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Lest we forget those NMC faculty members who made the ultimate sacrifice
Northern Marianas College staff who reluctantly discontinued employment services at the college when the Board of Regents disregarded and tossed aside the faculty’s concerns and issues raised back in 2013 were made to suffer the ultimate sacrifice in no longer being with NMC.
Those lucky to stay remain committed to the cause and will remember those who took to the chopping blocks, however. They shall be remembered for standing up for academic freedom and the rights of faculty, fellow staff and college students. We remain determined to never give up until the “investigation” by the Office of the Public Auditor on the college in 2013 is made public before the end of this year.
The simple request we ask for is that the OPA investigation report to be widely shared with former House Education Committee chair Rep. Roman Benavente, the elected House leader who requested for OPA’s investigation on the Faculty Senate’s complaints and the college community.
Is this too difficult of a request for OPA?
Naturally, we expect our team leader, Ms. Cynthia DL Guerrero, former vice president of the NMC Faculty Senate in 2012 and now with the NMC college board, to continue to believe in the cause and fight for the cause that led to the vote of no-confidence in college president Sharon Hart and the college board under Juan Lizama’s chairmanship.
We plead with you, Ms. Guerrero, not to let your guard down and be misled by the charms and empty promises of the board chairman and the college president.
In conclusion, we expect Ms. Guerrero to forge ahead and continue to champion the issues of the Faculty Senate since 2012 until they are completely resolved.
We ask Ms. Guerrero to take charge and remain focused and committed to NMC employees whose employment were terminated or not renewed, or were simply too unhappy with the lack of leadership at the college and the hostile work environment.
Jackie Cuelo
Tanapag, Saipan
