Update from the President's Office - No. 204

February 27, 2002MEMORANDUM

To:       All Regents, Faculty, Staff, and Students

From:     Ringlen Ringlen, President ad interin (a.i)
Subject:  Update from the President's Office-No.204

Kosrae Campus.Dr. Josekutty presented a paper, "Micropropagation of Endangered Vitamin A Rich Banana (Musatroglodytarum)," at the 7th meeting of the International Association for Plant Tissue Culture held at the University of New England, Australia. The newness of the topic "vitamin A rich banana" drew attention to the presenter and College by the Australian media. A proposal submitted by MPPRC on multiplication and field planting of vitamin A rich banana through Kosrae State was approved for funding by the Department of Interior (DOI), USA. As of February 13, 2002, tissue cultured banana plants have been distributed to farmers. Congratulations to Kosrae Campus and Dr. Josekutty for your good work!

National Campus: Piano Concert. COM-FSM presented Mr. Roman Rudnytsky, an internationally renowned pianist and virtuoso in concert at the PMA Studios on February 16-17, 2002. Our appreciation is extended to Mr. Rudnytsky for sharing his classical piano music with us. On behalf of the administration, I would like to express our gratitude to the sponsors for the concert. They include: COM-FSM Board of Regents, Mr. & Mrs. Shiro Akinaga of APSCO Construction Company, Mr. & Mrs. Koji Akinaga of Nantehlik (PCR) Hotel/Restaurant, Budget Car Rental, PMA, Alison McConnell, and Mr. Milan Kamber. A big thanks also go to all the members of the Fundraising Steering Committee for all their hard work. The members of the committee are as follows: Spensin James, Jazmin Gonzales, Iris Falcam, Benson Moses, Arlene Dumantay, Lore Nena, Danny Dumantay, Joe Habuchmai, and Brent Villiers. Our special appreciation is expressed to Jazmin Gonzales for organizing the HCOP students as ushers during both days. Because of your commitment, the concert was a "big hit." We netted $1,440.00 for the COM-FSM Endowment from both concerts.

Staff Development Day. "Envisioning Culture Studies" by Joakim Peter (JoJo), keynote speaker for the Staff Development Day; "Issues in Student Learning Outcomes and Accreditation" by Susan Moses, Plenary General Assembly speaker; plus forty (40) workshops and sessions all took place on Friday, February 22, 2002. Thank you JoJo for being our keynote speaker. Special thanks to Marylene Bisalen, Elihna Mori, Randy Nunez for coming from Chuuk Campus to join us. Classes were cancelled, and staff, faculty and some members of the community participated all day going from session to session on subjects such as: Employee Evaluation, CPR, Fire Prevention & Fire Control, Anger Management, Teen Shame, Critical Video Literacy, Reverse Bilingualism, TRIO Programs, The Nature of Human Nature, New COM-FSM BA in Education Program, Learning Communities, Office Support Staff, National & State Campus: Lang/Lit Faculty, Assessing the Need for Women Studies at COM-FSM, Gradebook: A User-Friendly Software Program, Using Microsoft Access, Web page Design: The Basics, Using Excel: Introductory Level, Learning Resource Center: Use the Electronic Resources, Inter Library Loans, FSM Constitutional Convention: The 14 Proposed Amendments, Conservation Society of Pohnpei, FSM Banking Board, Micronesian Seminar, FSM Telecommunications Corporation, USDA Rural Development Programs, MFA: Managing the Tuna Resources of the FSM, Communicable Diseases in the FSM, Prevalence & Patterns of Alcohol and Substance Use, Violence & Suicide, Weaving Yapese Style Lava lava, Making Flower Corsages, Origami: Japanese Paper Folding, Weaving Roof Thatch, Naming Birds of Pohnpei, Yoga, Wellness, Creative Cooking with Local Foods, Dancing the "Tango", and Introduction to Water Color Painting.

On behalf of the administration, I would like to thank the members of the Staff Development Committee for a job well done: Jean Thoulag, Yasuo Yamada, Alicia Ada, Arlene Dumantay, Hadleen Satele, Mariana Ben, Morehna Rettin-Santos, Quly Alex, Allain Bourgoin, Dennis Gearhart, and Linda Maradol. A special word of thanks to all the Community Agencies/Presenters: Civic Action Team Members, Willy Kostka and Staff (Conservation Society of Pohnpei), Wilson Waguk, (FSM Banking Board), Scott Nicloy (Salvation Army), Dean Anthony (USDA Rural Development), Luisa Helgenberger & Kidsen Iohp (FSM HESA), Fr. Fran Hezel & Staff (Micronesian Seminar), Marcus Samo (FSM HESA), Eugene Pangelinan (MFA), FSM Telecom, Anna Corine, and Martha Haleyalig.

I would like to thank the members of the College personnel who were presenters for the day: Glenn Snider, Jonathan Gourlay, Damian Sohl, Robert Andreas, Heinrich Palik, Robert Churney, Richard Womack, Ringlen Ringlen, Fran Chaine, Jeff Arnold, Norma Edwin, Patty Grandos, Catherine Good, Norleen Oliver, Dana Lee Ling, Mary Snaden, Dennis Gearhart, Jenny Hainrick, Bruce Robert, John Haglelgam, Arlene Dumantay, Kumi Kodaro, Harvey Segal, Meriam Abraham, Welshiter Hagilmai, Goldi Myers, and Judy Night.

Fitness Run/Walk. The 7th Annual Pohnpei Fitness Run, COM-FSM Endowment Fundraiser, will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2002, at 7:00 a.m. It will begin at the PICS Trac & Field, go down on the main street to the Spanish Wall Park to Namiki, around to Palm Terrace, then up to Panuelo's Store on to SDA School and will finish at PICS Track & Field. The distance is 3.1 miles (5 kilometers). Registration fee is $5.00. Free T-shirts will be given to the first 250 finishers.

USDA Graduate School. The FSM National Government, Department of Finance and Administration and the USDA Graduate School are holding a course at the National Campus on February 25-26, 2002. The course is on the New Reporting Model for State and Local Governments (GASB-34). It is an overview and an introduction to the accounting requirements of the recently issued GASB Statement 34 accounting standard. The course is designed to be both an introduction of the concept of a new reporting model and an in-depth look at some of the more technical requirements of this pronouncement. This would be the first time for this course to be offered in FSM and the College of Micronesia-FSM is taking advantage of this opportunity to participate. COM-FSM's representatives were Dr. Greg Myers (Director of Research and Planning), Jesusa Timbang (State Campus Accountant), Penny Weilbacher (Director of Pohnpei Campus), Jeff Arnold (Assistant Director of Pohnpei Campus), and Twyla Poll (Fiscal Officer, Pohnpei Campus).

Personnel. James Dabchuren was hired as Maintenance Supervisor at Yap Campus and Mary Olter joined the National Campus Business Office staff as Account Clerk. Welcome to both of you.

More next time!!