NMC board’s McPhetres resigns

Less than 11 months after being named to the post, Agnes McPhetres resigned Friday as a member of the Northern Marianas College board of regents, citing several issues she has with the college’s management.

Her resignation was confirmed yesterday by regents chair Charles V. Cepeda, who said he received a copy of McPhetres’ resignation letter addressed to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial. Cepeda, however, declined to comment, citing “elements” in the correspondence that he cannot comment on at present.

In her letter to Fitial Friday, McPhetres, a former NMC president, voiced her frustration and disappointment with the management practices being employed by the incumbent, Dr. Carmen Fernandez, who McPhetres said lacks transparency and forthrightness in dealing with the board and the accrediting commission.

“I have lost faith and trust in the president’s ability to lead our institution into the future. Under such circumstances, I can no longer be an effective board member,” McPhetres told the governor.

Fernandez could not be immediately sought for comments yesterday.

The former NMC president claimed that “Dr. Fernandez lacks what it takes to gain confidence and the commitment of those faculty and staff who are bold enough to voice publicly their dissatisfaction with her management of the institution.”

McPhetres is the third board member to quit the regency in less than two years since Fernandez took office. The first ones were Eloise Furey and Joey San Nicolas.

By resigning from her post, McPhetres said she “will no longer be restrained in being critical of the manner with which the institution is being led by an individual who is causing considerable harm due to her lack of scruples.”

McPhetres informed the governor that a group of staff, faculty and administrators had asked to meet with her but she suggested instead that the group go through proper channels.

“Being a board member, I have been compelled to tell them that I cannot meet with them. I suggest taking it through appropriate channels. However, this is becoming an increasingly untenable position for me for I feel that I am just turning my back to a group that very much needs to be heard,” she said.

Saipan Tribune learned that the group meeting took place at a residence of a faculty member, where they invited some lawmakers.

McPhetres said the board had called her on Thursday, asking her to explain herself about instigating the “meeting.” She said she did not attend the meeting, much more instigate it.

“The pain I had to go through as I sat and had to defend myself against obvious lies was unbearable,” she said.

She expressed disappointment over how a professional educator such as the president “could stoop so low as to accuse a well-intentioned fellow educator of unsubstantiated actions.”

McPhetres told the governor it appears that these allegations were brought to the attention of the accrediting commission with the sole purpose of tarnishing her reputation and making her the scapegoat of the current turmoil within the college.

“I find this to be exceedingly degrading and unprofessional…and I refuse to tolerate it,” she added.

The leader of Taotao Tano CNMI Inc., Gregorio Cruz Jr., came to Fernandez’s defense, describing McPhetres’ letter as “vindictive.”

He said he finds McPhetres’ complaints against the NMC president interesting in that the issue of mismanagement, questionable hirings, promotions, unjustified salary increases, improper termination, embezzlment and cover-ups started way during McPhetres’ term in office at NMC.

He viewed McPhetres resignation as immature, unprofessional, vindictive and out of vengeance.

“The issues being raised today are the same issues raised years ago. One important and critical issue is the fact the any local in our community who had been a president at NMC never lasted. Why? [Internal] loyalists ensured that they never last, especially when a president is making major changes for the betterment of NMC and its students. We strongly believe that Mrs. McPheters had maintained control of NMC even after she retired,” Cruz said in a statement issued yesterday.