REAFFIRMING UP AS THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PEOPLE A Vision for the University of the Philippines
J. Prospero E. de Vera III, DPA
T h e University o f t h e Philippines, m a n d a t e d b y R.A. 9 5 0 0 as t h e n a t i o n a l university, is an e m b o d i m e n t o f t h e ideals and aspirations o f t h e Filipino people. As a public i n s t i t u t i o n , i t m u s t w o r k t o p r o m o t e and p r o t e c t t h e interest o f t h e Filipino people w i t h t h e highest level o f excellence i n teaching, research, and public service. Excellence s h o u l d n o t o n l y be a b o u t being included in i n t e r n a t i o n a l rankings b u t also a b o u t doing serving t h e people t h r o u g h e q u i t a b l e and inclusive access t o U P e d u c a t i o n , academic excellence i n t e a c h i n g and research, and t r a n s f o r m a t i v e i m p a c t t h r o u g h public service.
UP as a public service university m u s t emphasize its t r a n s f o r m a t i v e mission as i t pursues h o n o r and excellence in t h e n e x t six years. T h e m e a s u r e o f its c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e n a t i o n m u s t be gauged n o t o n l y in providing quality e d u c a t i o n b u t also by its effectiveness in c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h e positive t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f t h e lives o f students, faculty, staff, and t h e v a r i o u s c o m m u n i t i e s inside and o u t s i d e t h e university.
In o r d e r t o f u r t h e r t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i v e mission o f UP as a n a t i o n a l university, I will pursue key initiatives c e n t e r e d o n t h r e e t h e m e s , n a m e l y , e q u i t a b l e and inclusive access, b r o a d e n i n g and d e e p e n i n g o f academic excellence, and t r a n s f o r m a t i v e impact t h r o u g h service.
Equitable and inclusive access
T h e r e is n o q u e s t i o n t h a t UP provides t h e best e d u c a t i o n in t h e c o u n t r y and t h a t t h o u s a n d s o f t h e best and brightest graduates t a k e t h e UPCAT e v e r y year t o e n t e r its campuses. But t h e University m u s t also reach t h e broadest s e g m e n t o f society by e n s u r i n g t h a t p o o r b u t qualified s t u d e n t s will be able t o a f f o r d a UP e d u c a t i o n . We m u s t r e v i e w and r e f o r m t h e admission process t o i m p r o v e access. W e need increase o u r i n f o r m a t i o n d i s s e m i n a t i o n s y s t e m and e v e n w a i v e application fees t o all e x a m i n e e s f r o m public schools. W e will e x p l o r e t h e provision o f t r a v e l and m e a l v o u c h e r s f o r applicants f r o m p o o r f a m i l i e s , and get help f r o m o u r s t u d e n t s , faculty, staff and a l u m n i t o assist o u r UPCAT applicants.
W e n e e d t o build u p o n t h e r e f o r m i n i t i a t e d in t h e Socialized T u i t i o n S y s t e m (STS) by f u r t h e r adjusting i n c o m e brackets, increase need-based scholarships, and p r o v i d e m o r e t u i t i o n subsidy. I will e n s u r e t h a t a p o r t i o n o f t h e i n c o m e f r o m c o m m e r c i a l v e n t u r e s (e.g. UP Ayala T e c h n o h u b , UP T o w n Center) will be allocated f o r scholarships t o p r o v i d e sustained f u n d i n g f o r this initiative.
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M o r e d o r m i t o r i e s will also be constructed inside campuses t o provide a safe haven f o r learning and socialization w i t h bursaries f o r t h e financially disadvantaged. T h e University has p r o v e n t i m e and again t o be a t r a n s f o r m a t i v e i n s t i t u t i o n f o r m a n y financially disadvantaged s t u d e n t s f r o m high schools all over t h e c o u n t r y ; this should be replicated a n d expanded w i t h UP as a p a r t n e r t o w a r d s social m o b i l i t y . Even w i t h t h e s e initiatives t o d e m o c r a t i z e access, t h e r e will always be high school graduates w h o are n o t prepared and will n o t be able t o pass UPCAT because o f t h e state o f Philippine basic e d u c a t i o n . In o r d e r t o provide o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r t h e m , t h e r e is a need t o e x p l o r e t h e feasibility o f replicating t h e no-UPCAT m o d e l o f t h e UP M a n i l a School o f H e a l t h Sciences t o o t h e r disciplines t h a t are needed in t h e c o u n t r y s i d e like agriculture, agribusiness, and f o r e s t r y . This a r r a n g e m e n t is needed especially in M i n d a n a o w h e r e UP's presence needs t o be expanded.
T h e University can o n l y a d m i t a f e w t h o u s a n d s i n its campuses all over t h e c o u n t r y . In o r d e r t o enable UP t o serve a b r o a d e r s e g m e n t o f society, t h e UP O p e n University m u s t n o w expand its u n d e r g r a d u a t e e d u c a t i o n and i n n o v a t e t h r o u g h certificate and ladderized p r o g r a m s w i t h o u t c o m p r o m i s i n g quality i n line w i t h Republic Act 1 0 6 5 0 o r t h e O p e n Distance Learning Act o f 2 0 1 4 . T h e a i m is f o r UP's t r a n s f o r m a t i v e i n s t i t u t i o n a l mission t o reach t h e lives o f as m a n y people as possible w i t h o u t c o m p r o m i s i n g o n quality.
Academic excellence
P u t t i n g p r e m i u m o n equitable access does n o t m e a n c o m p r o m i s i n g UP's t r a d i t i o n o f excellence. W i t h t h e o n g o i n g process o f ASEAN i n t e g r a t i o n , w e are increasingly o p e n i n g o u r e c o n o m y a n d society t o f o r e i g n i n v e s t m e n t s , k n o w l e d g e , and h u m a n capital. UP c a n n o t a f f o r d t o be c o m p l a c e n t given these u p c o m i n g changes in t h e socio-economic e n v i r o n m e n t o f t h e c o u n t r y . T h e best p r e p a r a t i o n f o r these changes is excellence in teaching, research a n d public service.
Excellence, h o w e v e r , should b e o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s serving t h e interest o f t h e Filipino people. O u r standards as a University should r e m a i n at par w i t h t h e best in t h e w o r l d . But given scarce resources, w e should a i m t o be at par w i t h t h e best in t e r m s o f practices a n d quality o f o u t p u t s n o t necessarily in t e r m s o f rankings.
University level rankings t a k e i n t o consideration factors t h a t are difficult f o r us t o ace if w e are t o focus o n serving t h e i n t e r e s t o f t h e Filipino people. For instance, n u m b e r o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l faculty is difficult t o increase given legal restrictions o n t h e g r a n t o f t e n u r e t o foreigners. Citations per faculty also m i g h t n o t b e f o r t h c o m i n g if o u r research focus o n t h e Philippine's u n i q u e circumstances.
Instead o f focusing o n t h e overall rank o f t h e University, each discipline should be s u p p o r t e d a n d n u r t u r e d t o b e a t par w i t h t h e best i n t h e w o r l d . T h e r e are disciplines in t h e University t h a t already reached t h a t status. These disciplines will
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be s u p p o r t e d f u r t h e r t o m a i n t a i n if n o t increase t h e i r standing. O t h e r disciplines in t h e university will b e given t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o d e v e l o p f u r t h e r b y providing f u n d i n g f o r laboratories and learning c o m m o n s n o t j u s t f o r t h e n a t u r a l sciences but also f o r t h e social sciences and h u m a n i t i e s .
I will c o n t i n u e t h e policy o f providing financial s u p p o r t t o increase t h e p r o p o r t i o n o f t h e faculty and REPS w i t h d o c t o r a t e degrees. Grants will b e given t o d e p a r t m e n t s / c o l l e g e s t h a t have e x t r e m e l y l o w g r a d u a t i o n rates t o r e v i e w t h e i r g r a d u a t e curricula. Initiatives f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l i z a t i o n t h r o u g h M o U s and M o A s s h o u l d include as p r i o r i t y c o - t u t e l l e a r r a n g e m e n t s t o e n s u r e t h e i n f u s i o n o f n e w ideas o u t s i d e t h e university.
Scholarly j o u r n a l s published by t h e v a r i o u s u n i t s in t h e University will be given grants u p o n p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e plan a i m i n g t o be indexed in t h e W e b o f Science database. T h e reach o f k n o w l e d g e g e n e r a t e d and published i n UP s h o u l d b e expanded. T o s u p p o r t t h e c o m m u n i t y o f scholars t h a t publish in t h e s e j o u r n a l s , access t o electronic scholarly j o u r n a l s will be e n s u r e d t h r o u g h pay per v i e w article access t h a t will cater t o t h e specific needs o f t h e faculty and REPS. Junior faculty m e m b e r s w i l l be given m o r e i n s t i t u t i o n a l s u p p o r t by increasing available w r i t i n g fellowships t o w r i t e t h e i r thesis, dissertations, o r publications f o r t e n u r e .
UP's excellence s h o u l d n o t o n l y be m e a s u r e d by publications and t h e caliber o f its faculty. T h e quality o f its graduates should be a n o t h e r b a r o m e t e r o f excellence.
T h e a l u m n i relations offices w i l l be equipped t o a l l o w tracking o f graduates and t o facilitate a l u m n i giving d o w n t h e line. UP s h o u l d n o t o n l y be excellent in an t h e ivory t o w e r , w e should be excellent i n t r a n s f o r m i n g t h e lives o f graduates b y m a k i n g sure t h a t t h e y are prepared t o be p r o d u c t i v e m e m b e r s o f society.
Transformative impact through service
T h e University o f t h e Philippines as a n academic leader a n d public service university is a resource o f t h e c o u n t r y . It s h o u l d leverage its expertise t o provide technical and scholarly assistance t o t h e private sector, g o v e r n m e n t , and civil society. I assert t h a t in t h e e n d , o u r c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e n a t i o n will be m o s t felt t h r o u g h o u r effective public service initiatives.
T h e Pascual a d m i n i s t r a t i o n has focused i t s e f f o r t s i n m a k i n g U P a research university at par w i t h its c o u n t e r p a r t s in t h e r e g i o n , and h o p e f u l l y in t h e w o r l d . But this desire f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l i z a t i o n s h o u l d n o t be at t h e expense o f providing valuable public service.
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I will e n s u r e tPiat public service is given t h e i m p o r t a n c e it deserved. RA 9 5 0 0 gives equal i m p o r t a n c e t o UP's reaching, research a n d public service f u n c t i o n s . I will m a k e sure t h i s happens.
In t h e public sector, UP s h o u l d leverage its role as a g r a d u a t e university in providing access t o g r a d u a t e e d u c a t i o n a n d trainings t o qualified faculty m e m b e r s of state universities a n d colleges. UP should p a r t n e r w i t h t h e m t o i m p r o v e t h e quality o f Philippine higher e d u c a t i o n by sharing technological k n o w h o w a n d resources like t h e c o m p u t e r i z e d registration service a n d library resources.
Going b e y o n d t h e higher e d u c a t i o n sector, a s y s t e m - w i d e e f f o r t s h o u l d be m a d e t o e n s u r e t h a t academics a r e in t o u c h w i t h policymakers in b o t h t h e local and n a t i o n a l levels. Academic clusters could serve as epistemic c o m m u n i t i e s t o s u p p o r t , o n a v o l u n t a r y basis, t h e w o r k o f g o v e r n m e n t a n d t h e n o n - p r o f i t sector.
T h e University should also cater t o t h e needs o f c o m m u n i t i e s in t h e c o u n t r y n o t as a p r o v i d e r o f services per se b u t as i n n o v a t o r s o f m o d e s o f service delivery. These i n n o v a t i v e m o d e s could be o f f e r e d t o p a r t n e r s in g o v e r n m e n t , civil society, and t h e private sector f o r replication in o t h e r parts o f t h e c o u n t r y . T h e university w i t h its expertise is in t h e position t o p i o n e e r t h e s e initiatives. As such, public service t o c o m m u n i t i e s should be d o c u m e n t e d a n d given p r o p e r recognition t h r o u g h a n n u a l awards, w r i t i n g f e l l o w s h i p s , a n d grants.
Aside f r o m t r a n s f o r m i n g t h e lives o f c o m m u n i t i e s a n d students, UP should also have a t r a n s f o r m a t i v e i m p a c t t o its e m p l o y e e s by increasing n o n - m o n e t a r y benefits t o faculty a n d staff t h r o u g h t h e provision o f h e a l t h m a n a g e m e n t organization coverage, c o n s t r u c t i o n o f n e w housing units t o absorb backlogs, increase in t h e UP c o u n t e r p a r t t o t h e p r o v i d e n t f u n d , increase in t h e e m e r g e n c y medical coverage p e r e m p l o y e e , e s t a b l i s h m e n t h e a l t h a n d wellness programs f o r e m p l o y e e s a n d t h e i r d e p e n d e n t s , a n d access t o regular c o n t i n u i n g e d u c a t i o n a n d training.
T h e n a t i o n a l university will c o n t i n u e a n d intensify its t r a n s f o r m a t i v e character as a public i n s t i t u t i o n . T h e role o f t h e n e x t president is t o m a k e sure t h a t UP's t r a n s f o r m a t i v e mission is r e i n f o r c e d a n d e x t e n d e d t o t h e w i d e s t possible s e g m e n t of t h e Filipino n a t i o n , a r e a f f i r m a t i o n o f UP as t h e university o f t h e people.
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