NMC accreditation in full swing

The whole college community stood by yesterday as the nine-member team from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges began its four-day evaluation of CNMI’s lone public postsecondary institution.

Prior to the formal visit, the Northern Marianas College administration oriented students, professors, administrators and staff on the series of activities scheduled to take place within the week, in efforts to ease the growing tension associated with the whole accreditation process.

NMC Accreditation Liaison Officer Dr. Barbara Moir appeased the college community by underscoring the principal goal of accreditation which is to ensure that NMC maintains high academic standards and services expected of an institution for higher learning.

“The team members are people from other colleges and universities. It’s like talking to a colleague who wants to help you rise above your weakest points through constructive recommendations,” Ms. Moir explained.

Accreditation, college officials said, is not required by law but is “voluntarily sought” by institutions in order to preserve and strengthen the provision of best services that students can benefit from.

The college added assessment and scrutiny by the large community of similar colleges which comprise WASC helps assure that NMC’s standards are of the highest degree.

The process of accreditation also facilitates the transfer of academic credits between NMC and other accredited schools, certifies the college for eligibility to receive federal funds, and facilitates licensure for certain professional practices such as nursing and teaching.

WASC representatives yesterday started a college-wide tour of NMC, conducting a series of dialogues and interviews with department heads, faculty and students on the college’s different programs and services.

Today, visiting officials will resume their week-long scrutiny of the college based on a 320-page self-study which NMC had developed for the past year and a half.

Commission representatives will conduct a thorough assessment of the college’s standards on the qualification of its staff members, NMC’s learning resources, and the existing curriculum of instruction.

College officials expressed optimism NMC stands a chance in securing another full accreditation as well as gain permission to offer a four-year baccalaureate degree in Elementary Education.

All eyes are on NMC as it undergoes a two-fold accreditation process unique for an institution of its size. NMC is the first community college in the whole western region to apply for a license to offer a four-year degree program as a two-year accredited institution.

Under the present setup, the college is only authorized to offer 100 to 300 level courses in Education and students are required to complete their 400 level courses under the University of Guam’s program.

“There are only a few other mainland institutions that have applied to do this. This is our first big push. We’ll break ground. We will be pioneers in the whole western region,” said Ms. Moir.

NMC, which has been accredited by the WASC Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior College, will also be undergoing simultaneous accreditation under the Senior Colleges Commission, convinced of its readiness to produce home-grown teachers.

“This vision to create a four-year program really came from our former president Agnes McPhetres. She had the vision of a two-year institution, offering a 4 year degree program. Looking back, this plan reflects the main purpose of NMC from the very beginning…in 1981 when NMC was founded to primarily serve as a teacher training institution,” said School of Education Dean Mr. Chas Algaier.