Northern Marianas College says it needs a budget of $11.846 million for fiscal year 2003, which is $1 million more than its previous request.
The State Board of Regents has approved NMC’s budget proposal during its regular meeting this month. More than $6 million of NMC’s budget proposal would go to personnel wages and salaries for at least 156 positions.
About $1 million are for the following items: $700,000 for estimated utility expenses; $30,000 for the expenditures of the board; and $200,000 repairs and renovations of classrooms.
The remaining amount would be used to maintain and operate the business development programs of the college.
NMC budget officer David DLG. Atalig said for the past 11 years, the salaries of faculty and staff were not raised due to budget constraint and the government’s continued call for austerity measures.
However, Atalig said there were recent developments at NMC which also need to be financed.
Among these, according to Atalig, is the introduction of NMC’s baccalaureate degree program in elementary education, which enables the college to offer a four-year college course for the first time in its history.
“Now that the School of Education has been accredited for the four-year baccalaureate degree in elementary education, its focus changes to serve the needs of the Public School System in important auxiliary areas,” Atalig said.
“Specifically, the School of Education has been requested to develop certificate and endorsement programs for early childhood education, special education, related services/early intervention, health and physical education, information and many others. Institutional needs to develop these auxiliary programs include both personnel and material resources,” he added.
