FLASHBACK – November 15, 2011

Nov. 15, 2000

Low retention rate alarms NMC

The Northern Marianas College is devising plans to investigate the steady decline in the college’s student retention rate, which is approximately at 27 percent against the 40 to 45 percent average retention rate based on national norms. NMC’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness, the Counseling Center, and the Office of Admissions, Records and Financial Aid has forged an alliance to probe the reasons behind the dismal student retention figures in efforts to stem tide. According to Ms. Julie Ulloa-Heath, Office of Institutional Effectiveness director, the key departments are set to launch the NMC Retention Program where they will administer satisfaction surveys aimed at stimulating clearer answers as to why a significant percentage of NMC freshmen do not return to the college for their sophomore year.

SESAP seeks BOE help to boost special ed

The Special Education State Advisory Panel has called on members of the State Board of Education to address what panel members called as “atrocious” situation of Northern Marianas’ special education that has denied over 270 students with disabilities of unique educational services. SESAP Chair Ted Seaman appealed to BOE members to have more active involvement in uplifting the quality of services offered to special education students and to expedite the selection of advisory panel members that would finally complete SESAP. “We need authorities to pronounce SESAP as a legitimate panel working for the improvement of CNMI’s special education,” said Mr. Seaman.

Nov. 15, 2001

$356K earmarked for road projects

The Tenorio administration yesterday approved the reallocation of some $356,399 for various road paving and road improvement projects on Saipan. This came about after Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio signed into law two bills-House Bill 12-304 and House Local Bill 12-46-authorizing the said reappropriation. Under House Bill 12-304, about $106,399 that was left over from Public Law 9-24 will be realigned to pave the road from the Saipan International School to the Saipan International Airport. The local bill, meanwhile, reallocates some $200,000 from the Developer Infrastructure Tax and $50,000 from the slot machine licensing fees to pave and improve the Sadog Tasi and Chalan Kiya roads.

CNMI urged: Explore other tour markets

Public Relations firm Starr Seigle Communication underscored the need to diversify the CNMI’s tourism market in light of Japan’s contracting economy. Starr Seigle Senior Vice President Charlotte Vick said that, with the Japan economy still recovering from the Asian crisis, the Northern Marianas should tap the potentials of other emerging markets in the region. Vick listed Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan as possible markets that can help revive the Commonwealth’s travel sector. She said Korea and China are doing well.

Nov. 15, 2002

Prioritize sewer line projects, CUC urged

Environmental Protection Agency officials expect the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation to prioritize the construction of sewer lines throughout the CNMI, noting that delays would adversely affect the CNMI’s groundwater. “I think, ideally, we’d like to see more people connected to the sewer system. First of all we’d like to see fewer people using septic tanks because it gets back to the groundwater (when not pumped on time). Having connected to the sewer line is going to ultimately protect the precious groundwater,” EPA manager for the Pacific John McCaroll said in a media briefing Wednesday. EPA CNMI program manager Pat Young, in the same occasion, said that amid the lack of funding, the CUC should look for alternative sources to prioritize sewer line projects.

NMI gets $368K in new grants

Gov. Juan N. Babauta on Wednesday accepted three grants from the Department of Justice totaling $368,000, which are being touted to go a long way in improving the criminal and justice system in the Commonwealth. The three grants consisted of the National Criminal History Improvement Program grant, amounting to $285,000; the renewal of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Title V program grant, $33,000; and the Statistical Analysis Center grant from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, $50,000. Babauta commended Criminal Justice Planning Agency director Doris Pladevega for her work in securing the grants.