Dear NMC Community,
The devastation from the typhoon is profound across the Commonwealth, including our campuses on Saipan and Tinian. I’m sure you have seen (and continue to see) the disaster through photos and videos from chat groups, social media, news outlets, and through your own experiences: we have also received reports of employees and students who have lost homes (or sections of their homes) or who have had to hide in their bathrooms as the long-lingering typhoon tracked away from our islands.
Please know that we see and we feel the weight of what our employees and students and their families are carrying right now. You do not carry this alone.
Student and Employee Support
Your well-being will continue to be prioritized over the next several days as our College’s recovery begins. We are standing up student and employee support teams that aim to help you address critical needs and connect you with resource agencies based here in the CNMI or with organizations that are on their way here.
We will be expanding the NMC website storm recovery landing page to list all these resources in one section; the College will also be launching – thanks to IT&E – student hotlines so you can call the College if you have any questions or need assistance. The hotline numbers will be announced separately. Equally important, we will be reaching out to students and employees who are currently displaced or sheltering outside their homes to see how NMC can help.
When Will Campuses Reopen?
Now that the “All Clear” Declaration has been made, our facilities and safety teams will be conducting campus assessments, clearing typhoon debris and conducting other work to ensure the safety of our campus before students and employees return. Please be sure to monitor official NMC sources, including your NMC email, for these announcements.
Employees will receive a separate email containing additional information specific to their sections. Supervisors and other employees may be called earlier to assist with assessment activities.
Class Schedules and Academic Calendar
While assessments are being conducted, we will also share announcements with more specific information about adjustments to academic classes, instructional modalities, and revised schedules. Again, please monitor email for these updates.
Our islands have faced Super Typhoons before, but that does not make it any easier with each storm we face. In fact, the trauma and fatigue from previous storms are still very much part of our collective island story. But we are not defined by destruction, but instead by the persistent resilience that each of you demonstrates. As we have shown with concrete (literally) examples, we can rebuild, rebuild stronger, and rebuild together.
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Frankie Eliptico
Acting President