BSA and BSN Attempt Accreditation for Level 4 Phase 2 of AACCUP

The degrees Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (BSA) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing were revisited by the Accrediting Agency for Chartered Colleges and Universities (AACCUP) for Level 4-Phase 2 accreditation on June 29, 2018. The survey team included: Dr. Manuel T. Corpus, the overall coordinator; Dr. Ester L. Mercado for BSA; and Dr. Marylou B. Ong and Dr. Celerino S. Palacio for BSN. BSA was revisited in the areas of teaching and learning (curriculum) and community service (extension) while BSN was revisited in the areas of research, extension, teaching and learning, international linkages, and quality assurance and planning. During the Opening Program, Dr. Corpus reminded the University faculty and staff that for Level IV- Phase II, it is mandatory to excel in five areas which are research, instruction, community service, international linkages and planning. He explained that in order to pass, the degrees being accredited must have a rating of no less than 4.5 in each of the areas. He added that obtaining a Level IV-Phase 2 Accreditation Level means that the degree program is at par with international standards. After the Opening Program, College of Nursing (CN) dean, Prof. Doris S. Natividad and College of Agriculture (CA) dean, Dr. Janet P. Pablo presented their achievements in the said areas through PowerPoint presentations. For the College of Agriculture, Dr. Janet P. Pablo showed that the college completed 84 researches from 2013-2017 and published these in 67 international and national refereed journals. The college had 101 technologies patented and commercialized and also conducted 460 activities for community service. These are only few of the achievements presented. Part of the Prof. Natividad’s presentation consisted of CN’s researches in line with their research agenda: food security and poverty reduction and gender and development. The college was able to present 44 papers in national and international conferences. The dean also highlighted the CN partnership with the Open University and the Zuellig Family Foundation for the Municipal Leadership and Governance Program (MLGP). The impact of the program among its graduates is shown by a testimony from Mayor Amadeo T. Espino of Bautista, Pangasinan which reads, “We established a responsive and functional municipal health board to include DepEd and some civic society group. By co-creating health policies and program with other sectors of the community, a significant change or improvement on our Basic Health Roadmap from 2016 to 2017 were achieved.” The presentations were followed by a question and answer session and validation of the supporting documents with the survey team who later had a closed-door discussion. While the survey team pointed out areas for improvement, they commended the CA and CN for their accomplishments and the University as a whole for its willingness to participate in accreditation. “Please continue with the good work. Accreditation is not just moving from one level to the next but it is a continuous improvement,” said Dr. Corpus. Results of the survey visit will soon be announced by the AACCUP.//JSTabangcura