DOI awards $500K technical assistance grant to PPEC

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced a $2,508,350 grant award to expand the capabilities of the EarlyThe U.S. Department of the Interior recently awarded a $500,000 grant to the Pacific Postsecondary Education Council to provide further training and assistance to its members for accreditation and regional collaboration purposes.

The grant, which is the second awarded to the PPEC by DOI, will provide the organization with continuing efforts to improve systems and practices to maintain regional accreditation for institutions of higher education in the Pacific Islands. In addition, PPEC will use the funds to develop and strengthen the critical regional capacity at its member public colleges and universities in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, American Samoa, and the state of Hawaii.

“This grant ensures the necessary resources are in place for PPEC members to improve not only the accreditation process of our island institutions, but it also goes a long way in strengthening and establishing continuous improvement processes that in the long run, substantially improve curriculum development, financial management and overall student services,” said Anthony Babauta, Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Insular Areas. “I am truly excited because this raises the bar and demonstrates our commitment to higher education in our insular areas.”

Guam Community College has been tasked with the fiduciary responsibility for the $500,000 technical assistance grant.

“This grant money will provide PPEC members with the ability to fund future accreditation workshops, which allow us to network and share methods of accountability and assessment, so that we can all remain accredited, and provide students in the Pacific region with strong, viable options for their higher education needs,” said Dr. Mary Okada, PPEC Treasurer and president of Guam Community College.

For more information, contact Jayne Flores, GCC Asst. Director of Communications & Promotions, at 735-5638 (office), 988-5231 (cell), or via email atjayne.flores@guamcc.edu.

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