NMC resumes classes on Tinian and Rota

Northern Marianas College is expanding its academic offerings on Tinian and Rota. In this photo, NMC students on Tinian take a moment for a photo. (NMC)

Northern Marianas College announced yesterday that it has resumed academic classes on Tinian and Rota.

The classes are offered as part of the college’s fall 2017 semester, which began earlier this week.

The college suspended classes on the two islands several years ago due to accreditation-related concerns.

“This is a milestone for Northern Marianas College and a tremendous step forward in expanding Northern Marianas College’s services for the residents of Tinian and Rota,” according to NMC president Dr. Carmen Fernandez.

The NMC centers on Tinian and Rota have already been providing other learning and support services and workforce training. It is the academic offerings that resumed on these two islands.

Fernandez said this will allow residents to work toward their degree without having to leave.

The college also currently runs programs that are part of the Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Service, plus workforce development trainings from NMC’s Community Development Institute, on Rota and Tinian.

Fernandez said the new executive directors of the NMC centers on Tinian and Rota, Maria Aguon and Martin Mendiola, respectively, have been working extremely hard to ensure that the college meets local workforce and educational needs.

The classes offered on Tinian include criminal justice courses that began earlier this week. The classes on Rota will be offered later in the semester.

“We’re also growing the distance learning components of our academic programs [on] Tinian and Rota so students can earn college credits online,” said Fernandez.

She also acknowledged Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig and Tinian Mayor Joey Patrick San Nicolas for their support of the college’s efforts on Rota and Tinian. She also thanked the islands’ delegations for their help.

Earlier this week the college announced that its enrollment for the fall 2017 semester climbed from last year.

According to the college, the number of full-time equivalent students who have enrolled for the fall 2017 semester is 1,168 as of Aug. 21, 2017. This is an increase of more than 6 percent over the same period last year. This figure is expected to rise even more since many students are still registering this week.

NMC is accredited by the Senior College and University Commission of the Western Association for Schools and Colleges. (NMC)