STAP awards scholarships to COM-FSM students

National Campus, Palikir –The STAP Filipino organization based in Pohnpei gave scholarship awards to seven COM-FSM students. The ceremony took place on August 24, 2010. STAP stands for Samahang Tagalog ATBP at Pohnpei.

Out of 11 scholarship applicants, seven were chosen to receive the scholarship awards amounting to $500 each. The seven students were Laura Fujimoto, Venessa James, Anthony Lukogfunay, William Piki, Fritzgerald Weilbacher, Mylee Mario and Lashauna Wilson.

According to Jojo Pulmano, president of STAP, the organization has been giving away scholarships to COM-FSM students for the past 10 years. He said that the scholarship foundation started on September 2000, with the aim to help COM-FSM students finance their college education. Every year the organization gives away four scholarship awards. This year the STAP leadership decided to give away seven awards instead of the usual four.

College of Micronesia-FSM president, Mr Spensin James along with the vice president for instructional affairs, Ms Jean Thoulag welcomed the STAP officers. President James thanked them on behalf of the College. The STAP officers who visited the National Campus included Jojo Pulamno, Vida Ricafrente, Ramil Ilagan and Rafael Pulmano.

College Job Audit Passes Stages 1 and 2

COM-FSM National Campus, August 11, 2010 – The College of Micronesia-FSM received the preliminary communications relating to its ongoing Job Audit/ Compensation & Benefit study on July 26, 2010. The study is conducted by Alan Searle of Alan Searle & Associates Limited who submitted an executive summary of the first two stages of the study to COM-FSM President, Mr Spensin James.

According to Mr Searle, stage one of the study focused on reestablishing the internal equity of all positions at the college based on job size. Also conducted during this stage was an analysis of the current compensation structure. The study recommended that the college streamline its operations and performance. Stage two of the study focused on gathering external pay data or base salaries against each position evaluated in stage one. The study found that the range and formulas of employee benefits provided by the college to fulltime staff appear comparable among the other regional institutions.

The next stage will be the implementation of the recommendations from the first two stages of the study. According to the executive summary from Mr Searle, the recommended changes will be implemented after endorsement by the Board of Regents. This will involve the introduction of a new pay schedule, the identification of a specific implementation range for each unique position and agreement on the implementation criteria.

A three-page executive summary of the audit report has been sent out to all faculty and staff for review. According to a memorandum issued by President James, Mr Searle and some of the key administrative staff will be visiting all six campuses to meet with faculty, staff and key stakeholders to explain the results and recommendations of the audit report. The visit is scheduled on the first two weeks of September.

This visit is to ensure that campus representatives will bring their concerns regarding the report to the President’s Retreat on September 22-24. The retreat will then make recommendations to be presented to the COM-FSM Board of Regents.

National Campus Begins Fall 2010 with Freshmen Orientation

National Campus, Palikir 186 new students attended the student orientation which started on August 2, 2010 at the FSM-China Friendship Sports Center. Faculty, staff and administrators were present during the orientation and were introduced to the new students.

The new students listen attentively to presentations.

In his welcoming remarks, COM-FSM President, Spensin James, welcomed the new students and pointed out some measures the college is putting in place to improve the college's current accreditation situation.

The college invited FSM Assistant Attorney General, Ms. Lorie Johnson-Asher, to speak to the new students as the keynote speaker. In her speech, she encouraged the students to explore the broad boundaries of college life and work hard on their studies to become what they want to be.

The National Campus SBA President, Babyano Retuleilug, joined in the welcoming of the newest members of his association. According to Babyano, the college is a new chapter in their lives that they must look forward to. He warned them that there will be a lot of challenges that will come their way. However, he encouraged them by noting that the college exists to help them in their learning and personal experiences.

The students were engaged in a week of orientation programs and activities that include safety/security briefings, information sharing in matters pertaining to academic and student support, and briefings in other areas like information technology and health services that the college provides. The students were also given counseling assistance to help them decide a suitable course for them.

Kosrae Campus Produces 20 Graduates

Twenty students participated in the graduation ceremony held at COM-FSM Kosrae Campus last July 22, 2010.

Regent Lyndon Cornelius conferred the certificate of achievements and degrees to the graduates who have completed their studies by fall 2009, spring 2010 and summer 2010.

Kosrae Campus students receive cheered by family and friends

The name of the graduates and their courses are as follows:

Certificate of Achievement in Carpentry
Robert Tulensru.

Certificate of Achievement in Agriculture and Food Technology
Roland George, Norman Jonithan Jr. and Benjamin Neth.

Associate of Applied Science in Electronics Technology
Moody Kilafwasru, Wallus Lakutak, Benton Nena, Hiroki Noda and Ludick Talley.

A.S. in Teacher Education-Elementary
Tatasy Aliksa, Carlos Cianchini, Kun Elley, Rollinson Jonas, Berswina Lonno, Vertileya Mongkeya, Sorlin Olter, BeeJane Paulino, Edna Shrew, Bond Sigrah, Elaine Wakuk and Tulensru Wakuk.

Mr. Paul Hadik who attended the commencement ceremony on behalf of Governor Weilbacher received the graduates, “come to the department of education and fill out a job application”, he invited. Witnessing the event were state senators, corporate leaders, parents, spouses and children of graduates, Senator Paliknoa Welly, and friends of the College.

US Department of Agriculture Donates Desktop Computers to COM-FSM

COM-FSM, Palikir, July 1, 2010 – The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Recourses Conservation Services (USDA NCRS), in cooperation with the United States Embassy in the FSM, donated desktop computers to COM-FSM National Campus Agriculture Division.

Acting President Ringlen thanks Ambassador Prahar and Conservationist Lake in front
of a classroom full with agriculture students.

The presentation was made by the US Ambassador to the FSM, Peter Prahar, and NRCS Resource Conservationist, Paul Lake. The two U.S. officials visited the National Campus and handed over the computers to Professor Kiyoshi Phillip, the Chair of the Agriculture Division.

According to Ambassador Prahar, the computers were donated to COM-FSM to help the students when they do their researches and for their other academic needs. Acting President Ringlen Ringlen thanked the two U.S. officials on behalf of the College.

After handing over the computers, Ambassador Prahar and Conservationist Lake toured the agriculture farm where Professor Phillip showed them the farm’s waste fertilizer program.

According to Professor Phillip, this is not the first time that the NRCS has assisted the college. NRCS has helped with the designing of the division’s pig-pens and have also provided national workshops for all the FSM states in the areas of farming, vegetable gardening and fishing. The USDA NCRS has been providing such services to the Free Associated States of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia.

College puts on "Agriculture is more than Farming" 2010

The College’s Instructional Affairs department in collaboration with Cooperative Research and Extension department, conducted a 5-day Agriculture summer program with the theme ”Agriculture is More Than Farming”.

Participants of the “Agriculture is More than Farming” 2010 program at National Campus

The program organized by CariPac Coordinator Totoa Currie of Pohnpei Campus, attracted a total headcount of 116 student participants. High school students from Calvary Christian Academy, Nanpei Memorial High School, Madewlenhmw High School, Pohnpei agriculture students and some students from COM-FSM, participated in the June 14 – 18 summer program funded by USDA CariPac.

The first three days of workshops were held at Pohnpei Campus and the remaining two days at the FSM–China Friendship Sports Center. For five days, the students were engaged in activities introducing to natural science as fun. The students were also engaged in field trips to Nett Point Pearl farm and the Pilot farm in Madewlenihmw. They learned about career opportunities, new agriculture practices, learning about nutritional value of local food and ways to market it. Students were also introduced to safe water catchment, aquaculture farming such as pearl farming, and government services such as quarantine office that controls and protect the islands natural resources.

Students had fun with lots of food and outdoor games associating with agriculture. One of the student participants claimed that that was the time they had been introduced to agriculture like this, and we look forward to the next summer and hope that there will be more demonstration on how to cook local food in a more traditional way.

Professors from COM-FSM and representatives from FSM government agencies, as well as regional and local NGO’s are served as speakers and facilitators for the summer program.

Yap CRE/AES receives 200K grant

The College of Micronesia-FSM has been selected to receive an award in the amount of $200,000 for the project: Small Farm Outreach and Technical Assistance Program for Socially Disadvantaged Outer Island Population in Yap.

The major goal of the project is to enhance outreach, technical assistance and education efforts to reach the outer island population. According to an award letter from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Advocacy and Outreach, the project will enhance the coordination of outreach, technical assistance and education efforts for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and to provide technical assistance for business creation in the economically challenged rural communities served by the college.

Mr. Anderson Neal Jr., the Socially Disadvantaged Farmer and Rancher Program Coordinator, thanks the College on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of Advocacy and Outreach (OAO), for submitting the competitive proposal to participate in the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers (OASDFR) Competitive Grant Program.

The grant was applied for by Dr. Murukesan Krishnapillai, the Researcher at the Agricultural Experiment Station of Yap Campus.

The final Grant Award Package will be forwarded to Dr. Muru for his signature within two weeks.