This figure does not include the number of graduates from Kosrae campus since it has different reporting dates.
According to the college’s Office of Admissions and Records, it is yet to verify 12 candidates for graduation from Kosrae.
In his welcoming remarks, interim college President Ringlen P Ringlen noted that 40 students graduated after completed their courses during summer 2011.
The theme for the commencement exercises was “Confronting Challenges and Breaking New Ground.”
Ringlen said the “college will be taking a close look at the impact of instructional priorities on its physical infrastructure [and] the current structure” of the college in light of potential revenue.
“The college will have also take into account [the Joint Economic Management Committee] resolution that have reduced the funding available to the college by $2.8 million over four years from the Compact’s Education Sector Grant and the freeze on Infrastructure Development Plan funding until 2016,” he said.
Ringlen said “the most important issues to be addressed revolve around improving student learning, graduation and placement rates and the broader issue of long term sustainability of higher education in the FSM.”
FSM President Emanuel Mori was the commencement speaker.
In his remarks, Mori congratulated the graduates and gave them words of advice on how to improve on what they have learned through the College of Micronesia-FSM.
He said the reduction of funding to the college will have “detrimental effects on the future operation of the college.”
However, he also believes that “the college can still make it.”
He lamented that “millions of dollars have been expended to run the college and yet the manpower need of the nation is far from being met. The nation cannot continue to pour millions of dollars into the college without demanding in return a disciplined and productive workforce to sustain growth in the nation’s economy.”
He challenged the graduates to be the disciplined and productive workforce that the nation needs.
Seventeen graduates under the University of Guam and the College of Micronesia-FSM Partnership Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education Program took part in the commencement exercises.
For the first time, UOG President Robert Underwood took part in the celebration to accept the new graduates and present them their diplomas.
From among the COM-FSM graduates, the valedictorian was Christlynn Mary Sappa from Chuuk and the salutatorian was Neelma Pearl Skilling from Kosrae.
The event was attend by more than 400 people including Pohnpei traditional leaders, state and national government leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, parents, students and friends of the college.
