McPhetres, one of the CNMI’s most respected educators, said he could challenge the non-renewal of his contract, based on the 90-day rule in serving the notice before it can take effect.
NMC President Carmen Fernandez served the notice of non-renewal on Dec. 4, to take effect only 30 days later, or on Jan. 4
Fernandez has never explained why she terminated McPhetres.
He said the other instructors whose contracts were not renewed also received 30-day notices: Mark Haag, former chairman of the languages and humanities department; and Glenn Keaton, former chairman of the sciences, math, health and athletics department.
But McPhetres said he has yet to consult a lawyer, adding that he will also wait for the outcome of the NMC board meeting on Dec. 30.
“It’s a possibility,” he said, referring to the lawsuit, “and it depends upon what will happen at he board meeting.”
Two weeks after the notice of nonrenewal was handed to McPhetres, NMC announced vacancies for at least 22 positions.
Fernandez said the posts will be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or the federal stimulus funds, and will restore “certain instructor and staff positions that have remained vacant over the last three years due to budget cuts.”
But McPhetres said most of the vacancies are for managerial or administrative positions: Program Manager III (Office of Institutional Effectiveness); Program Manager III (Grants Writer); Director, U.S. Apprenticeship Program; Program Manager (Student Engagement, First Year Experience, Learning Community Program); Special Assistant to the President; and Data Entry Clerk.
Contrary to traditional practice, McPhetres added, NMC is now hiring department heads who were usually elected by department members.
