Patience is a virtue

The recent decision by the Board of Regents regarding the shutdown of the La Fiesta Mall facility was pragmatic in light of the fiscal constraints the college has endured since it was made evident that there were not enough monetary resources left in the financial coffers to cover the monthly operating obligation of over $50,000 subsequent to the submission of Kenneth Wright’s resignation during the first quarter of this year.

However, because the Substantive Change Report submitted at the onset of April 2004 was rejected by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the leadership of the college was told by the officials at WASC to resubmit the report within the next month or two, i.e., June or July, then it might be premature for the board to continue their quest to secure funding for the La Fiesta Mall until WASC issues their determination on whether the physical move to the San Rogue site is acceptable in terms of being within the parameters of the standards established by WASC.

If, for whatever reason, the second revised Substantive Change Report is submitted to WASC within the next 60 days and they reject it outright, then the pursuit of any potential funding for the La Fiesta mall facility from organizations that concur with the concept and are willing to assist NMC with a loan, will be an exercise in futility. Until the Substantive Change Report is accepted in full and approved without reservations by WASC, then it would not be prudent to waste and expend any precious time and energy in trying to secure funding for the facility in San Rogue. The pursuit for any funding sources should be subsequent to WASC granting approval to make the physical move to the shopping mall facility and not before. To pursue the funding prior to the approval would be like purchasing a car before getting a driver’s license.

Should WASC not accept the second revised Substantive Change Report submitted during the next two months regarding the physical move to the La Fiesta Mall complex, then the board will be ostensibly confronted with the stark reality that what is desired by the college leadership is not in line with what the accreditation agency considers acceptable. To try and pursue anything like a major move to a new facility without being granted the approval and receiving the blessing from WASC might create some tension and strife between both entities, which will hinder any chance of restoring accreditation status to NMC.

If WASC should reject the revised Substantive Change Report submitted for the second time in June and July, then it might be time for the Board of Regents to sit down and begin discussing the issue of selling the La Fiesta Mall. The sale of the San Rogue facility would effectively remove the college permanently from the financial monthly commitment of over $50,000 and an annual payment of $200,000 plus interest to be paid every year for the next twenty years. Taking away these burdensome financial obligations will bring the college closer to becoming financially stable and solvent.

The status of solvency and financial stability are requirements of WASC for institutions of higher education to secure accreditation. The upside of the sale of La Fiesta would not only eradicate the crippling obligation of monthly and yearly payments that come close to a half a million dollars per annum, but the proceeds made available from the sale could be used to bring the college out of the red by paring down significantly the present $1.5 million dollar deficit and begin taking care of maintenance issues with the original campus. As NMC becomes financially stable down the line, then the planning for modest increases for the faculty and staff should be initiated.

The only downside of the sale of the La Fiesta Mall facility would be that the dream and education initiative of Gov. Juan Babauta involving NMC which he promoted before and after he won the gubernatorial slot for the CNMI in 2001 would not come to fruition and become the reality. Good decision making generally leads to good results. However, not all good decisions involving finances and moving an organization in a particular direction lead to a stable situation. The absence of good decision making will no doubt lead to results that will inevitably end up becoming problematic. If more problems are introduced into the situation at NMC, which is clearly unstable fiscally, then there will be less time to work on strengthening the existing academic programs for present and future students attending NMC. And when this happens, the students matriculating for a two year degree, both from the island community as well as foreign countries, will end up with educational preparation and foundation that might not be as strong as it could have been. Since these students will be the leaders for the CNMI in the near and distant future, it is imperative that the leadership for the college ensure that the educational foundation they receive from the dedicated faculty members who work painstakingly every academic year remains strong and increases in strength as time goes on.

Dr. Jesus D. Camacho
Delano, California