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NMC board supports giving voting rights to student rep
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Posted on Aug 17 2011
The Northern Marianas College Board of Regents has agreed to support a bill that would add a student representative to the board, with equal rights and privileges as a voting member.
Senate Bill 17-57, if enacted into law, will increase the voting members from seven to eight.
At present, the NMC board is composed of seven voting members, all appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. Three individuals also serve as honorary members with no right to vote—the presidents of the Faculty Senate, Staff Senate, and the Associated Students of NMC.
In the legislation proposed by Sen. Jovita M. Taimanao, it seeks to give NMC students a direct voice on the board by appointing a voting member for them. The measure, which the board discussed at length yesterday, received the full support of members.
However, because there are some “constitutional issues” that have been raised relating to the selection of the students’ representative, the board adopted a resolution that will ask the governor to make an appointment at the recommendation of the Board of Regents.
According to NMC board legal counsel Jesus Borja, the Constitution clearly states that all board regents must be appointed by the governor. To prevent future constitutional challenges, he recommended that the new member must seek the governor’s appointment.
Maria Calilong, acting ASNMC president who sits as an honorary non-voting member, recommended to the board that the individual who will be selected for the position must come from the ASNMC because its officials have already been elected by students.
Board chair Juan Lizama and NMC president Sharon Hart said they plan to meet with senators before the measure is voted on at their next session.
