NMC regents reviewing four new policies

The Board of Regents is conducting a full review of four policies recommended for adoption by the management of Northern Marianas College this school year.

The new policies were brought to the regents for first reading during its meeting last week and were referred to the staff for further review and analysis and to incorporate the input made by the board. Some of the policies were also referred to the legal counsel for review.

Under further review are policies on governance and organization, pertaining to board meetings and agendas as well as employee code of conduct; policy on personnel administration on recruitment and hiring practices; and rules on drug-free workplace, smoking tobacco and betel-nut chewing.

According to NMC, the recommended policies have undergone review by the college council, a governance body at NMC that advises the president. The council consists of faculty, staff, and students.

Based on the proposed Section 203.1, a policy on board meetings and agendas, it is recommended that the board shall establish an annual regular meeting schedule and which agenda items must be consulted by the college president with the board chairperson. The board chair, or a majority of the members, may also call a non-emergency or emergency special meeting as long as it conforms with the Commonwealth Government Act.

The proposed Section 205.1, meantime, all college personnel including board members are covered by the code of conduct implemented by NMC. The board supports an environment that is free of discrimination and harassment. This proposed policy also prohibits personnel and regents in unlawful consumption of alcoholic beverages or use of illegal drugs within the workplaces and prohibit the usage of college resources in authorized activities that disrupt the efficient and economical administration of the college.

Likewise, the same policy prohibits sexual or other forms of harassment within the workplaces.

The college management also wants a policy adopted that states all recruitment, hiring, and selection of employees must be based on the requirements of the job stated on the vacancy announcement, on the qualifications of the applicants, and the needs of the college.

Hiring the best qualified individual, it said, promotes the best interests of the college and its clientele—the students.

Additionally, NMC also prohibits smoking and betel-nut chewing on college property and proposed the board to adopt an internal procedure in implanting the drug-free workplace act of 1988 and the CNMI Public Law. 16-46 which prohibits smoking in all workplaces and public places.