NMC Weekly Update - May 12th

NEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE




Hafa Adai, Tirowami, and Greetings Everyone!

Here are the highlighted articles of the week:

NMC has a Complete Board of Regents
The CNMI Senate held its regular session on May 11, 2006 at the Tinian Court House. On the agenda was the confirmation hearing for newly appointed Regent Member Mrs. Maria “Malua” Peter. Regent Peter was confirmed by a unanimous vote, making her the seventh member to the NMC Board of Regents.

Regent Peter’s appointment and senate confirmation fills the final vacant seat on the Board. Regent Peter brings to the Board her many years of educational service and experience as a public servant. She will be a great addition to the NMC Board of Regents. It was in late October of 2005 that four NMC Board of Regents Members term expired. NMC President Tony DeLeon Guerrero said “I will like to express our institutional gratitude and appreciation to Ms. Maggie Olopai-Taitano, Ms. Abbie Cing-Cabrera, Mr. Galvin Guerrero and Mr. Jose Sablan (George Pitu) for their services and contributions as NMC Regents. Our entire college community members are forever grateful for all their individual and collective efforts in improving NMC’s Programs and Services.”

The Current NMC Board of Regent Members are Chairperson Kimberlyn King-Hinds; Regent Elaine H. Orilla; Regent Eloise Furey; Regent Dr. Rita H. Inos; Regent Linsa F. Lizama; Regent Charles V. Cepeda; Regent Maria “Malua” Peter; Honorary Student Member Rose Marie Jones; Honorary Staff Member Lorraine Cabrera; and Honorary Faculty Member David Rumptz.

New Enrollment for Government Health Insurance
The Government Health Insurance has just informed us that there will be a new enrollment period because of a recent change in their third party administrator. The Government Health Insurance will no longer be associated with HPMR, but with another insurance called Aenta Global Benefits (AGB).

Because the plan has been modified to include improved benefits and new premium rates, all current members must re-enroll and complete the new Group Health Insurance Enrollment Form to continue your health insurance benefit. Failure to re-enroll will automatically terminate coverage under prior enrollment, effective July 1, 2006. For those employees who are not enrolled or have been denied enrollment in the prior program, this is the opportunity to enroll.

The enrollment period will start May 16, 2006 - June 15, 2006. Please visit the Government Health Insurance office at the Retirement Building located in Capital Hill.

For NMC Tinian and Rota employees, please visit your respective CNMI Retirement Offices for enrollment.

Jack Kiyoshi from HRO will be scheduling a date and time for the CNMI Government Group Health Insurance to conduct an employee orientation with NMC employees soon. If you have any questions regarding this change, please contact Dolores Moore or Ray Deleon Guerrero at the Government Health Insurance Office: 664-8026.

Financial Aid Workshop for Students
The Financial Aid Office will be holding a Financial Aid Powerpoint Workshop and Presentation for all new and ongoing NMC students on Monday (May 15, 2006) at 10:30am at the Student Center. The workshop will consist of two parts. The first part is on financial aid information such as what types of aid are available, how to retain your financial aid status, and what to look out for when searching for financial aid. The second part is on how to fill out the 2006-2007 FAFSA (for those students who haven't done so yet). We advise all students to bring a copy of their 2005 1040 tax returns (if they filed already) and a pen. The workshop will be about an hour long. If you have any questions, you are encouraged to contact Ms. Daisy P. Manglona-Propst, Financial Aid Program Officer at tel. no.234-5498 ext.1527 or via email to daisym@nmcnet.edu.

Marianas History Class Presentation
Marianas History class will be making a presentation at 4:00 p.m. today (May 12th) at the Student Center on recent developments with oral histories conducted by the students on how the Japanese Jail was run during the Japanese administration. They have been some very interesting developments as a result of this research project. Everyone is welcome to attend.

New Director of Institutional Effectiveness beginning May 15th
Robert Churney is originally from southern California and has spent 22 years as an educator in the Pacific. He has an M.A. in International Studies from the Monterey Institute of International Studies and a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He first came to the Pacific as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Fiji where he worked as a vocational teacher for the Ministry of Social Welfare. After the Peace Corps, Robert worked as an international trade policy analyst for the California Governor’s Office. He then returned to the Pacific and worked as an institutional researcher and social science instructor at the American Samoa Community College. Later, he taught social sciences at the Palau Community College before moving on to the College of Micronesia-FSM in Pohnpei. At the College of Micronesia-FSM he was Social Science Department Chair for many years and was extensively involved in student learning outcome-based assessment. Robert is married, his wife Arieta is a Fijian and also an educator; they have two sons, Robert Jr. and Jonathan, who are college students.

Marianas-Japan Cultural and Educational Exchange Night
NMC will be hosting two of our sister schools from Japan tonight. A total of 350 students, and 50 chaperones from Japan will be visiting the CNMI. Our NMC family will be hosting our guests at the Civic Center Basketball Court/Sabalu Market Grounds from 6pm to 10pm. This event will give our NMC family a great opportunity to interact with our sister schools and allow us to make stronger bonds between our respective educational institutions.

This inter-institutional event is intended to strengthen international friendship, goodwill, cultural understanding, and academic ties between NMC, Seisa Group and Oshima Gakuen.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this event or would like to volunteer or donate, please contact our Planning Committee Chairperson, Dean Jeannette Villagomez at 234-5498 ext.1347. Thank you!

NMC President Invited to Hiroshima
NMC President Tony V. DeLeon Guerrero is invited by the Chairman and Principal of Koryo High School (KHS) to attend the institution’s 110th Anniversary Celebration from May 16-18, in Hiroshima, Japan. The Board of Regents Chairperson, Kim Hinds, approved for the President to travel and represent NMC and participate in the 110th Anniversary Celebration Commemorating the founding of Koryo High School, a prestigious private school in Hiroshima. The travel expenses incurred by the NMC President will be covered by Koryo High School. NMC and KHS signed a Sister-School Agreement on January 17th, 2005.

Prior to going to Hiroshima, the President will be spending a couple of days (May 13-15) in Nagoya to meet with individuals interested to collaborate with NMC in bringing Japanese students to the CNMI. President DeLeon Guerrero will also be signing a Memorandum of Agreement to promote academic ties and cultural exchange programs between Shogen Junior College and NMC. The official meeting with Dr. Sogen Yamakawa, President of Shogen Junior College, is scheduled for May 15th.

This trip to Japan by the NMC President will advance the college’s effort to promote educational partnerships and marketing interests to attract Japanese students to enroll at NMC as well as to expand study abroad opportunities for NMC and CNMI students.

Have a Safe and Wonderful Weekend!