On Tuesday, he received the letter of appointment from Acting Gov. Eloy S. Inos.
“I appreciate the acting governor’s confidence in my ability to serve our college students, the college community, and the greater community, recognizing the extensive multifaceted work experiences gained over the years in providing professional services in the CNMI, coupled with my academic credentials, private professional services, and community initiatives and accomplishments, all of which contribute to and become tipping points permeating throughout much of the work that were initiated and are in progress and accomplished thus far,” he said, in an email interview.
Torres, who is also a former education commissioner, will represent Saipan on the NMC board whose current members are Chairman Juan T. Lizama, Vice Chairwoman Elaine Hocog-Orilla, Andrew Orsini, Malua Peter and Frank Rabauliman.
The governor’s office has yet to appoint a representative from Tinian after Janet King’s term was not renewed this year.
Torres said he will do his “due diligence in understanding the issues facing the college, including its limitations, and the opportunities where the college could thrive, prioritizing first and foremost student needs, community alignment, and the existing capacity of the college in becoming a premier local, regional and international campus that it could be within the accreditation requirements and institutional constraints.”
His appointment is expected to be confirmed by the Senate.
Torres said he would like to revisit the constitutional, statutory and institutional mission as well as purpose and functions of NMC.
He will also examine whether the institution has clearly defined targets and is “steadfastly focused” on them.
More importantly, he said, he would like to know if the institution is progressively achieving student, community, institutional, statutory, accreditation and related mandates and expectations.
Describing himself as a pioneer of school accreditation, Torres said, he will ‘embrace accreditation as a collaborative approach and instrument in achieving excellence in education through self-examination and introspective review of the institutional input, process and outcome measures leading to institutional self-renewal.”
According to Torres, he will also take a closer look at the land-grant program — “whether it accords with federal mandates in promoting, developing and administering agricultural education programs, including but not limited to agricultural extension services and agricultural and aqua-cultural research, and the development of sustainable agricultural and aqua-cultural industry in the CNMI.”
He added, “I’d like to see sustainability in these two important industries, by having local farmers have more hands-on involvement, participation, and contribution and benefit from the land grant program services.”
Torres said he is interested in strengthening the research and development function of NMC as may be beneficial to the commonwealth, its residents, local and regional businesses.
“I’d like to see closer working relationship and collaboration with public and private schools. Upon confirmation, I will articulate a vision with specific strategies that will make the institution more student-centered, giving students, faculty and staff and the community greater voice in institutional governance, among others,” he said.
Torres noted that the board “is faced with the unenviable task of installing an institutional leader who will provide guidance in navigating the college through the accreditation timelines and requirements.”
He said he recognizes the efforts of the current regents.
“I want to assure the members that I will perform my duty in augmenting what they have already started at this point and be in a position to provide my support and lend them my blessing in the interest of the students, parents, faculty and staff, and the community,” Torres said.
