Northern Marianas College (NMC) Board of Regents Chairman Charles V. Cepeda has been appointed by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Chairman, Jay Nardini, to serve on the ACCT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee.
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee ensures leadership for the involvement of historically underrepresented diverse populations within the governance activities of ACCT, which represents more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern over 1,200 community, technical, and junior colleges in the United States and beyond.
Members of the committee promote respect for and acceptance of diverse individuals and promote awareness and educational opportunity for underrepresented populations. Moreover, it advises the ACCT Board by strengthening the links with the association’s minority membership, identifying issues that require member input, and recommending strategies to gather input.
By joining this committee, Chairman Cepeda expressed his commitment to contributing his knowledge and experiences in promoting diversity and equality across the nation from the perspective of Pacific Islanders.
“I am honored to be appointed by ACCT Chairman Nardini to serve on this important committee, which aligns with my commitment to fostering the inclusion of the Pacific Island colleges alongside our mainland educational institutions. I look forward to collaborating with like-minded individuals who share a common vision for creating more equitable academic settings. Together, we can work towards supporting our Pacific Islanders experiencing systemic inequalities and develop an environment for all our islander students to have equal opportunities for success,” said Chairman Cepeda.
NMC President Galvin Deleon Guerrero, EdD noted that Chairman Cepeda has demonstrated a personal commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across NMC’s three campuses on the islands of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, as well as exemplifying it in advocacy with government and regional leaders.
“Chairman Cepeda has been diligent and proactive in leading board-level discussions that foster diversity, equity, and inclusion. Beyond his chairmanship duties here at home, he consistently delivers on this commitment to DEI by continuing to advocate for Asian-Pacific Islanders at the national level as a member of the ACCT Western Regional Nominating Committee and as state coordinator for the CNMI. ACCT is well-served to have him on this important committee because he will provide meaningful insight as a recognized Pacific Islander leader for the benefit of this committee’s work of promoting awareness and educational opportunities for underrepresented populations at the national level,” said Deleon Guerrero.
The ACCT consists of community professionals, business officials, public policy leaders, and leading citizens that offer their time and talent to serve on the governing boards of this century's most innovative higher education institutions-community, junior, and technical colleges-and make decisions that affect more than 1,200 colleges and over 11 million students annually.