If you take the time and read about Beno’s background in California news reports, you can see for yourself that other colleges have had the same problem with Beno’s vindictiveness as we have experienced in the CNMI.
If you recall, WASC and Beno stood by and allowed Northern Marianas College to fall into a gigantic chasm of economic and personnel turmoil during the La Fiesta Fiasco era in 2002 and, probably, it’s lasted until now, since NMC has not fully recovered from the tremendous loss of wasted revenues, and the dismissal of loyal and hardworking instructors and administrators who challenged certain misguided people of NMC’s management that was protected by Beno.
If it hasn’t sunk into some people’s minds, Beno-WASC receives larger amounts of fees and expenses when a college gets into trouble, and some people have not removed themselves from the LaLa Fiasco world of naivete to understand that WASC is an educational business monopoly, which can be subject to individual power mongers since there is virtually no oversight over WASC, except for the U.S. Department of Education.
One critic summed up the fear that people have of Beno, that is, even if she did have problems before, we can’t anger her because NMC’s accreditation will be in jeopardy.
Well, critics, NMC’s accreditation has always been in jeopardy since Beno took over the WASC’s Accrediting Commission for Colleges and Junior Colleges in August of 2001, coincidentally about a year prior to the arrival of Ken Wright at NMC and the subsequent NMC’s La Fiasco. Beno was heavily criticized then for her lack of WASC monitoring of NMC, and she continues now to show vindictiveness to anyone who challenges her, for example, her callous and demeaning attitude toward former NMC board member and President Emeritus Agnes M. McPhetres.
Why is it that NMC had virtually no problems with accreditation prior to the arrival of Beno in 2001? Historically, this was during president McPhetres’ time from circa 1982 to 2001, and NMC was a very good college back then, without the unnecessary interference from WASC.
Please read the reprint of the California news article from May 9, 2006 (just Google the phrase: “barbara beno and Compton,” and read “Accrediting Commission Provokes Critics After Compton Threats”); and see if there are comparisons to those California colleges (Peralta and Compton) and NMC. California college leaders criticized WASC and Beno for having “no oversight,” and being “out of control.” It took a former California assemblyman, who knew how to fight WASC, and even threaten to sue WASC and Beno, before the Peralta College district was left alone by Beno.
I ask my cyber critics to first name yourself, or I consider your criticism stems from being a frustrated cyber cave dweller and, secondly, I ask that you read all the facts before becoming so bold with your personal attacks while hiding in the dark. You know, dictators like Beno, when supported by people hiding in the shadows, do more harm when unchallenged. So, I’ll stand in the light and will continue to challenge, and I accept any constructive criticism, even from Taotao Tano, who I respect because at least he signs his name to his talk.
REP. STANLEY
T. MCGINNIS TORRES
17th CNMI Legislature
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