The American Samoa Community College is in financial trouble.
ASCC President Dr. Rosevonne Pato told the Fono the college needs additional funding for the new fiscal year than what ASG is proposing. The ASCC’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025 budget totals $24.2 million.
For the last several years, the college has been requesting between $5 to $6 million in subsidies from ASG but has only been receiving $1 million.
For the current fiscal year, the college has withheld payment of utility bills to ASTCA, ASPA and Blue Sky, delayed vendor payments and frozen employee increments. It is also behind on paying FICA, Retirement and ASG tax for employees.
According to Dr. Pato, total unpaid debts is $7.3 million.
She said of the $1 million in ASG subsidy included in the FY2024 budget only $666,000 has been received by the college.
The college also gets a portion of the tax on tobacco. The amount received by the college from the tobacco tax up to July is $1.2million.
For the current fiscal year, the college requested an ASG subsidy of $8.2 million.
The ASCC president said its been a real challenge trying to meet the cost of salary reclassification for faculty and staff. ASG provided $2 million in the FY2024 to pay for the reclassification. But Dr. Pato said it’s a struggle to pay local tax, retirement benefits and increments.
Meanwhile, ASCC’s enrollment has been dropping in the last several years. In academic year 2021-2022, enrollment was 3341, it then dropped to 2491 for 2022-2023, and to 2173 for 2023-2024.
About 1000 students graduate from high school each year but just 300 enroll at ASCC.
Reps Larry Sanitoa and Malaeoletalu Melesio Gurr asked what the college was doing to boost enrollment numbers.
Dr. Pato says the college and DOE have started a pre apprenticeship program for high school juniors and seniors to attend courses at the college.
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ASCC also invited parents and seniors to workshops for admissions and financial aid, and extended the registration period from 3 to 6 days.
Dr. Pato said they anticipate an increase in enrollment for the fall semester due to the summer admissions and financial aid assistance.
The college had hoped to begin online registration this year, however, they have to work out a payment system for students.
Several questions were asked about the ASCC Nursing Program.
Dr. Pato said it was difficult attracting instructors to teach the nursing classes and currently the only avenue for instructors is nursing staff from the LBJ Hospital and Department of Health, who teach part time.
Another possibility is to get instructors from off island, but this is expensive plus they will leave at the end of their contracts and they’re back to square one—not having instructors.
Regarding the Fijian nurses enrolled in the ASCC Nursing Program, Dr. Pato said the college offered crash courses for the 21 nurses with the LBJ Hospital paying $35,000 to $40,000 in tuition for two courses for the group.
There are also Filipino nurses from the hospital enrolled in the nursing program with LBJ paying their tuition. When asked if the hospital provides any funding assistance for the ASCC Nursing Program, Dr. Pato said no.
Senator Togiola Tulafono gave this reaction.
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Senators Malaepule Saite Moliga and Soliai Tuipine and Rep. Ape Mike Asifoa said it was obvious the college needs more funding and the Fono should respond favorably.
But House Speaker Savali Talavou Ale said the college should stay within its approved budget, and to be mindful that the government has many other obligations to finance with local revenues.
