NMC shortens Fall 2011 semester

To meet the needs of its foreign students, Northern Marianas College president Sharon Hart announced yesterday that the college has adjusted its Fall 2011 schedule by shortening the semester period.

Fall 2011 semester starts on Aug. 22 and traditionally ends in December. With a decision reached yesterday, Hart said the new schedule is from Aug. 22 to Nov. 26—two days before the expiration of the CNMI Department of Labor-issued umbrella permit on Nov. 28, 2011. The final examination for the semester is slated on Nov. 21, 22, 23, and 26.

Hart said the decision was reached as a result of the concerns raised by a number of international students who have yet been issued F-1 visa to continue their education on island. The president said that several meetings were held on campus last Wednesday where the adjustment for the semester schedule was concurred by all governance bodies and councils.

Scheduling courses to end prior to the expiration of umbrella permits enables affected students to remain enrolled at NMC, according to the president.

She also emphasized that the adjustment is only for the Fall 2011 semester and which the college will return to the traditional schedule in Spring 2012 semester.

Hart, who became emotional during yesterday’s interview with Saipan Tribune, said she was deeply touched by the group of students who came forward and pleaded for help. Immediately, she said, emergency meetings were called to see how the college could be of help to its “customers.” Hart also called a media press conference yesterday where at least seven students were in attendance.

The president assured that the shorter term will not affect the number of courses or the variety of programs offered by NMC. No credits will be lost because it will lengthen meeting times for all classes by 10-30 minutes. Hart emphasized that the “new schedule was developed to ensure that members of the community who have legal status to remain in the CNMI through the expiration of CNMI-issued umbrella permits have the opportunity to enroll in courses during the upcoming term.”

Hart said NMC has worked closely with students affected by U.S. Public Law 110-229, the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008, since December 2009 to facilitate transitions of ongoing students into F-1 Student Visa status prior to the Fall 2011 term in anticipation of the expiration of CNMI-issued umbrella permits on November 28, 2011.

Dean of students services Leo Pangelinan, for his part, said the new schedule also ensures the college maintains compliance with federal regulations and college policy with regard to enrollment of international students, and in keeping with the best interest of all NMC students.

Because classes will be shortened by three weeks, both Hart and Pangelinan believe that it would also bring some savings to the college in terms of energy consumption and other services.

Hart disclosed that college officials spent hours of working out the solution, and stayed late Wednesday on campus to review the over 200 courses and recalculate the new time hours for every one of these courses. Saipan Tribune learned that a three-credit course requires 45 hours of classes in a given semester.

“Our goal is to ensure that our college is an open door for our students,” she said, adding that NMC always puts “customers” first on its top agenda.

[B]A large number of affected students[/B]

Although registration for the new semester has yet to start, both Hart and Pangelinan believe that there maybe a large group of international students who are being affected by the same visa issue and thus encourage them to come in so they could be assisted.

Hart said besides the 12 nursing students who approached her on their concerns, a group of about 10 other students came earlier airing the same problem.

According to Pangelinan, international students represent approximately 22 percent of the college population. He said the adjustment on the semester schedule is beneficial not only to the students affected, but it will also drive enrollment for NMC.

Yesterday, Pangelinan admitted that an email inquiry was received by the college from USCIS office inquiring about the students concern and other issues related to federal immigration. A response is being prepared as of yesterday. NMC will also try to arrange a meeting with the USCIS officials for further discussion.

Meantime, NMC emphasized that students with a valid CNMI-issued umbrella permit through Nov. 28 will be eligible to register and enroll during the Fall 2011 semester. Students who register with an umbrella permit will be required to make full payment for tuition and fees no later than Aug. 26, 2011 to maintain their enrollment.