Northern Marianas College could follow UOG's lead towards Sea Grant Institution status

In regional news, the Northern Marianas College is "voyaging" towards Sea Grant status. In the past week, a team from the  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sea Grant Team met with college officials to tour marine and coastal resources, NMC CRESS Aquaculture Laboratory, and 500 Sails Canoe House. They also visited sites on Saipan impacted by beach erosion.

According to the college, it "is beginning the process of obtaining institutional sea grant status, which will help the College support local initiatives and priorities developed within the islands toward conserving and protecting its precious natural resources, and to promote the efficient use of human, institutional, and financial resources to meet local and regional goals and objectives."

National Sea Grant Director John Pennock, Hawaii Sea Grant Director Darren Lerner, Hawaii Sea Grant Associate Director Darren Okimoto, University of Guam President Dr. Thomas Krise, UOG Dean of CNAS Dr. Lee Yudin, UOG Sea Grant Director Austin Shelton, and UOG Sea Grant Associate Director Fran Castro were part of the visiting team.