In this episode of Spotlight Now, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and University of Hawaiʻi President Wendy Hensel discuss the aftermath of Hurricane Lala and statewide recovery efforts.

Schatz shares details on the progress of damage assessments, the timeline for an anticipated federal disaster declaration, and his work on proposed digital safety bills, including a social media ban for children under 13.

Hensel outlines the university's priorities as the new academic year begins, including how campuses managed storm impacts, the university's strategy for navigating a $110 million drop in federal research funding, and the expansion of the "Direct2UH" automatic admission initiative.

She also addresses the university's transition into the Mountain West athletic conference, student housing challenges, and UH’s efforts to prepare for a projected "demographic cliff" in high school graduates.