President’s Message to the Community

Dear Colleagues and Fellow Members of the COM-FSM Community,

Congratulations!

Yesterday, ACCJC removed the college from probation and accreditation was reaffirmed. This is indeed a significant accomplishment and one we have all worked hard to realize. We share this joy and have much to celebrate.

The news was announced to the college community at a special all campus meeting. The Commission’s July 3, 2013, Action Letter and the March 25-27, 2013 report of the evaluation team were made public immediately thereafter. Please take time to carefully read both documents. The Follow-Up Evaluation Report clearly describes the extraordinary work in which we were engaged to address concerns for which the college was on sanction. The report characterizes the institution’s shift from compliance to constructive engagement demonstrating commitment to continuous quality improvement.

While we have much to celebrate, and we will celebrate, we remain mindful that we are now at the “starting line.” Now that we are caught up, and where we should be, the work of accreditation continues. Yet, our work will continue with a now familiar and embedded paradigm of participatory governance, purposeful dialogue and continuous quality improvement.

If you feel proud and inspired to be a partner at COM-FSM in “confronting our challenges and creating our future,” please know that you are not alone. We have successfully confronted a number of challenges and have taken important steps in creating our future, as evidenced by completion of the Strategic Plan 2013-2017.

We will continue to address existing challenges, especially the impact of the cumulative $2.8 million Compact decrement by 2016 and beyond, and seek continued commitment from the FSM government to offset any shortages. As the Commission clearly articulated in its Action Letter, “the lack of a sustainable funding source would jeopardize the college’s ability to carry out its mission.”

As we look forward, the college is required to submit a Follow-Up Report by March 15, 2014, to evidence ongoing efforts to meet the Standard for Physical Resources. Our comprehensive space and facilities plan and report will be completed by September 30, 2013, and should further inform and enhance the college’s facilities master plan.

We will focus our efforts in the near term to the completion of a master planning calendar that will guide our work for the long term, through the next ACCJC Comprehensive Team Visit scheduled for spring 2016, and through the end of the existing strategic plan in 2017.

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. Seventeen months ago when I joined you as president, I called upon us to, “confront our challenges and create our future.” Given how well we have all come together, how well we communicate with each other, and our shared purpose to secure the future for COM-FSM and our students, we can only grow stronger.

As we begin a new academic year, let us join together at the “starting line” and “lace up our running shoes” as we begin the marathon to 2017. It promises to be a great run.

It is a privilege for me to serve you as president.

Warm regards,

Joe

Joseph M. Daisy, Ed. D.,

President and Chief Executive Officer