[May 01, 2020] Update from President's Office

FSM continues to remain COVID-19 virus free due to strict guidelines and actions taken by the National and State governments. The National government has extended the state of emergency through May 31, 2020. For details see Congress Resolution Extending Emergency Declaration until 31 May, dated April 17, 2020.

• College opens doors for limited essential Services May 4, 2020.

Since the state borders have been closed for nearly two months and there are currently no cases of COVID-19 under investigation, the College will open its doors for essential services. The offices may still be reached through email as well. These essential services include Admissions, Financial Aid, Business Office, President’s Office, Dean of Academic Affairs Office and the Learning Resource Center. Schedules are as follows:

            President’s Office                 Monday – Wednesday         9:00am – 12 noon

            VPIA Office                           Monday – Wednesday        9:00am – 12 noon

            Dean of Academic Affairs     Monday – Wednesday        9:00am – 12 noon

            Learning Resource Center   Monday – Friday                  9:00am – 4:00pm

VPIEQA - Working remotely and available for online meetings between 3-5pm Pohnpei time, Monday-Friday

VPAS                                       Mon., Wed., Friday                      9:00 – 12 noon

Information Technology       Mon,. Wed., Friday                          8:00 – 12 noon

VPEMSS

Department for Enrollment Management & Student Services (EMSS) has temporarily updated delivery of student support programs and services in its firm commitment to provide services to college community members and other stakeholders, while helping protect the health and safety of everyone during this unprecedented health crisis.

Hours or days of operation.  Beginning Monday, May 4, 2020, until May 29, 2020, but may be subject to change depending on certain circumstances. EMSS offices will be open Monday through Friday 9:00am – 4:00pm; however, EMSS personnel will be working in shifts. For specific hours, please contact a campus near you or visit the college’s homepage at www.comfsm.fm.

National Campus,  (691) 320-2480 extensions 121 and 122
Career & Technical Education Center (CTEC), (691) 320-1065
Chuuk Campus, (691) 330-5689
Kosrae Campus, (691) 370-3191
Yap Campus, (691) 350-2296

College phone lines will be answered daily from 9:00am – 12 noon. After that time, please use the extension or email the office. To find people’s email addresses or telephone extensions, use the online COM-FSM staff and faculty directory http://www.comfsm.fm/directory.html.

The college reminds everyone to limit visits to campus and observe the following:

 During the period, May 4, 2020, until May 29, 2020, or during the duration of this period of unprecedented health crisis:

1. All members of the college community, e.g., administrators, faculty and staff, including students, will be required to wear the college’s official photo identification card upon entry to the campus, and while on campus.
2. Visitors or non-college community members will be issued visitor’s identification cards upon entry to the campus and completing the security log form.  They will be wearing these IDs while on campus conducting official business, and will have to log out from the security log and surrender the IDs when leaving the campus.
3. Anyone on campus may be required to have his/her temperature checked by a member of security.
4. Security shall ensure or enforce the college’s social distancing efforts — not more than 10 people in a group, maintain 6 feet in distance between individuals.
5. Public community vehicles or taxi cabs shall be allowed on campus only up to the designated pick up or drop off point.

Please be reminded that when you are on campus to practice other public health advisories and preventive measures such as:

• Wash hands before and after going into buildings, and using the bathroom, or use hand sanitizer
• Control coughing and sneezing
• If you feel sick, do not come to campus

Should a case come under investigation, the college once again will close services and make announcements on how to access these services in a safe manner.

• College plans for online summer session starting June 1.

The college will be offering classes this summer through online delivery mode. Classes are scheduled to start June 1, 2020. Schedules will be posted on MyShark portal in the next few weeks.

Summer 2020 admissions for new and transfer students, including returning students.   

1. For incoming new first-time-college students.  Results of the recent 2020 spring COM-FSM Entrance Test (COMET) have been released to the principals (or designated points of contact) of private and public high schools in the FSM.  However, you may contact our campus admission office near you for your COMET results and placements. 
   
   Beginning May 4, 2020, until May 22, 2020, the college will accept applications for summer 2020 admission. The college’s admission requirements provide that students have: (a) graduated or will graduate from high school at the end of the current school year, or have a General Educational Development (GED) certificate; (b) a minimum high school grade point average of 2.0 as measured on a 4.0 scale, or a minimal score of 35 on each section and an average score of 45 for all five sections of the GED test; and (c) been accepted by the Committee on Recruitment, Admissions and Retention, or placed into the college’s programs via the COMET.
   
   Students are advised to contact our campus admission office near them for further details on how they can file their applications for summer 2020 admissions or to schedule appointments with our admission specialists or counselors.
2. For incoming new transfer students.  Beginning May 4, 2020, until May 22, 2020, the college will accept applications for summer 2020 admission.  Application for admission may be dowloaded from the college’s website (http://www.comfsm.fm/oar/application-for-admission-Final.pdf).   The college should receive applications for summer 2020 admission on or before the afore-stated deadline along with the following other requirements:  (a) transcripts of records from all colleges or universities previously attended, which are sent directly to the college’s Office of Admissions, Records and Retention; (b) $10.00 admission fee; and (c) health clearance or certificate. New transfer students are advised to contact our campus near them for further details on how they can file their applications for summer 2020 admissions or to schedule appointments with our admission specialists or counselors.
3. For returning students.  Beginning May 4, 2020, until May 22, 2020, the college will accept applications for summer 2020 readmissions.  Application for readmission may be dowloaded from the college’s website (http://www.comfsm.fm/oar/forms/application_for_readmission.pdf).   The college should receive applications for summer 2020 readmission on or before the afore-stated deadline.

Registration for summer 2020.   While registration for summer 2020 is currently scheduled for two days, May 28-29, 2020, the college will expand the registration to five days, May 26 to 29, 2020.  The college has temporarily updated its registration process for the health and safety of college community members, and to further assist with its social distancing efforts, especially under this unprecedented health crisis. 

1. For continuing students.  Continuing students may register for summer 2020 classes online in MyShark.  Window for summer 2020 online registration will be open, May 26, 2020, 8:00 AM (Pohnpei & Kosrae Time) or 7:00 AM (Chuuk & Yap Time), and will close, May 29, 2020, 6:00 PM  (Pohnpei & Kosrae Time) or 5:00 PM (Chuuk & Yap Time). Continuing students are advised to contact their academic advisors for securing recommended courses for summer 2020, and approval to register online.Continuing students are also advised to contact our campus near them for any assistance or to schedule appointments with our admission specialists or counselors.
2. For new first-time-in college, transfer and returning students.  Students are also advised to contact our campus near them for any assistance relating to registration for summer 2020, or to schedule appointments with our admission specialists or counselors. Check college homepage in the next week for scheduling appointments online.

Continue to monitor the college website at www.comfsm.fm for additional information as we near registration and the summer session.