Update from the President's Office - No. 177

Performance Based Budget.    As of this writing Director of Research and Planning Greg Myers is putting the finishing touches on the College's budgets to be submitted to the FSM President. The FY 2002 operations budgets being submitted this week are modified versions of the budgets submitted last year. The budget package includes FY 2002 operations budget, a budget for each sponsored program (a new requirement this year), the FY 2002 budget for the Board of Regents, FY 2002 Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) requests, and the FY 2002 budget for the FSM Fisheries and Maritime Institute (FMI). The more detailed budgets based on the "outputs" that have been identified and costed out by divisions, offices, departments, campuses and programs over the past several weeks will be developed and submitted once the software has been received from the FSM Department of Finance. This process has been delayed due to a delay in the finalization of the software. However, when the software is received, we will be in a position to complete the process in a timely manner.

Sincere gratitude is expressed to Greg and all activity and program heads for the many hours of effort and deliberations that have gone into the development of the "outputs" for the new format. Your dedication and cooperation in the completion of the budget in this new format is very much appreciated.

The College's hearing with the FSM Executive Budget Review Committee has been tentatively scheduled for the week of February 19. A specific date and time have yet to be determined.

Trial Counselors Certificate Ceremony.    A certificate ceremony to honor the seven (7) graduates of the Trial Counselors Certification of Achievement program was held at the FSM Supreme Court on January 19, 2001, at 3: 00 p.m. Speakers included; Benjamin Rodriguez, who represented the graduates; Tammy Davis, one of the instructors for the program; Chief Justice Andon Amaraich; and myself. Michael Sipos, also an instructor for the program, served as MC and Reverend Edgar Isaac gave both the invocation and the benediction. Graduates from the program include: Mason Albert, Walberg Hadley, Kohsak Keller, Michael Nakasone, Gonzaga Puas, Benjamin Rodriguez, and John William. According to Chief Justice Amaraich, all of these graduates will be eligible to challenge the FSM bar exam. A reception followed the ceremony. Special appreciation is expressed to Pohnpei Campus administration and staff for their role in organizing this ceremony. Congratulations to all of the graduates!

COM Board of Regents Meeting.    As reported in Update no. 176, I traveled to Guam to attend a meeting of the College of Micronesia (Land Grant) Board of Regents which was held at the University of Guam from January 15-16, 2001. Present at this meeting were the COM Regents, the Executive Director, the Presidents of Palau Community College, the College of the Marshall Islands, and COM-FSM, the Vice Presidents for Cooperative Research and Extension from the respective colleges, and other Land Grant staff. A copy of the directives from this meeting is attached. FSM Regent Lt. Governor Andrew Yatilman is now the Chairperson of the COM Board. If any of you have questions regarding the directives, please see VPCRE Yasuo Yamada or myself for further information.

Fourth-Year Teacher Education Program.    A "working group" has been established to develop and implement a four-year competency based teacher education program at the College. Members include Dr. Richard Womack (chair), Spensin James, Joe Habuchmai, Harvey Segal, Jean Thoulag, Lore Nena, Dr. Greg Myers, Robert Churney, Jonathan Gourlay, Damian Sohl, and Dana Lee Ling. Assistant Secretary Weldis Welley from the FSM Department of Health, Education, and Social Affairs (HESA)has also been invited to serve on this group. Spensin is currently in Saipan attending a conference on teacher education/distance education sponsored by PREL. While there, he plans to visit Northern Marianas College to meet with staff there on their experiences in the development of a four-year program. He, along with Rich and Joe, will also present the College's plan at the meeting of the FSM Chief State School Officers (FACSSO) to be held in Guam immediately following the Saipan meeting. (Rich and Joe will be in Guam attending a joint meeting of the FSM State Directors of Education and Special Education Coordinators sponsored by FSM HESA. I will also discuss our plans with Accrediting Commission officials during my upcoming meetings with them in Los Angeles. A report on the progress of this group will be made to the Board of Regents at its March 2001 meeting in Kosrae.

President's List.    According to p. 34 of the catalog, "each semester the College publishes a President's List in which full-time degree and certificate students who earn a semester GPA of 3.4 or better without a grade below a "C" are recognized." The National Campus President's List for the fall 2000 semester is as follows (* designates 4.00 GPA):