House Bill 16-165 proposes to allot $45,000 for the college’s coral road pavement project, while H.B. 16-171 will provide NMC with $25,000 to fund the renovation and collateral improvements of its bookstore.
Both items were among the concerns raised by the accrediting commission.
The money for the coral road pavement project will come from the $367,000 appropriated from Saipan’s developers infrastructure tax fund collections.
Funding for the NMC bookstore renovation is part of the $120,000 appropriated from poker fee collections.
One of the principal authors of the bills, Rep. Justo S. Quitugua, said the proposed funds for NMC are critical in its efforts to retain accreditation.
“We need to support our only community college on island … and we’re optimistic that it’s on its way of reaffirming its full accreditation status,” Quitugua, D-Saipan, told Variety.
Since Monday, a three-member team from the accrediting commission is on island for a final visit before it makes decision about NMC’s accreditation in Jan. 2009.
The members are expected to meet key NMC officials, personnel and students as well as verify the report submitted by the college on Oct. 15.
