NMC opts not to turn in supplemental report to ACCJC

The Northern Marianas College did not submit a supplemental report to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges as earlier planned, opting instead to have NMC president Sharon Y. Hart deliver the report orally before commission members.

In a statement to Saipan Tribune yesterday, NMC disclosed that Hart will be attending the commission assembly on Jan. 10-12 in San Francisco where she is expected to speak to the group.

“The college had opted not to provide a supplemental report at this time. Pursuant to the policies of the [ACCJC], the supplemental report is optional,” the NMC statement said.

In her report to the commission, Hart will provide further information to demonstrate how NMC is continuing to meet accreditation standards and eligibility requirements.

The commission lifted NMC’s show-cause status in July 2011, placing the college instead under a less severe sanction of probation after determining that there remain concerns from the previous show-cause order that the college has yet to fully address and rectify. Among these concerns are deficiencies in three areas: autonomy from outside interference, financial management and integrity, and governance and accountability.

A four-member commission team was on island in November last year to validate the follow-up report that NMC turned in last October. The team was expected to issue a report after that visit.

Due to the commission’s policy on public disclosure, however, the college is unable at this time to provide any further details about the Oct. 15 report or the oral report that the president will be making at the ACCJC meeting.

“NMC must maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality with ACCJC at this juncture in the accreditation process,” the college statement adds.

It, however, assured that the visiting team report and other accreditation documents will be accessible on the NMC website once the accrediting commission indicates that it is appropriate to do so.

Hart said yesterday that the college is already preparing for the self-evaluation report that will be submitted to the commission later this year.

“On Nov. 29, 2011, the college community participated in an accreditation workshop at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center to discuss initial findings for the 2012 Self-Evaluation Report. Everyone at the college will now work with accreditation standard teams to prepare the 2012 Self-Evaluation Report,” she said.

Hart said the college accreditation reaffirmation team and accreditation standard teams continue to meet weekly in preparation for the 2012 Comprehensive Self-Evaluation. She encouraged community members to visit the college’s website (www.nmcnet.edu) to learn more about their accreditation efforts.