M E M O R A N D U M

February 6 , 2008

To:         All Concerned 

From:     President, COM-FSM 

Subject: President's Update #305

Accreditation

The training workshop on the Accreditation Self-Study Report Writing that has been tentatively scheduled to be held at the Kapiolani Community College in Honolulu , Hawaii , during the week of March 17, 2008 , for the Palau Community College and the COM-FSM staff has been relocated to Guam Community College in Guam during the same week.

COM Land Grant Board of Regents

The College of Micronesia Land Grant Regents recently met in Guam on January 8, 2008 , and adopted the following directives:

1. The Board, hereby, expresses its concern regarding the slow pace in expending the FY 07 Hatch Funds as already approved the by the Board for a variety of projects, programs and positions. Executive Director is directed to get more involved in working with the CRE VP/Dean and the college Presidents in identifying ways to expedite the implementation of the programs/projects so that the authorized funds will be fully expended prior to September 30, 2008 .
   
2. Board recognizes the efforts on the part of COM-FSM in looking for ways to resolve the problem with the access to its Chuuk land where the Land Grant research laboratory is proposed to be constructed. As of this date, however, it appears that the land access has not been fully resolved yet; and there are only eight (8) months left before the funding for the facility expires. The Board, hereby, wishes to propose the following options to be considered as we all look for ways to construct the research laboratory in Chuuk:
   • The COM Board is willing to grant, until mid-March, an extension of time in which COM-FSM would continue to find a solution to its land access problem. After mid-March, if the land access is still not fully resolved yet, this Board shall withdraw its offer to build the laboratory on this particular COM-FSM's land; and, instead will look at other options as noted below.
   • The Board hereby directs the Executive Director to search for companies that can provide a portable research laboratory that could be purchased and shipped to Chuuk for temporary use until a permanent facility is constructed somewhere in the Chuuk State. Executive Director may proceed immediately to solicit bids or proposal for such temporary research facility so that this option can be prepared for implementation as may be needed or appropriate;
   • The Board hereby agrees to the recommendation that other sites in Chuuk State , including Dublon, Fefan, and others be explored as the possible site for the proposed research facility. If an alternative suitable site is identified and is determined to be clear of legal impediments, FSM Regent Yatilman is authorized to work with the Executive Director Singeo to notify the USDA about the new site so that appropriate steps are taken to revise the Hatch project that USDA has already approved. On the other hand, if the FSM Regent determines that there is not sufficient time to construct a permanent research building, prior to September 30, 2008, in the alternative site in Chuuk, then the option "b" above shall be implemented by the Executive Director in an expeditious manner.


3. In light of the difficulties with the financial market, it is recommended that starting in FY 09, the COM Endowment Fund's RI allocation ($55,000 per institution) will be temporarily halted to allow the Fund to recover. The CRE/VP Dean are hereby directed to utilize the Carripac RI funding, which has been made available to the respective colleges for the lat three years, to cover their salaries consistent with their reported “time and efforts” that may be attributable to their administrative oversight and support of the RI programs at their respective colleges. It is also recommended that the Carripac RI funding be used to pay portion of salaries of teaching faculty consistent with their "FTE" as may be attributable to the teaching of appropriate land-grant related instructional programs.

   This decision is made now so that it provides guidance to the CRE VP/Dean as they meet, in early March, with their colleagues in Carripac project to plan out the future of the Carripac RI program.

4. The Board, hereby, approves the recommendation by its Investment Advisors to terminate Alliance Bernstein as one of its fund managers and transfer all the

   COM Endowment funds under the Alliance management to Renaissance Investment Management (Large Cap Growth). The Investment advisors, Mr. Roland and Mr. Miyashita, shall provide, in writing, their recommendations to this effect, as noted above, to the COM Executive Director for the Board’s file prior to the execution of this directive.

5. The COM Board of Regents elects its 2008 Board officers as follows:

Chairman--------------------------ROP Regent Masa-Aki Emesiochl
Vice Chairman--------------------ROM Regent Nidel Lorak
Secretary/Treasurer--------------FSM Regent Andrew Yatilman

COM-FSM Board of Regents

The upcoming COM-FSM Board of Regents has been scheduled during the week of March 10-13, 2008 , in Kosrae. One of the major agenda items of the BOR meeting will be on status of Chuuk permanent site and the status of the current lease agreement on the current site.

The Board of Regents approved at its December 18-20, 2007 meeting in Pohnpei $80,000 for purchase of a generator and re-wiring of the Chuuk Campus from a single phase system to a three phase system and will need an update on these at their next meeting.

Friday, February 22, 2008 , is the deadline for submission of reports and documents for the Board meeting notebook.

The administration of the College learned from Regent Andrew Yatilman, Chairman of the COM-FSM Board of Regents, that President Mori has nominated Mr. Kangichy Welle to replace him on the Board. This information has been confirmed by a press release from the FSM President's Office.

Kosrae Campus Upward Bound Program

The Director of the Upward Bound Program at Kosrae Campus has informed the President’s Office that the U.S Department of Education has approved a request for the Upward Bound Program's College Orientation Visit to the COM-FSM National Campus during the week of April 26-May 2, 2008. A total of 25 11 th grade students from Kosrae High School will be participating in this orientation visit to National Campus and students will be housed at the National Campus dorms.

System Wide Enrollment for Spring Semester 2008

The following are the Spring Semester 2008 Enrollment at Campuses: