Cabrera steps down as NMC honorary regent

The Board of Regents of the Northern Marianas College has lost one honorary member following the resignation of newly elected staff senate president Lorraine Cabrera, just a week after she assumed the position.

Cabrera confirmed with Saipan Tribune that she quit the position, along with vice president Ross Manglona, due to the “reclassification” of positions being conducted by the college management.

Cabrera is the Adult Basic Education director, while Manglona is the director for NMC-CREES program. Both seats are considered administrators based on the new category identified by the college.

At the last board meeting, NMC president Sharon Hart disclosed that Cabrera’s position as honorary member is up for grabs and the staff of the college will select its new president soon through an election.

Hart said NMC is currently doing proper reclassification of positions that will correctly categorize employees’ posts. Once it completes the process, a final recommendation will be turned in to the board.

For several years, the college had two main categories of employees: faculty and staff, of which both presidents of the organizations serve as honorary board member. With the re-classification of posts, there are two categories identified under the staff category-the administrators and the regular staff.

Saipan Tribune learned that because Cabrera’s and Manglona’s positions fall under the administrators division, the two are not eligible to run for the staff senate positions, which are now open only to those under the regular staff category.

With the absence of the president and vice president of the staff senate organization, its treasurer/secretary Cristina Cruz is serving as its sole acting officer. Hart, during the board meeting, said that a new honorary staff member will soon be selected.

The Board of Regents has three honorary non-voting members from the Associated Students of NMC, faculty senate, and the staff senate. Occupying the two remaining positions are Lawrence Camacho and Dr. John Griffin. The board has the following voting members: chair Juan Lizama, members Elaine Hocog-Orilla, Malua Peters, Andrew Orsini, William Torres, and Frank Rabauliman.

NMC has 175 total employees as of last week of which 28 are instructional faculty while 37 are non-instructional faculty. The rest are managers and administrative staffers.