NMC gives itself 2 months to resolve accreditation woes

Northern Marianas College officials have assured lawmakers that it will be compliant with accreditation standards in just a couple of months.

NMC officials led by president Antonio V. Deleon Guerrero said during a meeting with House members Friday that the college is working on a progress report for submission to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges by Oct. 15 this year.

“They [NMC officials] are confident that all concerns on accreditation will be addressed by Oct. 15,” said House Committee on Education chair Rep. Justo Quitugua.

The college was placed this year on warning status by WASC’s two accrediting commissions—for Junior and Community Colleges and for Senior Colleges and Universities—over its inability to correct finance-related problems and failure to comply with certain accreditation standards.

Quitugua said that based on NMC’s account, funding “is just part of the problem.”

“Funding is not the entire problem. There’s also audit, lack of notification about La Fiesta,” he said.

WASC’s Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, which placed NMC on warning status last January and retained the same status despite NMC’s submission of needed reports last June, expressed concern over NMC’s purchase of the La Fiesta complex in San Roque, citing its lack of resources to maintain two campuses.

Early in July this year, WASC’s Senior College Commission issued a warning to NMC for non-compliance with standards, as had been cited by ACCJC.

The SCC’s warning has put the college’s four-year elementary education program—its only baccalaureate program—at risk.

“The Senior College Commission is deeply concerned about the institution’s ongoing capacity and ability to sustain the quality of its academic programs, especially the baccalaureate education program,” said CSCU executive director Ralph A. Wolff in a July 2, 2004, letter.

In a related matter, Quitugua said that NMC is asking anew for $350,000 from the Executive Branch to finance the operation of its La Fiesta property until December this year.

Quitugua said that Friday’s meeting with NMC officials also focused on Pell Grants. The NMC has been on reimbursement status with the Pell Grant fund release due to its failure to submit accurate application data.

“NMC is still under reimbursement and will continue to be there until it has submitted three batches of cleared documents,” said Quitugua.