1. Governance of Public Owned Facilities or Shared Assets

As of August 2021, the University of Hawai‘i has taken on the lead in the coordination of all state broadband initiatives funded by federal programs supporting states. This is a collaborative coordination role intended to maximize the benefits to the state by ensuring program diversity and inclusive coverage for all residents across the islands, and to make strategic investment decisions based on the principles of robust, reliable, affordable and meaningful broadband access.

Currently, the Department of Budget and Finance manages the receipt of federal funds for broadband investment in the state as the eligible entity or awardee of the funds. An open question that must be resolved is to identify the appropriate public entity that will hold the purchased or constructed broadband assets resulting from the investment of federal funds. As lead coordinator, the University of Hawai‘i recognizes that proper coordination and governance of assets is necessary to protect larger investment, and is part of the working group that will develop recommendations on the best strategy to adopt. Ultimately, the University of Hawai‘i provides final recommendations to the Governor’s executive committee, for the Governor’s decision making and guidance. This task will be updated through the Summer and Fall of 2022 as grant and project plans are further developed to address the strategic investment principles of this framework.