UH Hilo and DOE Probe Student Altercation at PacYES Conference

University and school officials implement new safety protocols after PacYES conference violence

University of Hawaii at Hilo and state Department of Education administrators are implementing new security requirements and disciplinary measures following a violent altercation during a youth empowerment conference on October 17. The incident, which took place during the 13th Annual Pacific Youth Empowerment for Success (PacYES) Conference, resulted in a police investigation into second-degree assault and the arrest of a 17-year-old minor on harassment charges, according to a report by the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

The conference was designed to inspire Pacific Islander teenagers to pursue higher education, professional careers, and community service. However, the event, co-sponsored by UH Hilo and Micronesians United-Big Island, ended in chaos in the parking area near the UH Hilo Performing Arts Center. The skirmishes erupted during the window between the scheduled dismissal of students and the arrival of their transport buses.

The fallout from the event has prompted a dual-track investigation by both university and school officials. While the Hawaii Police Department continues to look into allegations that multiple students pulled the hair of a 50-year-old female teacher, the Department of Education has confirmed that four students have already received disciplinary action. Because the participants were students from East Hawaii public schools—primarily of Micronesian descent—the investigations involve complex intersections of campus safety and student privacy laws.

Systemic failures and safety breakdowns reported by faculty

Tiffany Edwards Hunt, a Keaau Middle School teacher who chaperoned students at the event, characterized the incident as the result of “a sequence of systemic organizational failures, lack of oversight, and severe safety breakdowns.” In a letter addressed to school leadership and conference organizers, Hunt described a “mob-like environment” that included violent physical altercations and injuries to staff.

The tension reportedly began well before the physical fights in the parking lot. Hunt noted that during a screening of the documentary Remathau: People of the Ocean, unsupervised students engaged in disruptive behavior and heckled speakers. She reported that one student directed a profane slur at the head of Micronesians United-Big Island, and another shouted, “Should we be proud to be Micronesian now?” following the film’s conclusion.

The social friction at the event touches on long-standing discussions regarding the treatment of Micronesian communities in the islands. Jonathan Okamura, a professor emeritus of ethnic studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, has previously highlighted these tensions in his research and public commentary.

“Based on our research and other studies, I consider Micronesians the most racially oppressed and denigrated group in Hawaii,” Okamura wrote in a 2023 Civil Beat opinion piece.

This context adds a layer of complexity to the investigation, as officials work to determine if the physical altercations were purely behavioral or influenced by the broader social dynamics described by researchers like Okamura.

New requirements for campus event organizers

In response to the unrest, UH Hilo is changing how it manages large-scale gatherings on its campus. Kalei Rapoza, the university’s vice chancellor for administrative affairs, stated that the administration has followed up with the PacYES planning committee to ensure a repeat of the October 17 incident does not occur.

Moving forward, the university will increase the requirements for all facilities users, mandating that those hosting large events have specific security measures in place. This shift suggests a move toward more rigorous oversight for third-party organizations utilizing university space for student programming.

The Department of Education is also coordinating with participating schools to refine event protocols. While DOE spokesman Andrew Inoshita noted that specific details regarding student discipline remain confidential due to privacy restrictions, he confirmed that participating schools will work closely with event coordinators to prevent future occurrences.

As the police investigation into the second-degree assault remains open, authorities have not yet named any additional suspects. Hawaii Police Department spokeswoman Denise Laitinen confirmed in late October that while a teenager was arrested for harassment, no further arrests have been made in connection with the assault investigation, and it remains unclear if all parties involved in the skirmishes were official participants in the conference.