Drastic cut eyed in number of SHEFA field-of-study courses

Saipan Higher Education Financial Assistance administrator Henry Hofschneider will propose revamping the field-of-study program to reduce the number of courses covered by the program.

Field-of-study is one of the three programs offered by SHEFA. It provides $1,000 in financial aid per semester to both off- and on-island students who pursue specific courses covered by the grant program. Right now, the field of study program covers more than 20 courses.

Hofschneider disclosed that he will recommend reducing this to just five “in-demand” courses and degree programs: teachers, counselors, nurses, doctors, and other medical-related field of interests. He said these courses fit the current and future demand of the CNMI workforce.

Because this revamp will require changes in the current SHEFA policy, Hofschneider will consult the Public School System, Northern Marianas College, Workforce Investment Agency, and the private sector before finalizing his recommendation. The objective, he said, is to gather the input of these parties who know the demands of the workforce today and in the future.

Hofschneider hopes that the board will support his proposal and he targets implementing these changes in full before the end of this year.

Besides the field-of-study program, SHEFA also administers the grant-in-aid and incentive programs.

Saipan Tribune learned that a student who qualifies for the grant-in-aid financial award may also qualify for the field-of-study program if the course he or she is taking is among the special field-of-study covered by policy. Any scholar may also qualify for the incentive award if he or she maintains the required grade point average. The incentive award is automatically given to scholars who meet the required GPA.

Hofschneider confirmed that many of the current SHEFA scholars receive more than one financial award. Due to declining poker revenues, Hofschneider will recommend changing SHEFA policy to limit each scholar to only one financial award.

Each fiscal year, SHEFA is appropriated $3 million for its three scholarship programs and $100,000 for the agency’s operation and all others. SHEFA’s main funding source is revenue from the license fees of poker arcades on Saipan. That funding sources is also drying up as many poker arcades have closed down or did not renew their licenses.

In spring 2011, SHEFA drastically cut the amounts of its financial awards to students.

Hofschneider said that further cuts in the awards may happen anytime if poker revenues continue to drop. To date, less than 500 poker machines are expected to renew their licenses this year, he added.