By Moneth G. Deposa
Variety News Staff

DUE to the government’s budget cuts, Northern Marianas College has cut its graduation expenses this year.
From last year’s $10,000 budget for the event, the college has only $6,000 for this year’s ceremonies scheduled for Saturday at the Marianas High School gymnasium.
In an interview, college registrar Doris Aldan Atalig said the budget reduction was the result of a decision by NMC to make the celebrations “simple.”
“We fixed our overall expenses this year at $6,000 and we tried to live within that. It’s a $4,000 reduction from last year’s figure,” she told Variety.
She said the $6,000 is for diplomas and certificates which comprise the bulk of the expenses every year.
Last year, NMC had 210 graduates. This year, it has 240 who will receive diplomas or certificates.
Atalig said that the budget for commencement exercises usually goes up when they are held on another island.
This year, she added, “we will rely mostly on green plants for our decorations. We also borrowed some equipment and resources from different departments. These are ways we can save money.”