NMC: Financial stability is major accomplishment in ‘05

Northern Marianas College has touted financial stability as one of its major accomplishments this fiscal year, with the institution finishing FY2005 in the green.

According to NMC president Antonio Deleon Guerrero, the college closed FY2005 with a positive fund balance and saved more than $300,000 through cost-cutting measures.

He also reported that through its collective lobbying efforts, the college succeeded in increasing its financial resources.

NMC received $518,000 in supplemental funding from the CNMI Legislature this year. The NMC Foundation also generated more than $70,000 for the college through fundraising activities.

Furthermore, the college was awarded more than $2 million in new federal grants for various programs.

Fiscal problems almost cost the college its accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

But in the November WASC visit, Deleon Guerrero said, the Evaluation Team “was pleased with the significant programs we are making towards ensuring that the College is fiscally responsible, that we are planning for contingencies, and that we continue to address financial audit issues.”

In his yearend report, Deleon Guerrero said NMC was scheduled to receive $1.1 million over the next five years to plan and implement an associate degree program in rehabilitative services, and to articulate its courses with established baccalaureate degree programs in the field.

The funding was provided by the U.S. Rehabilitation Capacity Building for Underserved Populations Program.

The new program will be coordinated by the NMC School of Education.

“NMC aims to prepare and assist minority student access to programs leading to positions as vocational rehabilitation specialists or certified rehabilitation counselors,” Deleon Guerrero said.

The U.S. Department of Education has also awarded the NMC Adult Basic Education program $133,500 to coordinate training for regional providers of adult education in a variety of fields.

The funds assist the CNMI, Guam, Palau, the FSM, Marshall Islands and American Samoa to take part in training workshops to enhance the effectiveness of their instruction and student assessment, according to Deleon Guerrero.

NMC Rota has also received $90,500 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for the revival of traditional fishing practices.

Using the federal grant, the Rota campus will establish a 12-month project that will “restore and re-introduce the traditional fishing methods of ‘achuman’ to benefit both commercial and subsistence fishing.”

“The goal of the project is to improve the living standards of indigenous peoples, increase the supply of ocean fish, and to provide an opportunity for young people to learn traditional fishing practices that make respectful use of limited fishery resources,” Deleon Guerrero said.

Furthermore, NMC Science, Math, and Technology Department is getting $56,250 from the Pacific Islands Educational Partnership Consortium Program to help reinvigorate the college department’s dormant marine technology program and the planned Marine and Environmental Sciences Center.

Deleon Guerrero quoted program coordinator John Furey as saying that the funding would help support part-time instruction in seamanship, boat handling, and diving.