NMC contests Eucon's 4-year college courses
The Northern Marianas College yesterday questioned the authority of a religious educational institution on Saipan to offer four-year college degree courses in the absence of a license from the NMC Board of Regents.
Due to its opening of four-year college programs this school year, Eucon International College is facing legal inquiry by the Attorney General’s Office following claims by the NMC Board of Regents that the religious institution has not obtained any license from the body.
The NMC Board of Regents cited a statutory provision under 3CMC, Division 1 which states that it has the sole authority to issue a license to operate a private or public post-secondary educational institution in the Northern Marianas.
The provision also guarantees that the NMC is to serve as the official coordination agency of the Commonwealth for all post-secondary education within the NMI, with power to license, limit and regulate any post-secondary educational activities offered by any public or private agency.
NMC President Jack Sablan is seriously looking at seeking the assistance of the Attorney General to determine whether or not Eucon International College has violated existing laws when it opened college degree programs sans the benefit of a license from the Board of Regents.
Stressing existing federal laws, Eucon International College president Christian H.S. Wei argued that only sectoral educational institutions are required to apply for a license to operate.
Dr. Wei stressed that Eucon International College is a religious educational institution, which makes it free to offer four-year college degree programs even without securing authority or permit from the NMC Board of Regents.
“Religious schools in the United States are not required to seek permission or any license to operate post-secondary educational courses, and CNMI is under federal or U.S. laws,” he pointed out.
Nevertheless, Dr. Wei disclosed Eucon International College is currently concurring with its legal counsel in preparation for what appears to be a legal tussle between the religious educational institution and the Commonwealth’s lone government-run post-secondary institution.
NMC is the only higher learning institution on the island accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges since 1985. At present, the College offers only two-year post-secondary courses with a pending application to provide bachelor degree courses.
Eucon International College is expanding its four-year college degree courses on arts and sciences this school year after successfully offering the same program to its faculty and staff last year.
The religious educational institution has already recruited six students from the mainland U.S. and others from the CNMI community, as well as American staff members who will oversee the college degree programs.
Eucon International College will be opening its doors to high school graduates who would want to pursue courses with bachelor’s degree in Division of Sciences, Division of Biblical Studies, Division of Education, and Division of Arts.
The school aims to provide the CNMI community with quality education, administered by accredited faculty members. It is currently accepting applicants for its four-year degree courses.
