5 students still awaiting SHEFA funds

Over a week into the Fall semester, at least five graduate students have not yet received scholarship funds from the Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance.

The students, all enrolled under the Framingham State College’s Master of Education program which is being offered on-site at Northern Marianas College, have asked House Education Committee chair Justo S. Quitugua for help.

In two separate letters, Representative Quitugua urged SHEFA Board chair Felicidad T. Ogumoro to release the checks for students Carol S. Demapan, Fatima B. Lizama, Liela Lynette C. Camacho, and Derwin C. Johnson.

SHEFA refused to process and approve the students’ application for Fall 2005 because of their less-than-full time enrollment status.

But Quitugua maintained that the students are enrolled full-time, based on information from Framingham State College.

Quitugua said Framingham associate director of international education programs Joyce M. Fahey had verified that a student must be enrolled in at least 12 semester hours of credit per semester to be considered full-time.

Fahey also confirmed that the four students were full-time students for Fall Semester 2005.

Frank A. Demapan, another student who has complained of delay in the release of his check, needs to have his enrollment status verified with Framingham State College.

He did not enroll in any courses for Spring 2005, although he was admitted officially to the program.

“Unless there are some other requirements that the students have not met, then your office should release the financial assistance checks to Ms. Demapan and Ms. Lizama. Again, your office needs to verify Mr. Demapan’s enrollment status for Fall Semester 2005,” Quitugua said in an Oct. 26, 2005 letter to Ogumoro.

Quitugua made the same call for Camacho and Johnson in another letter dated yesterday.

The students, particularly Frank A. Demapan, Carol S. Demapan, and Lizama, had written SHEFA consultant William S. Torres about their financial assistance. They maintained that they were full-time students, each carrying 12-credit hours.

“Our first session begins [Oct. 22] and you are still reluctant to release our financial assistance checks. We hope you will agree with us that a little more care and accuracy on your part or the SHEFA board for that matter will benefit all of us,” the students said.