MEMORANDUM

The newly dedicated science building at Yap Campus is now housing the science labs, storeroom, offices and the expanded temporary learning resources center for Yap Campus. Over 200 dignitaries, faculty, staff, students, friends and supporters attended the dedication. The newly dedicated building was blessed by Jesuit Father John Hagleiram. Speeches and remarks for the dedication were delivered by the Honorable Sebastian Anafel, Governor of Yap State, Honorable John Chieg, Speaker of Yap Legislature, COM-FSM Board of Regent Mary Figir and COM-FSM President Spensin James. The following were some of the photos taken during the dedication of the building:

The College of Micronesia-FSM representatives appeared before the Health, Education, and Social Affairs (HESA) Committee of the FSM Congress on Friday, January 30, 2009, at 3 pm to 5 pm and on Monday, February 2, 2009, at 8:30 am to 9:30 am for oversight hearings. The members of the HESA Committee asked the representatives of the College questions regarding the operations of the College, Chuuk Campus permanent site, current lease on the site currently used by the COM-FSM Chuuk Campus, teacher training programs and about remedial courses. Some senators raised concerns about some programs at the College not being too challenging to students which resulted in situations where students cease to spend their time studying.

The Chairman of HESA wrote to COM-FSM’s President James and thanked the delegation from the College for appearing before the committee and enlightening the committee members on matters of interest to them regarding the operations of the College. A summary report on the hearing will be provided to the College.

On a related matter, the Committee Health, Education and Social Affairs is planning to visit the Maritime Academy in the Republic of the Philippines on February 20-27, 2009. The purpose of the trip is to find out more information about the academy and meet with the officials to discuss the recruitment of the FSM citizens to the academy. Because of this, the Chairman of the HESA Committee has invited the Director of the FSM Fisheries and Maritime Institute, Mr. Matthias Ewarmai to accompany the committee members on this trip.

The U. S. Department of Education approved a Kosrae Campus Upward Bound Program’s college orientation visit to the National Campus during the week of April 4-10, 2009. This year’s group consists of 27 11th graders from Kosrae High School that are current participants of the UB Program at Kosrae Campus. The students will be accompanied by the Upward Bound Program staff during the orientation visit.

The students will be staying at the National Campus residence halls, eat most of their meals at the cafeteria, attend classes, meeting with students and staff, and have site visits to FSM Government Complex in Palikir, as well as visit to Pohnpei State Governor’s Office. Students will also be given ample time to shop in town and watch a movie at the theatre.

The College of Micronesia-FSM submitted its Follow-Up Report to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) on October 15, 2008 for their review and action at their January 7-9, 2009. The President of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Dr. Barbara A. Beno, wrote President James on February 3, 2009 and informed him that WASC reviewed COM-FSM’s Follow-Up Report and took action to reject the report and require the college to resubmit the Follow-Up Report by March 15, 2009. The report will be followed by a visit by commission representatives

President Beno’s letter also informed President James that the Follow-Up Report should show the institution’s resolution of the recommendations and the Commission concern as noted in the Commission Action Letter of June 29, 2007. The report should describe the resolution of each recommendation, analyze the results achieved to date, provide evidence of the results and indicate what additional plans the College has developed.

The College’s Administration has scheduled a meeting of key administrators, faculty, and staff on February 18, 2009 to discuss the specifics on how the report should be written to address the concerns of the accrediting commission. The Follow-Up Report should focus on the College’s resolution of the recommendations listed below:

Although the Accrediting Commission rejected the College’s Follow-Up Report, the College is still in good accreditation status with the Commission.  The College is currently not in any kind of sanction like warning, probation, or show cause.  President James wants to assure the college community, the leadership of the FSM National and the State governments and other stakeholders that the College will work hard to resubmit the report by March 15, 2009.

The following budget requests were included in the College of Micronesia-FSM’s FY 2010 submission to FSM President’s Office:

• Operations Budget (ESG)                                                         $3,900,000
• Infrastructure Development Projects                                           2,500,000
• Board of Regents                                                                           96,000
• FSM-FMI                                                                                     757,945

The College of Micronesia-FSM has a budget hearing on its FY 2010 budgets with the FSM Government Budget Review Committee on February 11, 2009 and there were no major concerns from the Committee regarding the College’s FY 2010 budgets. However, the Chair, Alik Alik, requested the College to submit a budget breakdown for the FSM-FMI budget. The College has worked on the Chairman’s request and a breakdown of the FSM-FMI budget has been submitted to Vice President’s Alik Alik office on February 16, 2009.

The Pohnpei State Government has requested the College of Micronesia-FSM to develop proposals on training for their employees during the fiscal year 2009. The following is a list of training that Pohnpei State is requesting the College to develop proposals on:

• APIPA Training – updates on financial and audit issues at $20,000,
• Pacific Emerging issues Workshop – updates on financial management, human resources development and audit issues at 12,000,
• Financial Management and Budgeting Courses – training courses in financial management, performance measurement and budgeting at 20,000,
• Grant Funded Programs Training – updates on federal programs management; new and revised management procedures and requirements at $14,000,
• Grant Writing Workshop –training workshop on upgrading grant writing skills at 3,000,
• Police Academy  and Fire Training at 19,000,
• AutoCad Training – training on software for surveying and mapping; upgrading skills and knowledge on new survey techniques or staff to keep up with rapidly changing technology; GPS system requirements; GIS system upgrades at 15,000,
• Marine Life Management/Agriculture and Farming –Training on marine life care, coconut development, agriculture farming at 8,000,
• Environmental Protection Training – environmental Impact Assessment Workshop, Hazardous/Solid waste; Hazmat Technical course; FSM/WERI Advisory Council Meeting/Annual EPA Pacific Directors Training; Workshop on Food Establishments, water monitoring at 12,000,
• Training for Nurses and doctors – updates on working knowledge for nurses and doctors at 7,000,
• Computer Training – basic and advanced computer training for Primary Government employees at 10,000, and
• Teacher Training – teacher training programs offered at the local college and off-island colleges and universities at 10,000.

A working group met on the afternoon of Tuesday, February 18, 2009 and identified the trainings that the College can deliver. A training package will be developed and delivered to the Pohnpei State Government for their review and further action. The working group acknowledged that the College has the capacity to deliver most of the training being proposed by Pohnpei State. The National and Pohnpei campuses will be collaborating on these training proposals.

The 2009 Staff Development Day at the National Campus started out with registration at 8:00 am on Friday, February 27, 2009, due to a heavy turn out for faculty, staff, and administrators interested in attending the sessions and activities of the day. This lead to a delay of about 20 minutes before the sessions started. The 2009 Staff Development general session started out with a prayer by Reverend Sony Padock followed by an opening remarks by President James and general remarks by Vice President for Administrative Services Joe Habuchmai.

• Electricity from streams presented by Doug Kelly
• Reading across the curriculum in a 2nd Language by Karen Nelson
• The “customer” in customer service by Shaun Suliol
• Basics of Swine Husbandry by Engly Ioanis
• Power from Low Stream by Doug Kelly
• Writing across the curriculum by Mary Chang
• Applying for grants at COM-FSM by Dayle Dannis
• Propagation techniques – vegetative and seeds by Mark Kostka
• Using Coconut oil for lighting and cooking by Doug Kelly
• What we need to remain accredited by Joseph Saimon
• Learning Different cultivars of banana in Pohnpei by Mark Kostka
• Using the Sun to cook by Doug Kelly
• Smartboard and illuminate live by Peter Pedrus
• Rechargeable batteries by Doug Kelly
• Microsoft Publisher by Joey Oducado
• I am Master: e-mail is slave by Joe Saimon
• Overweight and obesity by Welsihter Hagilmai
• Electricity from wind by Doug Kelly
• VOIP Telephone Training by Gordon Segal
• The Clery Act & its implications by Warren Ching
• Emergency First Aid by Drs. Cuboni, H. Cuboni and Dema.

About 130 of the 170 employees at the National Campus attended the 2009 Staff Development Day activities, sessions, and workshops. Scenes from the activities and workshops are given below:

Pohnpei State Campus also had its 2009 Staff Development Day on Friday, February 27, 2009. The photos given below showed scenes from some of the activities and workshops conducted at Pohnpei Campus:

The Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society at the COM-FSM conducted the Spring Semester 2009 induction ceremonies for new members and officers on Saturday, February 28, 2009, at 11 am at the FSM-China Friendship Sports Center. 

The ceremony started with a prayer by Gary Nanpei a society member, followed by the opening and welcoming remarks by President James.  President James welcomed the honor guests, dignitaries, parents, families, new inductees, society members, faculty, staff and students in attendance.  The keynote address was presented by Honorable Suzanne Lowe a long time employee of the FSM Department of Foreign Affairs and a strong supporter of the College.  Mr. Jason Louis, a society member, was the master of ceremonies.

Seven of the eight inductees from National and Pohnpei Campuses were inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.  The new inductees included the following: Yolanda Joab, Trisha Dawn Johnson, Vincia Lefagorang, Anthony Lukagfinay, Midioan Neth Jr., Marvin Obispo and William Piki. 

The Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society also inducted its officers for this school year.  The inducted officers included the following: Jacobsen Kibby, President; Iris Palemar, Vice President of Scholarship Hallmark; Jamesina Lemalisei, Vice President of Headership Hallmark; BJ Peterus, Vice President of Fellowship Hallmark; Stephanie Fredrick, Vice President of Service Hallmark; Maybeleen Apwong, Secretary; Tvette Nahoopii, Treasurer; Jessica Endere, Chairman of Fundraising Committee; and Kristina Hadley, Public Relations.

The Advisors for the COM-FSM Chapter included the following: Maria Ben-Dereas, Lucy Donre Sam, Cindi Edwin, Delihna Manual Ehmes, Joseph Felix, Jr., Resida Keller, Lore Nena and Ringlen Ringlen.

The following photos were taken during the event: