LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Five individuals have been recommended by the Search Committee to be voted by the members of the board of Regents of the Benguet State University (BSU) to be the next University President.
The aspirants for the top post of BSU are former Ifugao State University (IFSU) president Serafin Ngohayon; Prof. Felipe Salaing Comila, the incumbent Director of BSU’s Institute of Public Administration; Maria Luz D. Fangasan, Director of BSU’s Planning Department; Dr. Jimmy Fong, professor of the University of the Philippines College Baguio (UPCB) and Dr. Joel Lubrica, a faculty of BSU’s Math and Physics Department.
The Search Committee submitted its recommendation to the Board of Regents in time for scheduled special meeting on November 25, 2020 where the same will be selecting from the aspirants the next head of the State university.
Last June 5, 2020, the board decided not to give Dr. Feliciano Calora, Jr. a second term that paved the way for the said post to be vacant since then and subsequently caused the body to create the Search Committee for the higher education institution’s next president.
The Search Committee is headed by lawyer Cinderela Benitez-Jharo of the Commission on Higher Education and members Dr. Jimmy Catanes of CHED-CAR, lawyer Leonardo Lawana representing the private sector, Vicente Panagan representing the faculty and Dr. Cecilia M. Gascon of the Bulacan State University (BULSU) representing the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC).
Under existing laws, rules and regulations, a University or college President will have a 4-year term once voted upon by the Board of Regents or Board of Trustees with a guaranteed second 4-year terms with the unanimous consent of the board.
The BSU board is chaired by the CHED Chairman and composed of the regional director of the Department of Agriculture – cordillera, the regional director of the Department of Science and Technology- Cordillera, the regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the regional director of the Commission on Higher Education – Cordillera, the sitting BSU president, the president of the federated association of students, the federated association of alumni, the president of the federated association of faculty and two community representatives as members.
The aspirants for the coveted post underwent the required public presentation of their programs and platforms once elected as BSU president followed by a panel interview by the Search Committee last October 20, 2020.
Concerned stakeholders expressed optimism that the scheduled election of the new BSU president will push through as scheduled to ensure the resumption of normal transactions in the institution as the unnecessary delays in the appointment of the head of the institution will greatly affect the operation of the government school.
Further, the sectors urged the members of the board to ensure that the scheduled elections will push through and not to succumb to possible delaying tactics that will be employed by some individuals to suit the interest of their supposed candidates because the institution needs a leader who will lead the school during these difficult times. By HENT