EDUCATION LEADERS SAY: Scholarship office should not be placed under BOR By Marian A. Maraya

A House initiative seeking to establish a post-secondary education financial assistance program for CNMI’s local and off-island students has stirred questions and doubts among local education leaders.

Though commending the legislation’s intent, officials have raised howls against a provision which proposes to place the administration of the scholarship program under the Northern Marianas College Board of Regents.

In a written testimony, the Board of Education and the Public School System argued the BOR should not be the decision-making body governing scholarships.

BOE Chair Frances H. Diaz and Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos believe that the most fair and objective manner in performing decisions pertaining to scholarships is by way of an autonomous body.

“Since such a body exists under current law, the BOE and PSS think that this method of making scholarship decisions should remain the same,” said the leaders.

BOE Vice Chair Roman Benavente, who is also the newly-elected chair of the Scholarship Advisory Board, opposed the initiative, echoing the sentiments of PSS and the rest of the board.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate for NMC to handle all disbursements of funding because they are also recipients of the funding,” said Mr. Benavente, “We want to avoid any undesirable situations from arising so I think we should maintain the existing Scholarship’s Office.”

Scholarship Office Administrator Hilaria K. Santos is also against the legislation, citing the Student Financial Program which was earlier removed from the BOR’s domain must have been restructured for a striking reason.

“I am certain that the former governor would not have restructured the program from NMC unless he saw major deficiency of the program under the college,” said Ms. Santos.

NMC, however, said that although it is openly supporting the bill, the college is not interested in handling the disbursement of scholarship funds.

College President Jack Sablan, in a written statement, outlined various reasons why the college backs the initiative.

According to NMC, the program recognizes that the CNMI Constitution places responsibility for student financial assistance with the BOR.

Furthermore, the college believes it will reduce administrative costs of managing post-secondary financial assistance on the part of the CNMI government by placing the Scholarship Office within NMC.

The proposed legislation also addresses a range of financial assistance needs and awards for post-secondary students by providing scholarships, grants-in-aid, and loans, according to the college.

In addition, it establishes a stable funding base for post-secondary financial assistance by mandating a $3 million annual appropriation and also eliminates the problem of students not receiving financial aid in a timely manner which is so because the fiscal year and the academic year do not coincide.

But Mr. Benavente has proposed that if the Legislature is really intent on creating a fairer and consistent scholarship program, the lawmaking body should gather collective inputs from all education leaders and institutions in the Commonwealth.