THE Senate unanimously adopted a House joint resolution recognizing April as Community College Month and commending Northern Marianas College.
Authored by Rep. Leila Haveia F. Staffler, H.J.R. 22-15 praised NMC for the reaffirmation of its accreditation for a historic eight-year term and its contributions to the workforce development needs of the Commonwealth.
The joint resolution states that more than 1,000 community colleges, both public and private, in the U.S. have contributed tremendously to the value and accessibility of education.
According to the joint resolution, the CNMI is served well by NMC, the community’s only public higher education institution, and whose graduates have become critical members of the local workforce, serving on the front lines during the Covid-19 pandemic response as nurses, medical support staff, emergency and information technicians, police officers, firefighters, and customs officers.
NMC has led strong workforce development initiatives in collaboration with the Northern Marianas Technical Institute, the CNMI Public School System, the Office of the Governor, the CNMI Legislature, and private sector partners to provide training to unemployed and underemployed individuals and address skills gaps across the Commonwealth, the joint resolution added.
The resolution stated that while other U.S. colleges and universities have seen enrollment decrease over the last several years, NMC has seen its enrollment increase every year with 1,430 students as of Fall 2021.
NMC was likewise commended by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission for its resiliency in responding to Super Typhoon Yutu; its timely, comprehensive, and effective response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and effective management of its financial resources, resulting in the reaffirmation of its accreditation in March.
The joint resolution also stated that the historic eight-year accreditation term — the longest in the college’s history — “is a clear validation and assurance of the quality of education and services provided by the college for the people of the CNMI.”
