The report, by a three-person WASC team that visited the Majuro-based college at the end of March, praised the interim president for resolving many of the problems that developed during Woodbury’s 14-month tenure. “The Interim President (Carl Hacker), working closely with the Board of Regents, has put the college back on track, both in the context of morale, and in stability and capacity of leadership,” the WASC report said.
The WASC report said a visit in March had been scheduled to follow up on the college’s “substantive change” application related to expanding vocational training operations at its satellite Arrak campus. Then, between November 2010 and March this year as the college was going through leadership turmoil involving Woodbury, “the Commission became aware of several other issues and events at the college that raised questions and concerns about CMI’s capacity to meet accreditation standards and maintain quality programs and services for its students,” the report said. Among the problems cited were the resignations or firing of many top-level administrators.
But since Woodbury’s departure, “the college has demonstrated a determined dedication to rebuilding its leadership team and is taking positive action to fill vacant administrative positions,” the WASC team reported.
While the WASC team pointed to “several vacant administrative positions that resulted from questionable leadership practices by the former President,” it also said the current administration and board of regents have been “working together to restore an environment of collegiality and confidence.”
A key issue for long-term stability of the college is future funding from the Marshall Islands government, which has been based on an expiring agreement, WASC said.
This agreement provides almost 40 percent of CMI’s annual operating budget and expires later this year. The Marshall Islands government is proposing that all CMI workers, except for faculty and administrators, come under the government’s Public Service Commission, giving the government control of the workers and their salaries.
