Governor keeps hands off NMC

The Board of Regents of the Northern Marianas College will have a free hand in choosing the next leader for the Commonwealth’s only higher learning institution following the retirement of President Agnes McPhetres in December.

This assurance came from Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio who said that an official announcement will soon be published to invite candidates for the position.

“I want to stress that the decision will come from the Board,” he said.

The governor yesterday proclaimed April as NMC Month and commended the board for leading the second reorganization to ensure business as usual in its daily operations.

“I understand members of the Board are trying their best to reorganize so that the college will continue to function and provide education to our children,” he said in an interview.

But he was quick to extend a similar commendation to McPhetres who has made a lot of contributions to NMC.

In her retirement letter to the Board, the president indicated that she will focus her efforts to meet the accreditation requirements for the college. A proposal to name an acting president was discussed by Chairman Manuel Sablan, however, this was questioned since McPhetres will not be leaving until December.

According to Tenorio, even if NMC is presently pursuing accreditation to offer the full degree program in Education, he stressed that courses that will prepare graduates to assume positions in the tourism industry should likewise be given equal emphasis.

“Members of the Board of Regents are now reviewing on what courses will be offered at NMC to provide children with service oriented training,” he said.

The governor expressed confidence that NMC will benefit from the data and findings gathered at the ongoing oversight hearing handled by the Health, Education and Welfare Committee.

“Even the Board members will be reviewing the findings from the oversight hearing,” he added.

The signed proclamation cited that over 14,000 people have enrolled in regular NMC degree and certificate courses since it was established in 1981. Likewise, there were more than 1,000 students who were awarded certificates of completion, achievement, associate, baccalaureate and masters degrees over the past years.

The college also serves the community through various outreach programs like continuing education, agriculture and life sciences, the Business Development Center, among other related functions.