McPhetres, during yesterday’s public hearing in the Senate chamber, at the same time echoed NMC’s opposition to Rep. Stanley T. Torres’ bills to allow the termination of NMC employees “only with cause” and to require the college to use the services of the Attorney General’s Office.
She urged lawmakers to “suspend” further action on House Bills 17-39 and 17-93 “because considering its status right now, what the college needs are improvements” in order to retain its accreditation with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
NMC, McPhetres said, has been lacking transparency for the last three years.
Transparency, she added, is what the college needs right now and not legislation that “seems to connote micromanaging the college.”
“I don’t think the Legislature has been provided enough information,” McPhetres said as she urged Torres and NMC to work together.
NMC instructor Sam McPhetres, who also attended the public hearing, invited lawmakers and members of the public to his NMC class on Thursday at 5 p.m., saying his students will discuss the issue.
Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan and chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, said he will relay the invitation to all members of the Legislature.
Torres, Ind.-Saipan, said his bills deal with fair employment practices for NMC employees and the creation of more transparency in the college.
He said NMC’s claim that the Legislature cannot modify the law “is misplaced and without legal merit.” If college officials are saying the Legislature cannot change the law, Torres said they are wrong.
Citing the Postsecondary Act of 1984, Torres said it is clear the college only operates within the boundaries of CNMI legislation as mandated by the CNMI Constitution.
NMC interim President Lorrain Cabrera said she does not have an issue in providing reports to the Legislature regarding college spending.
She said she supports H.B. 17-93’s provision requiring them to report annually the total revenue from tuition fees and NMC’s expenses.
She, however, stressed that the monies collected from tuition fees are not slush funds.
“Every year, the college has been diligently utilizing its resources,” she said.
NMC regent Frank Rabauliman, for his part, said the college already has the policy that addresses some of Torres’s concerns.
He said he was not aware of any staffer who was terminated without cause.
Rabauliman said there are policies already in place but he admitted they may need some improvements.
He does not believe H.B. 17-39 is going to improve the protection of staffers from termination without cause.
He also doubts whether the AGO can provide sufficient legal services to NMC.
NMC Chairwoman Paz C. Younis urged lawmakers to “very carefully” review the two measures introduced by Torres.
Dawn “DC” Revilla, acting chief finance affairs officer of NMC, said H.B. 17-93 will strip the college of its autonomy.
What H.B. 17-39 is trying to address, she added, can be done by the college internally.
