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Hart: Budget weakens NMC’s ability to meet growing needs
Last Thursday, the Senate left the Northern Marianas College with $100,000 less than what the House appropriated in its budget plan—a decrease that “considerably weakens” the college’s effort to meet local work and educational needs, according to Dr. Sharon Hart, the college’s president.
Hart said the college’s budget request of $7.8 million would be used to build and develop programs that meet workforce needs, improve college completion rates in the CNMI, and to sustain compliance with accreditation standards, as well provide quality administrative, instruction, and student services.
“The budget proposal that was passed by the Senate considerably weakens the college’s ability to meet workforce needs and to provide quality educational programs and services to an increasing student enrollment,” said Hart, when asked to comment.
She cited US. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez’ letter, which asked the Commonwealth to “document good faith efforts to locate, educate, train or otherwise prepare U.S. citizens and other lawful permanent residents for jobs” as the CW program is set to end in five years.
Hart said the CNMI only has a limited time and should “move quickly to address pressing workforce needs.”
“[The college is] already doing our part to help lead this effort but we need more resources to sustain the momentum,” she said.
In an earlier interview, Hart described the college an avenue for the local workforce, as everything from their two-year or four-year degrees in education, business, criminal justice or natural resources are sought after by students who want to land jobs.
Hart also cited the WASC Senior College and University Commission’s criteria that a college should have financial stability and sufficient resources to ensure long-term viability.
As reported earlier, Hart disclosed that from fiscal years 2007 to 2013, the total CNMI government appropriation to the college has decreased by 21 percent, from $5.8 million to $4.8 million.
Yet during the same time period, she said, student enrollment increased by about 26 percent.
