Continuation of: 20th U.P. President reveals vision, while 19th U.P. President defends record during today's turnover ceremonies at U.P. Diliman

1) The U.P. Charter. Dr. Roman said that Act 1870 (1908) was amended as An Act to Strengthen the University of the Philippines as the National University (R.A. 9500) in 2008 and that it took five terms of U.P. Presidents spanning 25 years to get R.A. 9500 passed, officially making U.P. the country's national university and creating an information dissemination campaign. She said the passage of the R.A. 9500 into law was one of her administration's major accomplishments.

2) The 2008 U.P. Centennial Celebrations. Dr. Roman said that she had been variously described as the First Woman President in U.P. and the U.P. Centennial President. Both descriptions intimidated her, she said as they raised a lot of expectations of her from various constituents.

She said the U.P. Centennial Lecture Series was a major accomplishment as through this project U.P. was able to present what its scholars and distinguished speakers had to say about U.P., the country and the world.

She said fund raising from the Centennial hit PhP 6.2 billion pesos from 2005 to 2009 which exceeded the working target of PhP 5 billion

She said the Centennial was able to provide for 197 professorial chairs and these do not include centennial chairs.

In other developments, she said in 2010 20% of 10,000 undergraduates are enjoying scholarships through STFAP. Private funds from private sources lead to the construction of 15 new buildings in U.P. Diliman, which are not yet finished, she said.

The Centennial also caused people associated with U.P. to feel pride in place such that there was an outpouring of support which made everybody even more aware of U.P. as a National University, she said.

3) U.P. was able to create a large scientific manpower base during her term. Dr. Roman said a critical mass of scientists and engineers was developed under her watch. In other State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), the norm is for these SUCs to produce education and business graduates; but in the case of U.P. more than one half of students were in science and engineering courses.

U.P. also developed a research agenda for scientists. This has been dubbed as the Emerging Fields Initiative. She said that there was an efficient utilization of funds in research thrusts.PhP 1.2 billion was raised from DOST for research, in addition to funds generated from the National Government for the establishment of the National Science Complex and PhP 1.7 billion was raised for the Engineering Research for Development and Technology project (ERDT).

Dr. Roman also pointed out that additional funds raised for infrastructure and development amounted to PhP 3 billion and that U.P. was able to develop a scientific productivity program and an incentive program. However, she said  U.P. did not foget the artists who are world-class. This is called the Artists Productivity System.

As another achievement, Dr. Roman pointed to the U.P. AyalaLand Technohub which was conceptualized during President Nemenzo's term but realized under her atch.

4) Faculty, Student and Staff privileges. Dr. Roman said that despite U.P.'s exemption from the Salary Standardization Law (SSL), the National Government has agreed to involve U.P. in all government salary increases.

When she took over, the highest faculty compensation was PhP 31,000.00 a month. Now this year it is PhP 57.000.00 a month and by 2012 it will be PhP 80,000.00 a month, she said.

There are also increases in lecturer's honoraria, honoraria for professors emeritus and a program for hospital expenses, she added

As for Students, there has been an increase in the number of scholarship grants as well as an increase in stipends/financial assistance.

She pointed out that U.P. Diliman, UPLB and U.P. Manila now have new dorms

She said that from 2005 to 2010 U.P.'s assets inmproved from Php 27.3 billion to PhP 34 billion with an existing cash balance as of September 2010 of PhP 13.5 billion

"There were times when I was sorely tried but I received the assurances from the board from the most humble to the most distinguished people from U.P.," she said.

“It has been my unique privilege and responsibility to serve as its first and so far only woman Centenial President, and only Centennial President.”

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Continuation of: Notes on the Answers of Nominees in the 2nd Public Forum for Nominees for U.P. Diliman Chancellor

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2. There is a sense of the dominance of the natural science and engineering in the university as indicated by the resources channeled to them and the use of natural science criteria for evaluating faculty. Corollary to this, the humanities and the social sciences appear to be in the margins. Please comment.

Former Dean Guevarra: As Dean of Engineering, together with the Dean of Science, we went as far as the President of the Philippines to get funds for the new buildings. My many researches involve education and the social sciences, so I am not partial to natural sciences. However, research is also necessary to find out what is needed by a certain college, and it may not be a physical building.

Dean Salome: There should be peer review for promotion and tenure and this should be clear with the college's mission. The new Science building came from the national fund, and was not taken from the allocation for other colleges.

Dr. Azanza: I cam from the College of Arts and Letters. I am a social scientist. The allocation of funds should be balanced. I have long been pushing for the creation of a National Institute for English and Comparative Literature.

Dr. Claudio: We should give or offer common criteria for all in the distribution of funds.

Dean. Tolentino: It is but normal that some colleges are more advanced tan other small colleges. What we should focus on is to creat a sense of community, rather than focus on individual colleges.

3. The Administration’s assessment of the RGEP has still to be disseminated widely but news has cropped up of the flaws of the program. What will you do as Chancellor to address these flaws?

Former Dean Guevarra: RGEP is like a remedial course for the first and second year students. This matter should be decided upon ASAP and implemented immediately.

Dean Salome: This offers a wide view of what is available in the world of academics. However, no program is perfect, so this should be constantly reviewed.

Dr. Azanza: There should be a system wide study and evaluation of RGEP. There are some courses that are necessary for a student to go through, and RGEP allows the student to avoid those subjects because they find it hard.

Dr. Claudio: RGEP was implemented without clear parameters to find out if it works or not. These must be set.

Dean Tolentino: The University Council instituted this, so it must go back to the University Council for review.

4. How do you intend to handle issues of plagiarism in the university?

Former Dean Guevarra: The fact that U.P. has not defined plagiarism has us divided on the matter. We should have a unified definition and policy that will support it; then educate our students and faculty.

Dean Saloma: We should look at the present system for handling of misconduct.

Dr. Azanza: Plagiarism should not go unpunished.

Dr. Claudio: No to plagiarism and implementation of ful extent of policy and due process.

Dean Tolentino: We should be forthright in the implementation of the law.

5. There are flaws in the tenure process for faculty with the Sarah Raymundo case as the most recent example. How are you going to handle such cases taking into account departmental autonomy?

Former Dean Guevarra: There should be departmental autonomy and there should also be a proper grievance process and transparency.

Dean Saloma: This should be decided inside the college/department. There should be a committee making the decision, not just one person.

Dr. Azanza: Ratify the policy.

Dr. Claudio: Proper implementation of existing policy and mentoring of faculty, especially with new lecturers.

Dean Tolentino: Faculty of college should have autonomy in the process of granting tenures. Transparency should be present.

6. Paano mo ipatutupad ang palisiya sa pambansang wika at ano ang maging papel ng Sentro ng Wika sa iyong administrasyon?

Former Dean Guevarra: We have 3 groups in U.P.: same syllabus and same sound; based on the number of people using it and the use of the dictionary. First, we should have a unified policy on language use.

Dean Saloma: If we take it on, we will need to come up with a dictionary of technical terms.

Dr. Azanza: We are lucky that we have a university that is more open than others in having Filipino to be researched as the national language.

Dr. Claudio: Basic education should be done in the vernacular, because for kids, it is easier to learn concepts in the home language.

Dr. Tolentino: Create an enabling condition for Filipino to be used as a teaching language.

7. What are your thoughts on the recent approval of the BOR of the Ayala contract to lease the present UPIS site?

Former Dean Guevarra: For any kind of income, we should have a clear picture of where it will go.

Dean Saloma: We need transparency. We shouldn't give control of our assets to just one land developer.

Dr. Azanza: We need a thorough review of policy and we need to take a look at what will happen to idle assets in the long run.

Dr. Claudio: We should have transparency and see if any income flows to benefits for constituents.

Dean Tolentino: An open study of what is being done with an emphasis of the balance of the priorities between academic and commercial needs.

8. Who among your professors/colleagues have inspired you the most?

No notes are available for this question.

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