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Scholarship checks released
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Posted on Sep 28 2005
More than 200 Northern Marianas College students who get financial assistance from the government can now breathe easier.
The CNMI Scholarship Office confirmed yesterday that the CNMI Treasury office signed and released their scholarship checks Tuesday around 4pm.
Scholarship office administrator Melissa Guajardo said the checks were issued to NMC and the college picked up the checks yesterday morning. NMC students have been complaining about the overdue scholarship checks, which have been delayed for more than a month.
Guajardo said the students do not have to worry about their scholarship checks because the Scholarship Office already has made special arrangements with the college regarding the release of the checks. She said this new arrangement is intended to ensure that the student’s schooling will not be interrupted.
“We were able to register them and we made an arrangement with NMC,” she said.
Guajardo said the delay in the release of the scholarship check was beyond her office’s control. She said that CNMI treasurer Antoinette Calvo only gave the go signal for the release of the checks Tuesday afternoon.
She added that beginning today her office will call those students who were not able to sign and authorize NMC to pick up their scholarship checks.
Guajardo also said there were no arrangements made with schools and universities of scholars who are pursuing studies off-island. “[The] problem is with the off-island scholars, we don’t have that agreement. Even if we did, they’re still being charged for late payments,” Guajardo said.
Scholars are required to sign a memorandum of agreement with the CNMI Scholarship Office, which requires them to return to work in the CNMI within three months after the completion of their postsecondary education.
“In recognition of the scarcity of trained manpower in the Commonwealth, all recipients of grants and/or incentives are required to return to the CNMI within three months after completion of his/her degree plan or non-enrollment from school and work in the CNMI public or private sector for a period of one year for each year of financial assistance received, unless otherwise specified by law,” the MOA read.
