NMC faculty contracts to be revised

After getting the Board of Regents’ nod for a four-year contract, Northern Marianas College president Dr. Carmen Fernandez immediately went to work and vowed to address the concerns raised by faculty and employees about their present employment contracts.

From the existing two-year term, college instructors and employees may soon be provided a longer period of employment at the college—if not an “indefinite” contract as proposed many years ago.

During the board’s Wednesday deliberation, newly appointed regent Juan Demapan pointed out that if the board is willing to give a longer term for the president, a similar consideration must also be given to its employees. “How about the contract of faculty and employees?” he asked.

Regent Elaine Orilla, chairperson of the board’s personnel committee, responded that the board will next resolve the faculty contract issues.

Fernandez told Saipan Tribune that, as soon as the college reaffirms its accreditation in June, revising the employment contract of faculty, staff, and employees will be its top priority.

“We have a proposal for both faculty and staff. Those proposals are going through our processes and I believe those are at the college council at present,” Fernandez said.

She conceded that the faculty’s contract proposal has been on the table for quite some time, but the management decided to put off deliberating on the issue to focus on accreditation.

“Everyone decided that we have to focus first on our accreditation but as soon as there’s time to reopen discussion, we will do so,” she added.

The faculty senate had proposed indefinite contracts in the past but the idea was shot down many times by previous college administrations.

Majority of concerns over the existing two-year contract is the provision authorizing the NMC president to terminate employees with or without cause.

Under an indefinite contract proposal, besides the “no expiration” provision, the NMC president can only terminate employees with cause and reason.

When asked for comments about the indefinite contract proposal, the NMC president said the idea has promise.

“It’s very good for the stability and security of our employees…but we need to exercise due diligence and make sure that we go through the process of evaluating it very carefully before any decision is made,” she told Saipan Tribune.

Fernandez said the proposal will be tackled by the shared governance of the college, which will make the recommendation to the president’s office.

“All will go through full review and analysis,” she said.

Board of Regents chair Charles V. Cepeda said the board is entrusting the matter to the president, who will make the recommendation for board action.