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Sensory Room for Mānoa Faculty

Kuykendall 106 Events Room

Monday Walk-ins & Guided Tours: 9 am – 4 pm	Tuesday Guided Tours by reservation
January 26	January 27
February 2, 9, & 23	February 3, 10, & 24
March 3, 10, & 23, 30	March 4, 11, 24
April 6, 13, 20, 27	April 7, 14, 21, & 28
May 4	May 5

The Center on Disability Studies (CDS) and the OFDAS Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) have partnered to create a sensory room at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM), located in Kuykendall Hall 106. Sensory rooms—growing in popularity across schools, hospitals, and community centers—offer calming, controlled environments designed to support self-regulation and stress relief. With this initiative, UH Mānoa joins the 55% of its peer and benchmark institutions that now provide sensory-friendly spaces, reflecting a broader commitment to inclusive and supportive campus environments.

The room is open to faculty and staff for walk-in use on designated Mondays. Guided tours for classes are available by reservation for all faculty, instructors, and teaching assistants.

Funded by the UH Foundation and the Oak Foundation, the project includes a fully equipped 13-item sensory room and the CAMP+U professional development program for UHM faculty, administrators and staff. The free online course focuses on disability awareness, Universal Design for Learning, learner-centered educational technologies, and strategies for fostering classroom belonging and sensory integration.

“It felt calming overall. It was exciting to choose which station to interact with. It was inspiring as a parent and educator.”

FacultyCompany Name

“It was very peaceful and relaxing. I appreciated the low lighting and large space to move around and experience different spaces/items.”

FacultyCompany Name

“Unique experience. I’m wondering if my students will stop by on occasion if they need it… If this helps others, I’m glad it’s a resource available for them right here on campus.”

FacultyCompany Name

“The room was welcoming and relaxing. Each section provided a unique and different experience, and I enjoyed how they work on each sense.”

StudentCompany Name

“I feel as if I’m able to pause time and allow myself the ability to process the thousands of thoughts and voices in my normally chaotic mind, quieting it in the process. It’s such a relief.”

StudentCompany Name

“It was a really great place to turn off everything (mentally and physically) and just engage with the items provided.”

Student

“I sat down in the corner with the stars and auroras and became unable to leave that spot until the room closed. For those 30 minutes, I felt a calm I rarely experience.”

Student

2024-2025 Sensory Room Report