Hawaii Pacific University’s Bold Financial Moves Seem To Be Paying Off 0 The private university is emerging from the pandemic stronger than ever with rising enrollments and new programs.
In early 2020, even before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Hawaii Pacific University was at a crossroads.
Enrollment at Hawaii’s largest private university had plummeted more than 50% over the previous decade, and revenue had dropped steeply, leading to long-time salary freezes for faculty.
On top of that, HPU had made bold, risky moves, taking on a mountain of debt to lease and renovate the state-owned Aloha Tower Marketplace to build facilities for student housing, dining and activities, as well multipurpose rooms for classes and functions. It also moved many classrooms from downtown to Waterfront Plaza, a commercial center popularly called Restaurant Row.
