‘Fernandez failed first test as NMC president’

Sen. Maria Frica Pangelinan is taking issue with the leader of the indigenous Taotao Tano CNMI inc. and believes that Northern Marianas College president Dr. Carmen Fernandez “failed” her first test as chief executive at the institution.

In an e-mail exchange between Pangelinan and Taotao Tano’s Greg Cruz, the senator blasted Cruz for accusing her of having “personal issues” with Fernandez.

“Please let me know what personal issues I have with the president. I am not aware that I have one. I have reasons to judge her in her position, playing political games and sweet talking everyone to be given the freedom to do as she pleases,” Pangelinan told Cruz.

The lawmaker disagreed with the idea of keeping someone on the post despite concerns about performance. “So we will keep her in office forever and hope for accreditation? Wake up! Her first test as president failed. What did she tell the public when the report was ready? That everything was complied with and to just now ‘pray.’ Well, praying did not help the college get its accreditation back. So is she so indispensable for the sake of accreditation? Is she now going to ask the Legislature for more funding to get the right consultant to do her work? And then get the credit?” Pangelinan asked Cruz.

The Taotao Tano leader, after a meeting with Fernandez on Tuesday, e-mailed Pangelinan, citing the importance of the lawmaker’s support for NMC’s accreditation.

Cruz, in his e-mail, told Pangelinan to support NMC, “otherwise you will ultimately answer to the entire NMC students concerning the [loss] of their hard earned and well-deserved credits.”

This raised the hackles of the senator, who responded: “So now they will blame me when accreditation is lost after two years of giving the president all the liberty to resolve the problems and get its accreditation back? Interesting that I am now being threatened. …I am ready to face the students anytime. I can fight my issues all the way…and I don’t chicken out because someone sweet talks me.”

If NMC does lose its accreditation, Pangelinan said it is “because we allowed Carmen Fernandez to stay on as president and [we] continued to hope even when there is evidence that she failed and we cannot trust what she tells us anymore.”

Saipan Tribune tried to get comments from Fernandez yesterday but was told that she will not respond anymore to the issue.

Criticisms against the NMC president were disclosed following admission of the faculty senate that “dissatisfaction” is running high among college personnel against Fernandez.

Her alleged “management style” and “hiring practices” are some of the factors that have reportedly dismayed some employees and faculty.

NMC hired Fernandez in May 2007. Her two-year contract with the Board of Regents is up for renewal this year.

The institution was placed on continued show-cause status early this month by the Western Associations of Schools and Colleges. It was given until April 1 to submit a supplemental report on two remaining team recommendations that have not been fully “comply with.”

In the evaluation report provided by the visiting team, it was indicated that the college “partially” implemented the remaining two concerns and the “show cause extension” was issued to give it time to submit additional proof of its compliance with standards.

Last week, Fernandez responded one-by-one to the criticisms hurled against her. She denied employing any illegal hiring practices and that she made sound judgments in accordance with NMC rules and policies.

The Board of Regents had also come in defense of the president.