NMC down to just 175 employees this fiscal year

The number of employees at the Northern Marianas College dropped slightly and may continue to decline in coming months after the college’s president, Dr. Sharon Hart, ordered a comprehensive review of all units and departments to determine what positions to keep and abolish.

Records from the college’s Human Resource Office show that NMC has 175 employees, a slight reduction from the 198 the college employed last fiscal year.

Of the 175 current employees, 28 are instructional faculty while 37 are non-instructional faculty. The rest are managers and administrative staffers.

Hart told Saipan Tribune yesterday that each unit manager has been tasked to revisit limited-term contracts, interim or acting positions, and new positions that may be needed. These three job classifications, she said, are being reviewed in a bid to help the college save substantial amounts in its personnel cost.

On Saturday, a comprehensive staffing analysis will be presented to Hart, during which a decision is expected to be made.

“Once we get this review process [done], we’re ready to make an announcement of possible positions we may need for each department,” said Hart.

Besides the announcement for more adjunct instructors, NMC is also looking for an entomologist and a plant pathologist. Hart said these vacant posts are both federally funded.

According to Hart, all these efforts are geared toward aligning the college with its budget this fiscal year. NMC was only allocated $5.1 million for personnel and operations in fiscal year 2011-2012.

Since assuming the presidency in July this year, Hart said she has learned that there have been quite a few individuals who have been serving in acting capacities for many years now. “I believe that we have to provide the opportunity to open those [positions] for employment.”

College records indicate that it has three individuals who serve in acting capacities, while 25 serve under limited-term appointments covering both federal and non-federal programs.

Hart said that majority of those whose contracts were not renewed since the start of the fiscal year were under limited-term appointments, which range from three months up to one year. They were not renewed because their terms have ended or the federal grants that funded their positions have stopped, she said.

Hart said the college may let go of some positions-interim and limited contracts-if the college deems it cost-effective without hampering the delivery of services to students. She said “priority positions” will rule in the budget planning.