Previous Story
BILL WANTS NMC RENAMED Agnes McPhetres College?
|
Posted on Feb 03 2000
How would you like to have a college named after you?
A legislative proposal pending in the Senate will precisely do that by renaming Northern Marianas College into Agnes Manglona-McPhetres College in honor of its former president.
“She deserves that,” said Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero, proponent of the measure pre-filed yesterday with the upper house.
Noting that other nations honor their leaders and heroes in a “fashion of their own choosing” for their “immense contribution and impact on society,” Senate Bill 12-20 maintained Ms. McPhetres is “worthy of such an honor.”
The ex-NMC president, who retired last December after more than 40 years of career in education, was the first head of the island’s lone community college established in 1981.
The bill praised her contribution to the growth of the college, saying that she “competently and professionally managed the college” to provide an accredited higher learning institution for CNMI residents.
“Ms. Manglona-McPhetres’ advocacy and dedication to further the goals and mission of [NMC] speaks highly of her character as one who has fought to help others improve their lives through education,” it said.
“For this, the people of the Commonwealth expressed their humble gratitude. Therefore, as a testament of honor to [her] and by this act, the Northern Marianas College is re-named in her name,” added the bill.
Ms. McPhetres could not be reached for comment on Mr. Guerrero’s move. The Senate is scheduled to hold its first regular session today under the 12th Legislature, but the proposal is not included among the priority legislation for passage.
Months before her retirement in December 1999, Ms. McPhetres came under fire during a series of oversight hearings conducted by the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee then headed by Rep. Heinz S. Hofschneider on allegations of mismanagement of the cash-strapped college.
While NMC officials had denied the charges, the college was forced to revamp its staff and faculty to reduce its expenditures. Mr. Hofschneider, on the other hand, has yet to come up with his findings pending results of the audit on the college by the Office of Public Auditor.
