NMC: Pay or else Community college threatens not to admit students with unpaid tuition

A percentage of Northern Marianas College students stand to forfeit their chances of completing their two-year college degrees beginning next semester should they ignore the NMC Business Office’s warning to start fulfilling their financial liabilities to the college.

The college has vowed to step up its tuition collection in renewed efforts to recover close to $3 million unpaid fees.

Contemplating a possible decrease in student enrollment, the Business Office said it is set to implement more stringent tuition payment terms that will compel students to pay up or relinquish the privilege to avail of NMC’s services.

“There are fears that students may not enroll anymore but they would also be on the losing end,” said the Business Office.

The Board of Regents Fiscal Committee has began notifying the college community of plans to implement revamped promissory notes projected to take effect in the second half of the current academic year.

“Those who have liability to the college, they have to come here now to arrange for a schedule of payment. Nobody will be allowed to enroll unless their past obligations are settled,” said the Business Office.

NMC is intent on employing a massive campaign to inform all students of plans for stricter tuition payment terms.

NMC’s laboratory school, which reportedly employs the same procedure, has successfully been able to collect its receivables by issuing monthly reminders to grade school students of their dues, according to the business office.

Starting next semester, the college will establish more stringent and binding promissory notes that will specify terms and conditions.

The institution’s current version of promissory notes states that an undersigned must promise to pay NMC the total amount in three equal installments, the first of which is to be paid on or before the preliminary examinations, the second installment to be paid on or before the mid-term examination, and the final installment, to be paid on or before the finals.

The draft version yet to be made official, however, has listed an installment plan period that all dues be paid always before the three examination periods.

College officials view the latest debt agreement as a real collection tool that would boost recovery of past years’ and current semester’s unpaid dues.

With full cooperation of parties involved and strict adherence to the fresh collective campaign, college officials hope to pull off an effective conversion of receivables into cash.