negative for COVID-19 to adhere to a “bubble” quarantine within the university community―releasing them to participate in classes and safe university-sanctioned activities―rather than a strict lockdown. When students in the “bubble” quarantine program are not participating in university activities, they must remain in their places of residence.

No family members will be eligible for “bubble” quarantine modifications. This means that family members traveling with the student will need to adhere to the State’s mandatory 14-day quarantine.

This program, exclusively for university students in Hawaii, will work in parallel with the State’s mandates for face coverings and social distancing. It is also coupled with the university’s existing daily health screenings and evolving guidelines to protect our campus community.

There are three scenarios for the modified quarantine. Please understand this continues to be a dynamic situation, and parameters from State leadership are continually evolving. The university will continue to communicate the latest updates via email and on the COVID-19 section of the university website.

  • Category A (STRONGLY RECOMMENDED): Student has obtained a negative result for pre-travel COVID-19 test taken with 72 hours of travel to Hawaii. All students in this category will be required to provide a written attestation to several health- and exposure-related questions. Students who return a positive test result must contact the university for additional assistance and full quarantine procedures. (The COVID-19 test must be a nucleic acid amplification test or NAAT test conducted at a CLIA-certified laboratory per the State of Hawaii’s mandate.)
  • Category B: Student is awaiting COVID-19 test result (after arrival in Hawaii). Students in this category will report directly to their intended place of residence and enter the State’s 14-day mandatory quarantine. A negative result (during the 14-day quarantine) will allow students to break quarantine to attend university events with proof of University Modified Quarantine Approval. Students who return a positive result will be assisted by the university with full quarantine procedures and requested health-related support.     
  • Category C: Student does not have State-approved COVID-19 testing available in their area (outside the State of Hawaii). Please email [email protected] immediately for support and further assistance with possible testing options in your area.

STUDENTS: Please complete this form today to express your interest in qualifying for this modified quarantine program.

The announcement of the quarantine modifications for out-of-state students comes as Chaminade prepares to welcome undergraduate students to campus on August 24.

As part of safely reopening campus, the university’s COVID-19 task force has re-spaced learning areas and classrooms to ensure social distancing guidelines can be followed. Signage is also posted across campus to remind everyone of the importance of face coverings, maintaining a six-foot distance from others and regularly washing hands. In addition, the university is conducting regular health screenings and has installed contactless temperature stations throughout campus.

For the latest on Chaminade’s coronavirus response, go to chaminade.edu/coronavirus.
For questions concerning the modified quarantine program, please contact Stari Nakano, Assistant to the Dean of Students, at 808-735-4710 or [email protected].

Dr. Thomas Buning Named Chaminade’s Athletic Director

Following an extensive nationwide search, Chaminade University is proud to introduce Dr. Thomas Buning as its new athletic director.

Dr. Thomas Buning

Buning previously served as senior associate director of athletics at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and brings more than two decades of experience in NCAA Division I and Division II athletics.

He also brings a passion for the job—and for the Marianist values Chaminade instills in students.

Buning is excited to hit the ground running—understanding the unique needs of Chaminade’s athletics program, today and into the future. He steps into the role at a pivotal time for Silversword athletics and as the university continues to look for new ways to support our student-athletes.

With his personable leadership style, Buning will head up a program with 10 NCAA men’s and women’s athletic teams and over 140 student-athletes, building new strategic direction in concert with the university’s priorities.

His business acumen and strong managerial background make him uniquely positioned to focus on fundraising and long-term budget planning for the athletics program.

Buning recently completed his Doctor of Education in Leadership of Higher Education at Southern Methodist University, where he also earned a Master of Business Administration.

He also has a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the US Military Academy West Point.

At Southern Methodist University, Buning helped lead an athletic program with 150 staff and coaches and an annual budget for $55 million.

Previously, he served as director of athletics at University of North Dakota.

Before joining Chaminade, Buning was a senior partner and managing director at a privately held mergers and acquisitions business brokerage services advisory firm.

While he excelled at the work, Buning said it made him realize his real passion is in athletics.

Buning is set to start at Chaminade in July. Please join us in welcoming him onboard!

Welcome to the New Normal

Spanish Mission architecture. Large expanses of green. Blooming bougainvillea.

Classroom set up per COVID-19 guidelines

At first glance, Chaminade doesn’t appear to have changed much in the last several months. But a closer look reveals a myriad of upgrades—all aimed at keeping people safe.

In classrooms and other shared spaces, seating is kept 6 feet apart and markings on the floor offer a guide for how to space out. Signage posted all over campus reminds everyone to wear a mask and practice social distancing. At strategic locations, you’ll find sanitation stations and no-contact thermometers. And Chaminade’s maintenance team is busy throughout the day, keeping high-traffic areas and frequent touchpoints sanitized and well-cleaned.

Contactless temperature station

It’s all part of the university’s commitment to ensuring a safe and healthy environment for everyone—and is thanks to a large team of Chaminade faculty and staff who worked tirelessly to develop and execute a campus reopening plan that put a priority on community wellbeing.

The university has already taken some major steps in that plan.

Like most campuses around the country and in Hawaii, Chaminade went fully to online instruction in March amid “stay-at-home” orders and a push to flatten the coronavirus infection curve. Shortly after closing campus, however, Chaminade got to work to craft a strategy—and a timeline—for safely welcoming people back.

Health screening checkpoint

Staff returned first—in June. Then, on July 6, in-person graduate instruction resumed. Undergraduate and Doctor of Clinical Psychology students come back to campus for the fall Aug. 24.

A COVID-19 task force was convened to gather data-informed safety protocols locally and nationally, determine what needed to be done—and then figure out how to do it. They tackled a host of projects in a short period, including a campus-wide effort to reconfigure classrooms, residence halls and common areas to accommodate social distancing requirements.

COVID-19 signage

The university also focused on other areas, including by posting bold signage with health reminders and communicating regularly with members of the Chaminade ‘ohana to keep them up to date with what was going on. The appeal to everyone: when you’re on campus, you’ll need to do your part to keep it safe by wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.

As more people have returned, it’s a message that has resonated across a university community that prides itself on a mission of service to others. Everyone understands they share the responsibility of creating a safe campus and that their actions protect not only themselves but other members of the Silversword ‘ohana—and their family members and friends, too.

Dr. William Rhey Named Dean

After an extensive search, Chaminade is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. William Rhey as the University’s new Dean of the School of Business and Communication.

Dr. William Rhey, dean of the School of Business and Communication

Rhey comes to Chaminade with years of experience in university leadership roles, including most recently as the Dean of Hawaii Pacific University’s College of Business.

In addition to an impressive resume and a history of fostering development and growth at business schools, Rhey also brings a strong enthusiasm and belief in Chaminade’s strong public service mission.

He is especially passionate about the role of ethics in business development and entrepreneurship.

Rhey takes on this new challenge as the state faces an uncertain economic future. Chaminade looks forward to the School of Business and Communication serving as a hub of expertise and solutions as Hawaii looks to diversify its economy and bolster new and emerging growth areas.

In his new role, Rhey also hopes to explore opportunities for growing the School of Business and Communication in ways that meet community needs, including by offering new graduate programs and tracks, micro-credential and certificate programs, and other continued learning opportunities.

Rhey’s scholarly pursuits include entrepreneurship, business ethics, and international marketing.

He received his doctoral degree in Marketing at the University of Mississippi, and has master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration from Baylor University and Bucknell University, respectively.

Rhey is also proud to volunteer his time at several organizations that serve the community, including the Hawaiian Council for Economic Education and the Metro Honolulu Rotary Board.

Chaminade looks forward to Rhey’s leadership at the Dean of the School of Business and Communication, and welcomed him to campus on July 1.

Pivoting During a Pandemic

In early March, Alyssa Nagai was living a good life. The 2015 Chaminade alumna would work her nursing shifts at Maui Memorial Medical Center, and always enjoyed coming home to her little dog who would jump on her as soon as she walked through the door. She loved living on Maui, and it was an easy and short flight to see her family back home in Oahu.

She felt comfortable at her job. Her time at Chaminade had prepared her well, and had given her the skills and knowledge she needed to be successful.

But nothing could have prepared her for what came next.

Alyssa Nagai in her face mask

“The nursing and the schooling part of Chaminade definitely prepared me to be a nurse,” says Nagai. “But I don’t know if anyone was really ready for a pandemic to hit.”

When COVID-19 made its way to the Islands, overnight her days became longer and her job became a lot scarier.

Her hospital floor was quickly turned into a COVID unit, and chaos ensued. Policies and procedures kept changing—no one really knew what to expect or what to do. The disease was still so new and unpredictable. 

“It was really scary,” says Nagai. “I think every day, or sometimes every hour, things were changing when it came to PPE, or just everything. Policies kept changing and it was really frustrating.”

Her unit converted into a closed unit, meaning team members weren’t allowed to come and go from the floor. It also meant nurses were doing total care for their patients, without help from nurse aides and patient care specialists.

It made for really long, emotionally draining days.

“You see what people are going through, and it’s scary on their end too,” says Nagai. “It was hard emotionally, for everyone.”

Alyssa Nagai and her co-workers

It was particularly hard when she saw her coworkers fall ill. “We all kind of saw this coming, we knew that we had the risk of getting sick,” says Nagai. “But it’s scary because you see these people every day and you can’t really help it.”

It was also lonely. For Nagai, the hardest part was staying away from the people she loved and cared about.

“I’d be afraid to hang out with people, and I knew they were afraid to see me too, because no one knew if they had it.”

When she would return home from her shift, she’d immediately shower off and try to stay away from people as much as possible. “I’d try to shower before my little dog would jump on me,” recalls Nagai. “You just feel dirty coming out of there.”

Nagai felt good about what she was doing. She knew she was helping. But she wasn’t sure other people saw it that way. Fears and anxieties were high all around the Island. It didn’t help hearing stories of how people were treating other healthcare professionals, like the story she heard about a nurse who went to the grocery store and had things thrown at her.

Now that COVID numbers have begun to slow down in Hawaii, Nagai’s unit is mostly back to normal. “There are still some changes in place, like the break rooms are different. We can’t be around a bunch of people anymore.”

Nagai has a positive outlook on what the future brings. She’s hopeful there won’t be too much of a second wave, and she’s enjoying the new teamwork and collaboration that has come out of the hospital. Everyone seems to have a new perspective and appreciation for everyone else now.

“When we were doing total care for our patients, I gained a whole new perspective on what nurse aides do,” admits Nagai. “It feels really good to be back to normal (or the “new normal).”