COM-FSM Seal College of Micronesia-FSM
Federated States of Micronesia
 
 
Computing · Directory · Home · Jobs · Library · News
    June- Palikir, Pohnpei    

M E M O R A N D U M


June 01, 2005

To: All Concerned

From: President, COM-FSM

Subject: Update from the President's Office - No. 252

 

Accreditation:

The draft Report from the Four Member Accreditation Team that visited the COM-FSM campuses during April 11-15, 2005, was received at the President’s Office on May 23, 2005. The President, Accreditation Liaison Officer, the Director of Research and Planning Office, and Assistant to President reviewed the draft report and made some minor corrections on it. The corrected report was then e-mailed to Dr. Eva Conrad the Chairperson for the visiting team for finalization of their report. The Accreditation Visiting Team’s final report that will be submitted to the Accrediting Commission for review and action at their June 8-10, 2005, meeting was also received by the President’s Office on Friday, May 27, 2005.

The President will be appearing before the Accrediting Commission at their June meeting to update them on what the College has done since the last visit in regard to upgrading Chuuk Campus facilities that will support Instructional and Student Services Programs to meet the accreditation standards. The President has only five minutes to do his presentation.

Board of Regents:

The Board of Regents concluded their meeting on May 26, 2005, and approved the following directives:

  1. The Board approved scaling back of operations at Chuuk Campus commencing Summer Session 2005. This include the suspension of instructional programs with a plan to teach out all currently enrolled students by offering or making alternative arrangements for students to complete their programs and which also includes the suspension of enrollment of new students until such time that the facilities meet the accreditation standards to support the instructional and student services programs.
  2. The Board approved the appointment of Jean Thoulag as Vice President for Instructional Affairs.
  3. The annual fundraising target amount was reduced from $250,000 to $100,000 per annum.
  4. The Investment Committee was recommended to include two Regents, the President, the Vice President for Administration, the Comptroller, and two faculties.
  5. The Strategic Technology Plan was approved as presented.
  6. The Master Infrastructure Development Budget Plan was adopted as a guide for infrastructure planning.
  7. The administration was tasked to review the College’s mission statement and report at the September Board meeting.
  8. Evaluation of President was postponed to the September 2005 meeting.
  9. The Minutes of the March 9-10, 2005, special meeting was adopted.
  10. The September Board meeting will be held in Chuuk. The dates for the meeting will be determined later.

COM-FSM FY 2006 Budget:

The Chairman of the Board, President, and key staff from the College appeared before the HESA Committee of the FSM Congress on May 20, 2005, at the FSM Congress Committees Hearing Room for the FY 2006 budget hearing. The Chairman, Honorable Resio Moses, welcomed the College delegation and announced that FSM Congress has approved the College’s budget for FY 2006 and there is no need to discuss it. However, they have some issues relating to Chuuk Campus that they need to clarify with the delegation from the College. The discussions on Chuuk Campus focused on the funding of the constructions that are currently taking place at Chuuk Campus and the amount of funds needed to do the upgrading of the facilities there. The College delegation responded by saying that the amount needed to complete the upgrading of facilities at the current site is in the vicinity of $500,000. The College delegation also reported to the Committee that the final recommendation on Chuuk Campus issue will be finalized at its Board meeting in Pohnpei during the week of May 24-26, 2005. The Chairman of HESA requested that an oversight hearing be scheduled with the Board of Regents after the Board finalizes the recommendation on Chuuk Campus issues. The Chairman of the HESA later cancelled the oversight hearing. The reason being that there is no need to tell the College what to do in regards to Chuuk Campus issue. The College’s Budget for FY 2006 is given below:

Line items
FSM Congress Approved Budget
Operational Budget for 5 campus
$3,800,000
FSM-FMI operational budget
600,000
Chuuk Campus Facilities
612,000
Kosrae Campus Facilities
888,030
Student Assistant Grant
300,000
Work Study and FSEOG
270,268
Board of Regents
84,000

There is a reduction of about $56,000 and 22,000 for the operational budgets for the five campuses and FSM-FMI respectively.

Pohnpei Campus:

The following is a summary of the revenue generated during the Spring Semester 2005:

Total revenue $569,776.75
Paid 552,048.75
Unpaid 17,728.00

Pohnpei State Campus has managed to collect about 97% of the total revenue for the Spring Semester 2005. The remaining 3% that is not collected yet are from students who have not been awarded Pell Grant during the Spring Semester. The 97% collection rate is a record at Pohnpei Campus, thanks to endless efforts of Mr. Patterson Shed and his persistence on working with students in completing their Pell Grant applications as well as their awards.

Staff Development Incentive Awards for the school year 2004 to 2005:

1. Professional Recognition:

  • Gardner Edgar completed a six months training in Information Technology and computer for Vocational Instructors sponsored by JICA.
  • Grilly Jack was awarded an Electrical Journeyman Certificate in April 2005 from US Department of Labor.
  • Betson Ifamilik was awarded a certificate of attendance from Palau Community College and OMIP for his participation in the Geographic Information System (GIS) training in Palau.
  • Timothy Franklin for his promotion from maintenance worker to supervisor.

2. Years of Service Awards:

  • Jeffrey Arnold – 15 years
  • Churchill Edward – 5 years
  • Gardner Edgar – 5 years
  • Grilly Jack – 5 years

3. Good Health Awards:

  • Rita Harris
  • Amy James
  • Diaz Joseph
  • Edwin Sione

4. Staff of the Year Award:

  • Debra Perman

5. Recognition Award:

  • Mr. Patterson Shed

6. Innovative and Community Service Award:

  • Penny Weilbacher

7. Faculty of the Year Award:

  • Berni Dimaliwat

8. Student’s Choice Award:

  • Patterson Shed

9. Special Award:

  • Marlou Gorospe

The Pohnpei Campus Bookstore has been relocated to a new location with the help of Martin Mingii and his assistant from the National Campus Bookstore. The Bookstore is going to be under the supervision of Mr. Mingii so the necessary equipment and supplies to be used at the store will be purchased and selected by the National Campus Bookstore.

Urgent Tasks as Results of the Warning Issued by Accreditation Commission to COM-FSM

The following matrix summarizes the tasks and things that the College of Micronesia-FSM needs to complete before the end of Spring Semester 2005 as part of the responses to the recommendations from the accrediting commission:

Things that Faculty, Staff, Students, and Managers must do before the end of October 1, 2006.

Activities/Tasks

Who is responsible

Timeline

Improve Communication within the sites, especially at Chuuk and Yap Campuses.

Campus Directors

By August 2005

 

President Update posted on web should include attachments.

President

June 1, 2005

Improve communication between faculty at National and State Campuses.

VPIA and Instructional Coordinators

End of September 2005

Implement Organizational Chart-

President/Directors

Commencing July 1 to October 1, 2005

Linking the decision making bodies to one another.

President/Cabinet

August 2005

Use program review as student learning outcome assessment results at course level is not sufficient to determine quality, effectiveness, and viability of programs.

VPIA, Instructional Coordinators, and Division Chairs

December 2005

Integrate Strategic Planning to Budget, assessment, and program review.

President, Research and Planning Director, Planning Council, and Finance Committee

December 2005

Complete BOR Manual.

President/Assistant to President

End of August 2005

Finalize minimum qualification for part-time faculty.

Director of Human Resources and Personnel Committee

End of August 2005

Consistently Provide quality programs and services at all campuses.

President/Directors/Vice Presidents/Instructional and Student Services Coordinators

December 2005

 

Revise the mission statement

Planning Council

August 2005

Involve the State Campuses on course outlines development and decisions relating to placement testing

VPIA/Instructional Coordinators

Immediately

We have a maximum of about 9.5 months to address Chuuk Campus issue or the whole college will lose its accreditation.

Thank you.