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Barking up the wrong tree
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Posted on Apr 10 2006
The recent proclamations by NMC students casting blame on the CNMI government for the rise in tuition that was a result of the college not being granted the funding it asked for the upcoming academic year are without merit and unjustified. The blame for the college being in dire financial straits and experiencing major difficulty in terms of operating normally should not be directed toward the new governor and his administration. Rather, the blame falls squarely on the lap of the former administration.
During Babauta’s term in office, he approved and subsequently expended approximately $4.75 million on the defunct La Fiesta Mall facility and the proposed project that never got off the ground. It did the college absolutely no good at all, and was destined to fail before it even began. Had the funds that Babauta squandered on the mall facility been used for the maintenance of numerous dilapidated buildings on campus, raises for faculty, and things like books for the library and computers for the students, there would not be an urgent need now for the amount of funding recently requested by the president and regents of the college.
NMC students should be reminded that the NMC Board of Regents establishes policy and then it is implemented by the college president. Gov. Fitial and his administration, as well as the Legislature, have nothing to do with any decisions that pertain to issues such as increases in tuition. Before casting stones, the NMC students should review what transpired in the past, as well as who is in charge in terms of making decisions for the college.
Dr. Jesus D. Camacho
Delano, California
