The progress report and demonstration was made to an inspection team from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, which funded the project with a grant of $73,000.
NMC-CREES Director Ross Manglona indicated that the conservation project, which is located in As Perdido and which utilizes and compares traditional and modern farm techniques, will be completed before the end of this year.
Public outreach activities will then follow to educate the community about project findings and to demonstrate proven techniques to raise agricultural yields.
One of the other goals of the project is to increase farmers’ profit margins by helping them employ techniques that reduce costs.
According to Manglona, the inspection team was impressed with the progress of the project and was particularly taken aback with the how well the farm site was organized and how much was achieved in a rather short amount of time.
The inspection team consisted of Guam-based agronomist Dr. Craig Smith and Michael Whitt, NRCS program manager from Hawaii.
Interested students, farmers, and the general public are welcome to visit the farm anytime for a first hand experience on the CREES farming project.
For more information call NMC-CREES at 234-5498 extension 1707.
NMC conducts professional development sessions
(NMC) — To further channel efforts toward addressing its show cause status, Northern Marianas College — in an unprecedented move — dedicated the week of Aug. 11-15 of its professional development days to topics and sessions that dealt directly with meeting accreditation requirements.
A workshop featuring a presentation about academic advising kicked off the week and was followed by a PowerCAMPUS training conducted by the Office of Admissions and Records.
PowerCAMPUS is the comprehensive student information software that better enables the college to track and report student achievement data which is required for accreditation purposes.
The software also streamlines the registration process, accelerates the billing portion of registration, simplifies the preparation of lengthy financial reports, and shortens the turnaround time for the processing of transcripts.
Students, staff, and faculty assembled later on the first day for a presentation by NMC’s Program Review and Outcomes Assessment Committee members who provided an overview of the upcoming PDD sessions for the remainder of the week.
They also gave an update of the activities and accomplishments that occurred over the last several months and some preliminary feedback on the PROAC composite reports.
The first day concluded with a presentation from the Human Resources Office, whose staff elaborated on instructions for the timely preparation and submission of faculty and staff evaluations.
The evaluations are critical to assessing staff and faculty performance as well as institutional capacity.
On Tuesday, Aug. 12, staff members from individual programs met their respective dyads, or peer reviewers, to discuss the feedback they received from PROAC regarding their Form 1 and 2 documents.
The Form 1 document explains how a program’s mission statement, intended program/service outcomes, means of assessment and success criteria, summary of data collected, and the use of results to improve delivery of services are linked.
The Form 2 document provides information and analysis of a program’s history, specific services/activities, data/evidence used for planning and assessment purposes, human, physical, and technology resources, and recommendations for improvement.
Wednesday and Thursday were set aside to provide program staff with additional assistance and guidance with their Forms 1 and 2 in preparation for the next assessment and program review cycle, which begins in September 2008.
Customized mini-workshops were designed and made available to address the following topics, which correspond to the different sections that comprise Forms 1 and 2:
• History of Program and Program Advisory Council
• Program Mission
• Program Student Learning Outcomes/Administrative Unit Outcome and Human Resources
• Student Achievement Data
• Physical Resources
• Technological Resources
• Mapping (General Education, Program, and Course)
• Program Recommendations
Later that Thursday evening, faculty and staff members met with Donna Lewis of Key Trio to discuss student learning outcomes to program courses using the Introduce, Reinforce, and Emphasize exercise. Lewis had also met with various staff earlier in the day to discuss program review matters.
The last day of NMC’s professional development week culminated with an assembly of students, faculty and staff to wrap up the week and discuss the PROA Strategic Plan schedule and the Compliance Action Plan.
Donna Lewis commended the College for accomplishing a tremendous amount of work in such a short timeframe.
NMC sends representative to Hawaii conference
(NMC) — Kagman High School student Terrence Duenas, who is part of a bridge program at Northern Marianas College, recently participated in an off-island conference aimed at advancing students’ success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Duenas traveled to Hawaii last Thursday to represent the CNMI in the Second Annual Islands of Opportunity Alliance — Louise Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Conference.
The program is aimed at increasing the quality and quantity of students successfully completing science, technology, engineering and mathematics bachelor degree programs.
It also seeks to increase the number of students interested in, academically qualified for and transition into programs of graduate study.
“I feel very lucky to have been selected to participate in this program,” said Duenas before his departure to Hawaii. “I have always been interested in a career in Engineering so the conference will help me with achieving that goal.”
Although an incoming senior at Kagman High School, Duenas had been taking various classes at NMC to prepare for the trip to Hawaii, where students from Hawaii, American Samoa, Palau, and the Marshall Islands joined him.
The conference included several activities designed to enhance communication and strengthen inter-campus and inter-student relationships.
Further, it showcased cutting edge student research activities and provided student attendees information on LSAMP programs and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics opportunities at the IOA-LSAMP four-year institutions, and provided information about LSAMP Bridge to the doctorate programs.
The conference ended with a cultural activity on Saturday night.
“Terence’s participation in this highly-prestigious program underscores his intellect and dedication to working and studying hard — we’re all very proud of him,” said NMC President Carmen Fernandez. “His selection is also testament to the quality of the academic programs and faculty we have at NMC.”
The conference was hosted by the IOA-LSAMP program and the Native Hawaiian Science and Engineering Mentorship Program at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, on Aug. 14-16.
