Update from the President's Office - No. 192

August 29, 2001

MEMORANDUM

To:       All Regents, Faculty, Staff, and Students

From:     President

Subject:  Update from the President's Office-No.192

Report on visit to Yap and Chuuk.    I left on August 14, 2001, to travel to Guam and Yap to visit the FSM Fisheries and Maritime Institute and Yap Campus, accompanied by FSM Congress HESA Vice Chairman Moses. The visit to FSM FMI was primarily to prepare for the upcoming visit by the Accrediting Commission scheduled for the first week of October. After checking into the hotel on the morning of Wednesday, August 15th, Senator Moses and I drove out the FMI where we met with Director Matthias Ewarmai before touring the facilities and visiting a class. After joining the staff for lunch in the FMI cafeteria, I then met with Matthias and Assistant Director Richard Bourner and reviewed the Substantive Change Report that had been submitted to the Accrediting Commission. During this meeting a list of supporting documents that should be available to the Commission was generated. I also conducted Matthias' personnel evaluation later that afternoon. We were treated to a dinner reception that evening hosted by JICA.

At 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 15th, Senator Moses, Director Ewarmai, Yap Campus Director Lourdes Roboman and I met with Yap State Governor Figir and Lt. Governor Yatilman. Issues discussed included the lease for the property for FMI, the lease for the property for the Yap Campus, exemption from Yap State taxes for FMI equipment being donated by JICA, and the coordination of vocational education among others. Following the meeting with the Governor, Senator Moses and I visited Yap Campus which provided the Senator with an opportunity to view first hand the need for construction of classrooms at the Yap Campus site. After a lunch meeting with Lourdes, I met with the Yap Campus staff and discussed a variety of issues. I conducted Lourdes' personnel evaluation prior to leaving Yap Campus at approximately 5:00 p.m. that afternoon. The flight departed for Palau/Guam at approximately 1:00 a.m.

We departed for Chuuk at 8:10 a.m. Monday, August 20, 2001. After checking into the hotel and a quick visit to Chuuk Campus, Senator Moses excused himself to attend public hearings being held by FSM Congress on various measures before the Ways and Means and HESA Committees. I met with Chuuk Campus Director Graceful Enlet most of the afternoon on a variety of issues.

On Tuesday, August 21, 2001, I spent the morning at Chuuk Campus meeting with Graceful. At noon, a potluck luncheon was hosted by the Chuuk Campus staff. Following the luncheon, Graceful and I met with Governor Walter to update him on the construction of the new campus among other things. During this meeting the Governor pledged his support for the project. We then returned to the campus where we met up with Assistant Director Switer Eter and Vocational Education Director Stephen Richmond to visit the new campus site. The road is staked out and we were able to follow a path close to the center of the soon-to-be road. The view from the top of the hill, where the new campus is to be constructed, is spectacular. If all goes as planned, groundbreaking will take place the second week in October.

During the evening of August 21, 2001, we were hosted to a barbecue by HESA Chairman John Petewon.

I visited Chuuk Campus briefly on the morning of Wednesday, August 22, 2001, to meet with Graceful on issues we had not yet covered the previous days and departed Chuuk at approximately 10:40 a.m.

Title to Palikir property.   Upon my return to Pohnpei last week, I was handed the title to the Palikir property on which the National Campus stands. This document provides definite ownership for the property and clearly lays out its boundaries. Although the College has had a deed for the property since the 80's, having title should make our dealings with current and future land issues much easier.

Campus Directors meeting.    A meeting of all of the Campus Directors will be held from August 27-31, 2001, at the National Campus. Topics to be discussed include: Instructional Programs; Personnel; Learning Resources; Student Services; Business Office/Finance; Land Grant; Vocational Education; Technology; and Facilities. Also there will be a special meeting of the Presidential Search Committee on Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. Much of Wednesday's and Thursday's agenda will be taken up with issues relative to vocational education as this meeting is being sponsored by a Buddy System grant from the OMIP program, US Department of Interior. Chuuk Campus Vocational Education Director Stephen Richmond and vocational education instructors from Pohnpei Campus will also be attending these sessions. This meeting is open to anyone who would like to sit in.

Enrollment.    Although firm figures are not yet available, it appears that this fall's enrollment has reached records at nearly all campuses. As of this writing, the National Campus enrollment is nearing 950, Chuuk Campus has registered 730, Pohnpei Campus has registered 300, Kosrae Campus has registered 206, and Yap Campus 81. Official enrollment figures will be available after the add/drop period.

Business/Finance Policy Manual.    The Business/Finance Policy Manual has been completed and ten copies have been distributed, one to each office, as follows: Instructional Affairs, Business Office, President's Office, Support and Student Affairs, Cooperative Research and Extension (Land Grant), Chuuk Campus, Yap Campus, FMI, Pohnpei Campus, and Kosrae Campus. This manual is a collection of all of the College's business/finance related policies to date. Indexes will be made available to all program and activity heads. Please feel free to consult this manual whenever a policy question arises. Similar policy manuals in the areas of administration, instruction, community, facilities, and student services are currently under development.

Personnel.    Nothing to report.