President's Message to the Community
October 17, 2016
Dear Colleagues and Fellow Members of the COM-FSM Community,
At the All Campus meeting held on September 28th we discussed Title IX provisions and requirements (of the Higher Education Opportunity Act 2008 (Amending the Higher Education Act 1965). Required training for faculty and staff will be provided by Warren Ching, Security and Safety Supervisor, and Acting Title IX Coordinator. I continue to urge faculty, staff and students to report information regarding allegations of inappropriate behavior or other misconduct, consistent with college policies.
Good news regarding our master facilities plan. The FSM Department of TC&I and the FSM Project Management Office has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for recently approved and funded ($8.5 million) projects including Pohnpei Campus classroom building, multipurpose shop building, infrastructure upgrade, and the National Campus student center building. Consistent with the Tier I priorities identified through the master facilities plan study (2013), and the facilities master plan priorities (2013) established Board of Regents, we will submit plans and request for funding in April 2017 to the FSM Congress, and to JEMCO in August 2017 as part of the FSM Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP).
In preparation for the college’s 25th Anniversary in 2018, a steering and planning committee has been established. Manny Mori, Executive Director for Institutional Advancement and External Affairs, will chair the steering and planning committee. If you would like to join the committee please contact Norma Edwin, Assistant to the President, in the president’s office @ 320-2480, ext. 117, or nedwin@comfsm.fm
Manny Mori, Acting Executive Director for Institutional Advancement and External Affairs, and I recently attended the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) workshop. During the workshop we met with Tom Wilson, an institutional advancement consultant and vice president with Campbell & Company located in Portland, Oregon. As a result of those meetings, Tom has offered to work with the college “pro bono” with the development of advancement planning and fundraising. We look forward to this new collaboration.
Please join me in congratulating the newly elected officers for the Faculty Staff Senate: Sylvia Henry, President; Michael Muller, Vice President; Alfred Olter, Secretary; Ruthy Lebehn, Treasurer; Lucia Donre, At-Large for Faculty; and Warren Ching, At-Large for Staff. On Friday, October 14th, we met to discuss how we would work together and ensure open communication and positive dialogue.
Among the topics discussed were several ACCJC recommendations that will require and benefit from faculty and staff input, especially faculty and staff evaluation policies and procedures. Additionally, the officers were asked to poll the membership regarding preferences for the date for the Incentive Day awards.
It was agreed we would meet at least once each semester and more as needed.
I wish to recognize National Campus Instructor Dr. Denise Oen and Vice President for Instructional Affairs Karen Simion who presented at the 2016 Minority Serving Institution Convening in Dallas, Texas on October 14 and 15.
The presentation focused on field experiences as a means of building background knowledge and a community of support. Vice President Simion was also awarded an Asian-& Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund (APIASF) travel grant to present and attend this convening. These presentations serve as part of our commitment as an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) and to student success.
This week Joe Habuchmai, Vice President for Administrative Services (VPAS); Frankie Harriss, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Quality Assurance (VPIEQA), and ALO; Joey Oducado, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Services (VPEMSS); Karen Simion, Vice President for Instructional Affairs (VPIA), and Roselle Togonon, Comptroller are participating in New Evaluator Training in Guam, provided by ACCJC and sponsored by the Pacific Post-secondary Education Council. Topics will include Commission policies, U.S. Department of Education policies, Accreditation Eligibility Requirements and Standards for Accreditation. Vice President Simion will also represent COM-FSM at the PPEC meeting on October 20th.
This training should further inform how we respond to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (Scorecard) data and other accountability measures, including graduation rates. The regional accreditors agreed to examine the institutions whose graduations rates are 15% or less for associate degree granting institutions. Approximately, 19 institutions in this group are accredited by ACCJC. Presently, the Scorecard among colleges in the region reports COM-FSM graduation rate is 18%; Palau Community College (PCC) graduation rate is 14%; Northern Marianas College (NMC) graduation rate is 10%, and College of the Marshall Islands (CMI) graduation rate is 4%. We will continue to improve graduation rates for our students as we remain committed to student success.
I convey my appreciation to you for all your work, effort and dedication to the students we serve. Each of us plays an important role in the successful implementation of the mission of COM-FSM and to the success of the students we serve.
It is a privilege for me to serve you as president.
Warm regards,
Joe
Joseph M. Daisy, Ed.D., President & CEO
