Alumni Executives Appoint Members to Fundraising Committee

College of Micronesia-FSM

The officers of the Community College of Micronesia and College of Micronesia – FSM Alumni Association (CCAA) made their first act by appointing members to the Alumni Fundraising Committee.

The fundraising committee members include Joysleen Daniel, Taylor Elidok, Strickson Fredrick, Mayson Fredrick, Amanda Jack, Josephine James Saimon, Ruthy Lebehn, Daisy Nanpei Cantero, Jean Welles and Xavier Yarofmal. As the treasurer for CCAA executive committee, Amanda Jack is the chair of the newly created fundraising committee.

The creation of the committee was made in response to the terms of reference (TOR) for the College of Micronesia – FSM’s Endowment Fundraising Steering Committee. Besides establishing the alumni committee, the TOR also calls for the creation of fundraising committees for each campus, for the international community and for government entities.

CCAA was established on the evening of May 12, 2009, after the college hosted a dinner for all CCM and COM-FSM alumni. The event included the election of the new association’s executive committee, which include Wayne Mendiola as President, Pelma Palik as Vice President, Amanda Jack as Treasurer and Pamela Joseph as Secretary. CCAA was the first alumni association created since April 1993.

The CCAA executive committee held their first meeting on June 9th, the second meeting on July 21st, and on July 24, 2009. Besides creating the new fundraising committee, the CCAA executive committee has completed the association’s bylaws and is currently working to incorporate the new association.

Other plans discussed by CCAA executive committee include the need to provide a venue for alumni interaction.

Community College of Micronesia and College of Micronesia-FSM Alumni Association (CCAA) Executive Committee

Pamela Joseph (Secretary), Amanda Jack (Treasurer), Wayne Mendiola (President), Pelma Palik (Vice President)

First Reported case of Pandemic Influenza A/H1N1 in the Federated States of Micronesia

College of Micronesia-FSM

On July 20, 2009, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) National Department of Health and Social Affairs was notified of the country's first laboratory confirmed human case of Pandemic Influenza A/H1N1.

The confirmed case is a 27-year-old male from the main island of Weno in the state of Chuuk, FSM. The patient developed a headache, fever, cough, sore throat and runny nose on 2 July, and was seen at Chuuk State Hospital on 3 July, where he tested negative on a local rapid test. Samples were forwarded to the WHO Collaborating Centre for Influenza in Melbourne, Australia, where testing confirmed Pandemic H1N1 on 17 July. The patient reported no travel history and no contact with sick animals. He had recently been vaccinated for seasonal influenza.

The patient was advised home quarantine. He was not given antivirals and he recovered without complication. His contacts are in the process of being evaluated.

The Chuuk State Department of Health and Services, with assistance of the FSM National Department of Health and Social Affairs, is continuing its ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of influenza in the community. These efforts include providing health alerts to travelers at points of entry, carrying out respiratory triage at healthcare centers to avoid spread of respiratory illness to these facilities, isolating patients at home or in the hospital and providing recommended care, following up of contacts, and providing education to the community.

The confirmation of pandemic influenza in the FSM does not change the mitigation measures that have already been in place, but serves as a reminder of the importance of carrying out these activities with renewed vigor.

The public is reminded of the importance of good hygiene and respiratory etiquette, avoiding close contact with ill individuals, staying home from work or school when they are sick, and seeking appropriate medical care if experiencing respiratory symptoms.

WASC Approves COM-FSM Follow-Up Report

College of Micronesia-FSM
At its June 9-11 meeting, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) took action to approve the College of Micronesia – FSM’s (COM-FSM) Follow-Up Report.

The College’s Follow-Up report to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior College (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges informed the accrediting commission on all resolutions the college has identified and implemented to resole four ACCJC identified recommendations.

The report was submitted on March 15, 2009, and was followed up by a visit by Mr Floyd Takeuchi of the ACCJC from April 28 – May 1, 2009. A report from Mr Takeuchi was submitted to the ACCJC after his visits to national and Chuuk state campuses.

In her June 30 letter to President Spensin James of COM-FSM, President Barbara Beno of the ACCJC said that the commission accepted the College’s Follow-Up Report yet it noted that a final resolution of the Chuuk site is still pending. President Beno wrote that the commission requires the College to report on the resolution of the Chuuk site issue, including the implementation of a reliable power source for that site, within the College’s Self Study Report. The Self Study Report is expected to be submitted by December 1, 2009.

Copies of the Commission Action Letter and the College’s Follow-Up Report are available online at http://www.comfsm.fm/Accreditation/archive.html.

During the same meeting, the ACCJC took the following actions on the following regional institutions:

College of the Marshall Islands – Reaffirmed Accreditation on the Basis of a Comprehensive Evaluation

Northern Marianas Coll:)ege – Removed from Show Cause and Reaffirmed Accreditation on the Basis of a Show Cause Report

College of Micronesia-FSM – Accepted Follow-Up Report with Visit

Guam Community College – Accepted Mid-Term Report
For more information about this article, email the editor at jsaimon@comfsm.fm

The College of Micronesia-FSM Receives $1.575 Million for Nursing Program

College of Micronesia-FSM
The College of Micronesia – FSM (COM-FSM) will be receiving $315,000 annually for five years through an approved Area Health Education Center (AHEC) grant. The AHEC grant was applied with the U.S. Department of Health Services through the FSM Department of Education.

According to information from the FSM Department of Education, the grant was approved and grant notification award is forthcoming. The College will be using the AHEC grant money as seed money for the AS Degree Program in Nursing. This is great news for the College and the whole FSM as the nation is in dire need of certified nurses to work at all FSM state hospitals.

The College extends its appreciation and thanks to the FSM Department of Health Services for its willingness to collaborate with the College on this important project.

This article was taken from the COM-FSM President’s Update #329. You can read other news about the College of Micronesia- FSM at the following website: www.comfsm.fm/.