NMC President Carmen Fernandez said they are optimistic that the college’s “significant progress” in complying with the accreditation standards are also considered by the students and other members of the community.
“We expect to see some impact on enrollment as a result of the college’s show cause status,” said Fernandez. “However, we are hopeful that this impact is offset by a combination of the significant progress we have made to meet accreditation requirements and our increased recruitment efforts.”
NMC has until October this year to comply with the accreditation standards and requirements of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
If NMC loses its accreditation, its students will be ineligible for federal aid and their credits will not be recognized by accredited colleges or universities.
Fernandez said NMC has stepped up its recruitment efforts by “employing a grassroots…strategy that maximizes personal interaction between NMC representatives and prospective students.”
This “heightened interaction includes a number of presentations that were conducted at Marianas High School, Saipan Southern High, and Kagman High Schools, Mt. Carmel School and Grace Christian Academy.”
According to Fernandez, “NMC’s aggressive recruitment efforts are not only focused on increasing enrollment, but also on strengthening connections with the communities we serve.”
Fernandez said the college also held two information sessions at the Saipan Grand Hotel for more than 100 prospective students.
The college, she said, participated at community events like the Flame Tree Festival and the CNMI Youth Summit to hand out informational brochures.
Over the past few weeks, she added, NMC’s recruitment team has been conducting presentations at various government agencies such as the Department of Labor, the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. the Commonwealth Ports Authority and the Office of Personnel Management.
“The presentations highlight how NMC can help individuals advance not only personally but professionally through the acquisition of new skills the increased chances of obtaining a promotion,” Fernandez said.
Government employees who do not qualify for financial aid can take advantage of NMC’s Government Employees Professional Development Assistance Program.
This, Fernandez said, assists all CNMI government employees with their education and training needs by providing a 50 percent discount on tuition fees to all qualified candidates.
Fernandez said their recruitment team has likewise conducted presentations at various private businesses like the Hyatt Hotel and the Bank of Guam.
NMC’s other efforts aimed at “beefing up” recruitment include the revamp of the college Web site, which was re-launched earlier this year with a more useful and user-friendly interface, Fernandez said.
Last April, the college hosted a counselors conference to disseminate information about NMC’s programs to high school counselors at private and public high schools, she added.
