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M E M O R A N D U M


June 16, 2004

To: All Regents, Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni,Community Patrons, and our Valued College Friends & Supporters

From: Acting President

Subject: Update from the President's Office - No. 234

 

General Information:

College of Micronesia-FSM's Financial Aid Office received the Grant Notification Award for the FSEOG and FWS Programs for the School Year 2004-2005. The Grant Notification Award indicated that the College would be receiving $150,000 for the FSEOG and $188,766.00 for FWS. The funding level for these programs is higher than last year's level. The fiscal year for these programs commences on July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. The College is not sure what will happen to funding level for these programs next school year, as these programs are now included under the Supplemental Education Grant under the amended compact.

Mr. Howard Rice, Associate Professor for Hotel and Restaurant Management Program, is currently working with the FSM Visitors Bureau (FSMVB) on the World Park initiative for FSM. Mr. Howard gave a presentation on the World Park initiative to the Board of the FSM Visitors Bureau at a meeting in Guam earlier this month. Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan is going to be collaborating with the College in providing technical support for the FSMVB relating to World Park.

Chuuk Campus:

Nothing submitted

Kosrae Campus:

Nothing Submitted

FSM- FMI:

The first graduation for the FSM-FMI has been scheduled to take place at 2:00 p.m. on July 3, 2004, at the Institute. Fourteen cadets have completed the requirements of their programs and will be marching during the commencement exercise.

Since the aftermath of Typhoon Sudal, the government of Yap State on a number of occasions has called upon the Institute to perform certain tasks that only the Institute is capable of doing, given the special tools and equipment available at FSM-FMI. These tasks ranges from transfer of goods from the airport to supply warehouse, delivery of water and needy foodstuff to the rural communities, and survey of the navigable waterways of Tomil Harbor and confines of the commercial and fisheries docks. These tasks involved the deployment of the Institute's Training Boat Hokuto, which is equipped with echo sounder to be used in the survey.

Training for the first year students in basic radar operations in tandem with fishing have been ongoing every Saturday, commencing on May 29th to June 26th, on board T.B. Hokuto. Basic radar operations involved proper setting up of the radar, taking the bearings of land objects and other fixed structures and features to plot positions. Fishing component of the training involves students to set up the fishing equipment to be used, using the fishing equipment with the right techniques. Students also learned techniques on hooking on of baits and changing of lures.

The Assistant Director was off-island from 9th to 26th of May to participate in the College's BOR meeting here in Pohnpei. He also attended the Campus Director's meeting, which took place prior to the BOR meeting.

The Director was also off-island during the period from 21st of May to 2nd of June to participate in the Pacific Islands Maritime Training Institutes and Maritime Authorities (APIMTIMA) meeting and also attended the maritime auditor's course in Fiji. The Director missed the APIMTIMA meeting due to a death in the family. However, he was briefed by the staff at the SPC Regional Maritime Program a week later regarding the proceedings of the meeting. A change that took place at the APIMTIA meeting is in regard to changing of APIMTIMA to PacMA (Pacific Islands Maritime Association).

The COM-FSM Yap and the FSM-FMI Campuses staff have met to address among other things, the activities relating to fundraising for the Endowment Fund. A core group has been selected to coordinate the fundraising activities at both campuses. This core group was also tasked with the responsibility of selecting more staff from the two campuses into the fundraising committee. The newly created fundraising committee decided to take up the collection of aluminum cans as their first project.

National Campus:

The Summer Session 2004 at the National Campus is on its second week of instruction. The Session has no major set back and things are proceeding as scheduled. The total enrollment for Summer Session 2004 is at 401 students, which is over the projected enrollment for the Session. The Summer Session 2004 enrollment increased over last Summer Session 2003 by 13%.

The College is spending on an average $10,000 a month on its telephone and Network bills. This amount needs to be streamlined so the Office of the President will be sending out a memo to all campuses within the system informing all concerned that unnecessary dial up accounts will be terminated by the end of June 2004.

The installation of a new elevator at the Learning Resource Center has impacted the services at the Center. This has necessitated the LRC to open up the MITC for students to study. We have been assured by the Maintenance Staff that services at the LRC will be normalized after one week.

Mr. Mike Ioanis, lead peer educator, at the National Peer Counseling Center was accepted to attend a two weeks workshop on Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health in Japan during the week of June 22 to July 19th. Mr. Ioanis will be leaving Pohnpei on June 20, 2004.

The National Campus Sports/Recreation Division is sponsoring a kick-off party/dance night at the FSM-China Friendship Sports Center on June 18, 2004, starting at 7:00 and ending at 10:00 p.m. Students, staff, and faculty at National and Pohnpei Campuses are all invited. Refreshments will be served.

Saturday night at the movies is on-going at the FSM-China Friendship Sport Center. Check the bulletin boards for movie titles and time.

Personnel:

Teresa Filepin was hired to fill the position of Director, Upward Bound Program at Yap Campus.

Eugenia H. Pedrus, Administrative Assistant, resigned from the Talent Search Program at Pohnpei Campus.

It is open season for the retirement program. Employees who would like more information on the program should contact the Personnel Office.

Pohnpei Campus:

The following is the result of the 2004 Staff Incentive Awards for Pohnpei
Campus:

Recognition Award Diaz Joseph  
Student's Choice Patterson Shed  
Staff of the Year Yoneko Kanichy  
Teacher of the Year Dale Griffith  
Innovative Award Gardner Edgar and Debra Perman  
Community Service Penny Weilbacher  
Service Awards Heinrich Palik (10 Years)
Nancy Simina (5 Years)
Patterson Shed (5 Years)
Diaz Joseph (5 Years)
Frances Chaine (5 Years)
Roson Mwahu Diaz Joseph  
Amy James  
Rita Harris  

Gardner Edgar, Pohnpei Campus Electronics Instructor, was awarded a scholarship from JICA, Gardner was granted educational leave from the College and departed Pohnpei on June 14, 2004, for a nine-month training for vocational instructor in Japan.

Enrollment for Summer Session 2004 is beyond projection. There are 146 students currently enrolled. The projection was for 110 students. Enrollment of teachers from the Pohnpei State Department of Education will be added to the summer enrollment when the registration is completed later this month. The classes for teachers will begin on June 28, 2004.

Buala Boaz, freshmen from Pohnpei Campus, won the competition to rename the FSM Health Insurance Plan. Ms. Boaz proposed to rename the "FSMNGEHI" with a simpler and meaningful name "MICARE". The first prize award earned her $300.

Yap Campus:

Nothing submitted

Thank you.