Commission to NMC: Make public all reports

The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, which recently placed the Northern Marianas College on continued show-cause status, wants all accreditation reports shared by the college’s management to its students and the public.

This was what ACCJC president Barbara A. Beno, Ph.D., told NMC president Dr. Carmen Fernandez in a Feb. 3 letter, when it affirmed the show-cause extension to NMC.

“The commission requires that all reports be made available to students and the public,” Beno said, adding that NMC could place copies in the college’s library or have it placed on the website for effective dissemination of information.

She said the report will become part of the accreditation history of the college and should be used in preparing for the next comprehensive evaluation.

The commission also required that students and the public be informed about how NMC was evaluated by the visiting team. It wants the team evaluation report be distributed in the campus.

Since January 2008, three reports were already submitted by the college to the accrediting body: a self-study report in March 2008; a final self-study in October; and a supplemental report in December 2008.

Beno explained that show-cause is issued when the commission finds an institution in substantial non-compliance with the commission’s eligibility requirements, accreditation standards, or policies.

She said if the loss of accreditation will likely cause an institution to close, during the show-cause period, the institution must make preparations for closure based on its policy.

In order to avoid possible termination of accreditation, she said, NMC must demonstrate its resolution of the two remaining recommendations.

“The college should review existing planning processes in order to establish and implement a shared vision for the future of the college with agreed upon priorities,” Beno said.

These priorities include development and implementation of budgeting and resource allocations guided by institutional needs for human resources and services. It must also include the two centers on Rota and Tinian in the planning; and integrates all aspects of planning, evaluation, and resources allocation.

Beno added that reports must also rely on faculty and staff participation. The reports should also be well-documented and widely distributed.

Saipan Tribune learned that the team again recommended that NMC institutionalize a coordinated, systematic process for evaluating program effectiveness.

“This process should include definitions of learning outcomes for all programs, a determination of program relationships to labor markets, and objective measures of student performance, which can inform and guide decisions to improve programs,” Beno said.

She disclosed that under U.S. Department of Education regulations, institutions out of compliance with standards or on sanction are expected to correct deficiencies within a two-year period or the commission must take action to terminate accreditation.

While the same recommendations were identified as deficiencies in year 2006 and 2000 evaluation teams, she said NMC was provided a time extension to correct the deficiencies for good cause.

“The college has completed a significant amount of work to resolve these issues and has hired outside consultants to assist it in designing its process for program review, student learning outcomes, identification and assessment, and strategic planning leading to an integrated planning model,” she said.

Beno said NMC is also awaiting the OIA’s approval on funding to be used to retire bonds issued for campus development.

“I wish to express continuing interest in the institution’s educational programs and services. Professional self-regulation is the most effective means of assuring integrity, effectiveness and quality,” Beno added.

She said a decision whether to terminate or re-affirm NMC accreditation will be known in June following the commission’s assembly.

Meanwhile, NMC is asked to submit by April 1, 2009, its final report on the two remaining concerns of the accrediting commission.