Establishing the right priorities for NMC

The recent announcement by NMC president Antonio Deleon Guerrero regarding the “Global Education Initiative” project that is yet to be launched is a clear indication that the leadership of the college is not in tune to what the important priorities are regarding the Northern Marianas College. To not focus and address the critical issues involving the major problems that the college is confronted with—current budgetary deficit of the college that is nearly $2 million; the warnings issued by both the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and the Senior College Commission) that pertain to fiscal instability; and academic programs (elementary education) that are not meeting the standards required by WASC—and place emphasis on a new project that is supposed to focus on diversity will move the institution closer to completely losing its accreditation with WASC. Losing accreditation will disqualify NMC from the privilege of receiving any federal financial aid for the students, as well as not allowing the students to successfully transfer to other institutions of higher education that maintain accreditation with WASC or equivalent associations.

In 2002 and 2003, the leadership for NMC placed all their emphasis on the Pacific Gateway project and La Fiesta Mall acquisition. In 2004 the result of the decisions made by the former administrator and BOR led to the college becoming fiscally unstable and not being in good stead in terms of accreditation with WASC.

Since the departure of the former college president in February 2004 and the hiring of a new administrator in August 2004, there has not been any announcement to the island or academic community in terms of what the official plan will be to remove the college from being fiscally unstable and restoring accreditation with WASC. Instead, the leadership announced to the media their plan to embark on another project similar to Pacific Gateway which focuses on diversity, according to Galvin Guerrero, BOR finance and fiscal committee chairman.

In order for NMC to be in a position to offer academic programs successfully to students aspiring for higher education in the CNMI, then the college must be fiscally stable and maintain accreditation with WASC. If there is any weakness in one or both of these areas, then the institution may as well close it doors.

The success and progress of the institution hinges on the decisions put forth by the leadership of the college. If these decisions are made with reasons other than providing academic excellence for the students who attend NMC, then those decisions are not the right ones and will lead to the demise of the institution.

Dr. Jesus D. Camacho
Delano, California