Accreditation:

One of the recommendations that placed the College on warning status was based on the sub-standard facilities at the COM-FSM Chuuk Campus. This recommendation has not been properly addressed by the College. Therefore, the teach out to all continuing students at the COM-FSM Chuuk Campus will continue during Fall Semester 2005 and Spring Semester 2006. The teach out and scale back of operation at the COM-FSM Chuuk Campus will not be accepting new students during these semesters.

The renovation of facilities at COM-FSM Chuuk Campus cannot take place until the Project Management Unit (PMU) inspects the current facilities and gives the clearance to the College to demolish the facilities for renovation. The College does not have resources to fund the renovations needed at COM-FSM Chuuk Campus. It will need the assistance of the governments to work on the renovation of facilities there.

Board of Regents:

The COM-FSM Board of Regents’ next meeting will be in the State of Chuuk. The Board of Regents’ meetings are open to the public except when the Board goes into executive sessions. The executive sessions are closed to the public.

Strategic Planning:

The College of Micronesia-FSM had a Strategic Planning Retreat on August 1-2, 2005, at the COM-FSM National Campus. Over 30 key staff, faculty and staff representatives, student representatives, and members of the planning council attended the retreat. The retreat was facilitated by Mr. Jim Hollyer. The facilitator was able to work with the participants on developing the vision, values, mission, 7 goals and their objectives during the retreat. The outcomes of the retreat had been e-mailed to all participants and members of the college community for inputs and comments. The plan will continue to be developed as committees work with their members on completing the objectives, actions and resources, and assessment by following the Kapiolani Community College Model. The written outcomes of the Strategic Planning Retreat will be circulated, too. The Board of Regents will be reviewing the mission for the College at their September 2005 meeting in the State of Chuuk.

Enrollment Management for the COM-FSM Campus:

The College is following the accreditation standards as well as establishing its own standards based on the National Campus standards on its facilities, services, and programs for all its campuses. This is a requirement of the accrediting commission for consistency of delivering quality programs at all sites or campuses. For example, if National Campus has a ratio of ten students to one computer (10:1) then all campuses with the COM-FSM system must have the same ratio. Due to limited resources at campuses, the College has been managing the enrollment at its campuses. Example of the standards the College is using in managing the enrollment at its campuses includes the following: student to teacher ratio, student to counselor ratio, and classroom capacity/square feet per student in lecture classrooms. The Board of Regents will also be reviewing these standards at its next meeting.

United Nation Art Contest:

Mr. Rample Emwalu from Chuuk, an alumni of the Student Support Services Program has been recognized by United Nation as a winner for the artwork he submitted for the Youth Visioning for Island Living art contest. Mr. Emwalu was a winner in the 14-17 year old category. In recognizing for Mr. Emwalu’s achievement a certificate from the United Nations Cyberschoolbus has been awarded to him.

Nearly 300 drawings and paintings were submitted by students around the world. The selection was very difficult. Mr. Emwalu’s entry was found to have outstanding qualities. Congratulations to Mr. Rample Emwalu.

People can view entries for this art contest by visiting the following website: http://www.cybershoolbus.un.org

March 15, 2006 Progress Report:

The Accreditation Working Group met on August 4, 2005, and discussed activities, timelines, and who will be responsible for the activities for March 15, 2006 Progress Report. The group also started collecting evidences for these activities and will be depositing these in the evidence files for the team that will be visiting the College in April 2006.

Internet and E-Mail Access At FSM-FMI:

During the past three weeks, students, faculty, and staff at the FSM-FMI had difficulty accessing Internet and their e-mails because of connection problems between FSM Telecom and FSM-FMI. The Director of IT has been monitoring and working with the FSM Telecom on this problem and we hope that this problem can be resolved as soon as possible.

Plan of Action for the SEG Funds:

The College was asked by the FSM Department of Education to submit an action plan for the $174,000.00 it will be receiving from the Supplemental Education Grant. The College was instructed to use these funds for professional development related to elementary and secondary education. A plan of action was developed with a budget and submitted to the FSM President’s Office for inclusion in the FSM overall plan of action.

The following are the new hires and resignations:

New Hires:

1. Nena Mike - Instructional Coordinator @ Kosrae Campus
2. Grilly Jack - Vocational Training Coordinator @ National Campus
3. Suzann Giyeg - Research Assistant @ Yap Campus
4. Eric de Guzman - Electronic Instructor @ Yap Campus
5. Cecilia Dibay - Student Services Coordinator @ Yap Campus (Promotion)
6. John Saber - Math & Science Instructor @ National
7. Kenneth Welles - Business and Computer Instructor @ National
8. Lyle Baconguise - Vocational Education Instructor @ Kosrae Campus
9. Danilo Mamangon - Math & Science Instructor @ National (Transferred from Chuuk)
10. Karen Simion - Language and Lit. Instructor @ National (Transferred from Chuuk)
11. Devanesam Senarathgoda - Language and Lit. Instructor @ National (Transferred from Chuuk)
12. Bollie Ludwig Taulung - Student Services Aide @ National

Resignations:

1. David Walsh - HTM Instructor @ PNI Campus
2. Bernie Dimaliwat - Vocational Math/Engineering Instructor @ PNI Campus
3. Tom Bently - English Instructor @ Kosrae Campus
4. Doug Kelly - English Instructor @ National
5. John Fink - English Instructor @ Pohnpei Campus
6. Jenise Nicholson - Counselor @ National

Substantive Change Report for FMI:

Since the warning status has been removed, the accreditation working group will begin its work on completing the substantive change report for the FSM-FMI. The group anticipates to complete this report sometimes during Fall Semester 2005 so it can be forwarded to the Board of Regents and then to the Accrediting Commission for their review and action. The Director of the FSM-FMI has been instructed to review the report with his staff and submit their inputs to the President’s Office in about a month.

Untimely Passing Away of a Faculty Member at National Campus:

The College is saddened with the passing of Ideia Sackryas, who has been with the College for the past nineteen years. Mr. Sackryas was the art instructor at both the National and Pohnpei Campuses and also served as the printshop manager. He will be missed. Our condolences go to his wife, Alilihna, who works in our Business Office, and their two children.

Words of Appreciation from the President:

I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to the Chairman of the Board of Regents, faculty, staff, and students at the National and Pohnpei Campuses for your spirit of cooperation and willingness to work as a team on paying your last respects to our colleague, co-worker, and friend Ideia Sackryas. My kudos to all of you. Your support and spirit of cooperation makes the College a better place to work.

Thank you.