Beginning Saturday, the University of Hawai'i-Manoa kicks off its centennial anniversary. Honoring the institution's past is surely a major part of the event, but the plans for the university's future deserve their share of the attention.

Outlining an ambitious set of goals during a recent editorial board meeting, UH-Manoa Chancellor Denise Konan made it clear that the university is working to become more involved in the community, and will have a strong focus on student success and support for faculty excellence.

Topping the list is creating an engaged campus community, where students can both learn and live on campus. This means increasing student housing and creating 24-hour facilities, such as a revamped student center that will include a fitness center, meeting rooms, study areas and food service. The university will also be creating more opportunities for students to study abroad, thanks in part to an anonymous gift of $750,000.

These promising ideas could help shed the university of its commuter-campus reputation and offer students a true college experience — one that many thought they could only find on the Mainland.

The most encouraging, and long-overdue, ideas center on community involvement. As the only state-run university here, UH should be a vital and vibrant part of the community fabric.

Konan plans to bring more UH faculty members out into the community, as project volunteers and guest speakers. That's a good start.

These changes, among others, will go a long way toward attracting and retaining students and faculty members, as well as creating a competitive, international university.

Now that's a fitting way to honor 100 years in a community.