With Kilili’s help, NMC aims for equal footing in federal funds

Higher education was not reauthorized this year but the Northern Marianas College’s Board of Regents is hopeful that Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan will help pass legislation that includes the CNMI and the insular areas for programs, facilities, and research funding currently afforded to underserved and underrepresented areas in the United States.

In an interview, regent William Torres said Sablan could help explain “the plight of the college” and help them qualify for funding for facilities, programs, workforce development, or research.

As they are now under a senior accreditation commission, research is one area the college is expected to improve, Torres said.

He said Hispanic-serving colleges, as well as African-American and Native American-serving colleges, have specific funding sources that are afforded to them as “underrepresented and underserved” areas.

Torres believes the insular areas, especially the CNMI, fall under such labels. He described the CNMI as “young nation” in need of all the resources it could get with a small economy and geographical disadvantages, being far from the mainland.

“There’s this belief that if the insular areas and specifically the CNMI are recognized by legislation in like fashion as black, Hispanic, and Native American communities, they will be in a stronger position to be well-endowed and well-funded,” he said.

This, he said, would help “level the playing field” for the insular areas.

“Where we are now, we have to compete on an unequal footing with the states, unlike tribal, black and other regions mentioned as underserved or underrepresented.”

He said the college supports Sablan’s bid to get into a subcommittee on higher education and workforce development.

“We will support him [in his bid]. We need him, we need a voice,” he said.

Opportunities
College representatives visited Washington, D.C., earlier this year. Representatives from the American Council on Education and National Science Foundation told the college that “looking for any piece of legislation that the CNMI could be drafted into was especially critical,” according to Torres.

Their advice, Torres disclosed, were points he shared with Sablan in their correspondence last month.

ACE underscored the importance of having a “face” in Washington, Torres said. The college was also advised to attend the annual ACE meeting next year, and invite Sablan to attend as well.

It was also recommended that the college become actively involved with the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, Torres said.

Torres also asked for help for funding under the Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions.

While NMC may be eligible under AANAPISI, the college has to date not secured any designated funding, according to Torres.

Sablan recently committed to helping NMC in his next term in Congress. College president Dr. Sharon Hart has also expressed commitment to a stronger working relationship with Sablan.