Students taking financial obligation more seriously

With stricter registration terms in effect, the Northern Marianas College Admission and Records has been encountering lesser snags in the enrollment process, which indicated that students are taking their financial obligations to the college more seriously.

Students listed under the “on hold” roster due to unsettled bills are informed by their advisors beforehand of their status before they transact with the Admissions and Records for a final assessment.

“Students now are more aware. They know that if their records show they are on hold due to uncleared obligations that they will not be able to register,” said Acting Admissions and Records Director Cyndi Deleon Guerrero during the first day of registration yesterday.

Close to a hundred students showed up to be registered during NMC’s busiest registration date and the college is expecting to conclude the registration period on Jan. 18 with an estimated 800 to 900 students for the Spring 2001 semester, according to Ms. Deleon Guerrero.

“This estimate is based on data we have accumulated from past semesters,” she said.

The college is currently making use of the Champlain Software for its student record-keeping, a system that it has utilized since 1993. NMC is, however, expecting to replace the old system with the ABT Power Campus, a state-of-the art software tool anticipated to eliminate the college’s record-keeping woes.

“The new system is targeted to meet the needs of the institution in terms of technology. Like all systems, when you put information in, you always want to be able to go back and retrieve it for reporting. And although Champlain is able to do that, it’s not as great as the new system. It has more capability in terms of reporting statistics,” said Ms. Deleon Guerrero.

The transition process from the current system to the Power Campus software already began. Its complete installation is targeted within 2001.

With the new system, NMC expects to encounter less delays in immediate information access.

According to the acting director, registration was on hold for close to an hour yesterday due to minor glitches in the Champlain system. With the installation of the new state-of-the art software, NMC hopes to see less slowdown in the registration process.

The registration period will run from Jan. 10 to the 18. Late registrants will be accommodated no later than Jan. 19 and 20.

Admission requirements for resident students include completed application with $25 fee, copy of health certificate, and official certified transcript.

For International or non resident students taking up degree courses, a completed application with photo and $50 fee, copy of health certificate, valid passport, and official certified transcript translated to English need to be presented.

International students taking up non degree courses would need a completed application with photo and $50 fee, copy of health certificate, and copy of valid passport.