During the closing program, Dr. Myrna Q. Mallari, IA team leader said that CMU submitting itself to accreditation means that the university believed that it deserves to be visited again.

“…because you believe that there are still things that other people may see for you to pursue especially under the new leadership,” Dr. Mallari said.

Dr. Mallari added that it shows the university’s belief in quality assurance in its undertakings.

Each member of the accrediting team also shared highlights of their findings in the different areas evaluated.

Dr. Mallari who also served as the lead accreditor for Area I – Governance and Management, identified having competent and dedicated top management as one of the university’s strengths. She also commended the existence of a responsive and efficient grievance committee that addresses the concerns not only of the employees but also of the students.

“What is nice there is that students even can come forward. They have this empowerment to come forward and file their complaints.” Dr. Mallari noted.

Dr. Riceli C. Mendoza, lead accreditor for Areas II – Teaching, Learning, and Evaluation and III – Faculty and Staff, commended the consistency of the university as a top-performing school in different licensure examinations in the past years. She also pointed out that the Department of Science and Technology recognizing the university’s graduate programs as delivering programs for Science and Mathematics Education under the Science and Technology Regional Alliance of Universities for National Development (STRAND) program is a significant contribution to the nation’s overall progress and advancement in the field of science and technology.

Meanwhile, Dr. Charisma S. Ututalum, lead accreditor for Areas IV– Research and V- Extension, Consultancy, and Linkages, reiterated the essence of the accreditation.

“The pursuit of accreditation is not just about meeting the criteria in those parameters, but it is about fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence,” Dr. Ututalum said.

Dr. Ututalum shared the strengths she saw in the two areas. These included the extensive research agenda and the addition of new research centers which showed the university’s commitment to knowledge and technology generation for a globally sustainable environment and society. She also described CMU’s extension programs as well-defined, multidisciplinary, collaborative, and holistic. She also praised the collaborations and linkages of the university in research, extension, and even governance in improved bureaucratic and regulatory efficiency.

Dr. Anita C. Sornito, the lead accreditor for Area VI – Support to Students and VII – Library noted the active role of the Supreme Student Government especially in programs dedicated to the health, spiritual, socio-cultural development, and academic performance of the students and the clear-cut policies in recruitment, admission, and retention of students. She also commended the library services for attaining the goals and objectives of the office which include the provision of quality materials needed by students and faculty, and the operation of reading rooms in the different colleges.

For Areas VIII – Infrastructure and Other Learning Resources, lead accreditor Dr. Lawrence Anthony U. Dollente praised the activities and initiatives of the Office of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, and the construction of a pedestrian overpass to ensure the safety of the students.

Meanwhile, for Area IX – Quality Assurance Culture, Dr. Dollente observed significant changes in the programs of quality assurance of the university as seen in the number of accredited programs, quality management system and evaluation, and good international rankings. He also commended the support given to quality assurance activities.

On top of these commendations, the accreditors also gave some recommendations for the continual improvement of the university. Some of these included the commercialization of knowledge generated from research, the institutionalization of processes of the university, and continuous improvement of the facilities to better serve the stakeholders.

Central Mindanao University submitted itself to the second cycle of institutional accreditation visits, aiming to become a level IV accredited institution. _{[Johnica Chantal G. Montero]}

The Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP) recently awarded CMU with Level II institutional accreditation valid from Aug. 14, 2017 to Aug. 13, 2022.

The university received the notice of results, Wednesday, Oct. 11, including the attached copy of technical review and board action of the institutional survey visit conducted on Aug. 7-11, 2017.

According to Dr. Agapito Bayron, Jr., Quality Assurance Office chief, CMU is the first university awarded with Level II institutional accreditation in Mindanao.

Overall, CMU got a general weighted mean of 3.76 from all the areas surveyed. These areas include the governance and management (3.70); teaching, learning and evaluation (3.91); faculty and staff (3.54); research (3.70); extension, consultancy and linkages (3.70); support to students (3.47); library (3.76); infrastructure and other learning resources (4.15); and quality assurance culture (3.97).

Some of the highlighted commendations include the university’s strong linkages with the local, national, and international research centers which have helped in the generation of funds to upgrade the equipment and laboratory facilities of the university.

The evaluators also commended the functional university hospital which caters to the basic health needs of the community.

Other commendations include the university’s centers of excellence and development, the outstanding performance in licensure examinations, and the university being a CHED and DOST delivering higher education institution.

The evaluators also acknowledged the university having a highly qualified, committed, and dedicated faculty; strong research and extension implementation, and an empowered development radio station that serves as information highway to all stakeholders for visibility and facilitates wide dissemination of all program activities, among others.

To further improve the services offered by the university, the accreditors recommended to have a full implementation of data archiving, and biometrics; automation of Financial Management System; and creation of non-teaching positions.

They also recommended to improve the Management and Information System Office by upgrading the equipment, network infrastructure and data center, among others.

The accreditors also encouraged the university to conduct studies interfacing research and instruction as well as the patenting of the commercialized products of research such as adlay, fern, and mushroom.

As a response, the university will be conducting a patent drafting seminar-workshop on Nov. 13-17. Select university faculty researchers and other interested individuals are welcome to join the said seminar.

The accreditors were Dr. Manuel T. Corpus, founding AACCUP president and executive director; Dr. Raul F. Muyong, vice president and vice chairman, AACCUP Board of Trustees; Dr. Divinagracia M. De Guzman, AACCUP technical consultant; and Mr. Samuel C. Chinaman, AACCUP accountant.

Other members of the accreditation team were: Dr. Danilo S. Hilario, a retired professor from Bulacan State University; Dr. Rolando F. Hechanova, president of Sultan Kudarat State University; Dr. Marcela T. Caluscosin, retired professor from Don Mariano Marcus Memorial State University; Dr. Riceli C. Mendoza, Quality Assurance Office director from University of Southern Mindanao; Dr. Marlene B. Atinyao, Quality Assurance Office director from Benguet State University; Dr. Anita C. Sorinto, director of Library Services in USM; and Dr. Maria Glenda O. De Lara, director of  Auxiliary Services, Philippine Normal University. (RGPadoginog)

By: RGPadoginog

Dubbed as the academic paradise of the South, CMU continues to elevate itself by envisioning to become a leading university in the country and even in the ASEAN. 

To measure how far it has achieved and how long it will take to realize its vision, the university submitted itself for AACCUP institutional accreditation this week.

Eleven accreditors from different parts of the country have evaluated nine key areas of the institution and visited different research centers and extension projects. They also conducted several interviews with the alumni, faculty, students, and stakeholders for verification.

Dr. Danilo Hilario, accreditation team leader, said: “Nandito kami upang tingnan namin ang kakayahan nila [CMU]…at sa dako pa doon ay mabigyan sila ng karangalan bilang kauna-unahang pamantasan na mabibigyan ng institutional accreditation.”

“Hangarin namin na makita namin mula sa pakikipag ugnayan namin sa mga estudyante [stakeholders at alumni] kung ano na ang narating ng Central Mindanao University,” he added.

Dr. Maria Luisa R. Soliven, university president, stressed: “I believe that the very reason of our existence as a university is to improve the life, the livelihood of our community. So yan po ang nakatanim sa isip ko as the president of CMU, we are committed to do and to cater to the needs of our municipality.”
Through the years of sustained development efforts, CMU has shaped minds and formed attitudes of students and in turn developed future leaders who serve people and communities.

Shaping minds
Dr. Emerlie Okit, an alumna who traveled from Kabacan, North Cotabato to join the stakeholders’ interview, credits the university with her accomplishments: “Because of the discipline, humility, and training I got from CMU, I am very happy to say that I am now serving as dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine in the University of Southern Mindanao.”

She said that as dean, she has followed CMU as an example especially in terms of excellence, adding that USM is now a center of excellence in veterinary education. “Perseverance, commitment to excellence, and service is my key,” she added.

Another alumna from CMU’s College of Human Ecology, Hazel Dondonayo, a registered Nutritionist Dietitian, said that her commitment to public service pushed her to work for LGU-Valencia.

Dondonayo expressed her gratitude for the standard of excellence inculcated in her during her years at CMU. She said this made her and the City’s Health Office recipients of various awards such as the Hall of Fame Award in Nutrition and Pabasa sa Nutrition hall of fame, among others.

To improve the Nutrition and Dietetics program, she suggested that nutrition in emergencies be included in the curriculum. “It is one of the programs of the national nutrition council na tinututukan kasi Bukidnon, not only Valencia City, is a flood prone area,” she said.

She also suggested to include the infant and young child feeding program. “Isa ito sa mga programs na nakakatulong in the field of public health nutrition,” she added.

Forming attitudes
Servant leadership has been the advocacy of CMU in forming the attitudes of its students as the university prepares them for greater opportunities of service.
Primo Calo, a veterinary medicine alumnus from Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, said that the discipline and the attitude he developed inside the institution have pushed him to serve his own municipality.

Currently, he is working with the poor people who belong to the tribal groups in their municipality.

“The terrain is quite difficult, you have to travel for three hours hiking to reach these people. But why should I stay there and work hard with minimal pay?” he shared while teary-eyed. “Because of the character formed inside of me, I stayed whatever maybe the cost.”

“I am proud and happy and determined that whatever may be the cost in giving service to the public, it is always our attitude that matters,” he added.
Another VetMed alumnus, Lordius Caliao from Zamboanga has dreams not only for himself nor for his family, but for his entire region, described himself as humbled but proud. “Right now we are advocating that our region will be declared as hog-cholera free,” Caliao said.

He is now the president of the Philippine Veterinary Association, Northern Mindanao Chapter, which was hailed last year as the best association in the national level.

Serving people and communities
To serve and to pay forward are the lifelong goals of CMU. It can be seen through the different testimonies of peoples and communities.
In the Welcome Dinner sponsored by LGU-Maramag last Wednesday, Mayor Jose Obedencio, Jr said: “CMU does not only produce excellent graduates, it goes beyond the call of an educator, it extends research and extension services to these LGU vital to the development of their municipality.”
Obedencio asserted: “I have personally seen and observed these outstanding outputs, most of the employees of the local government unit are graduates of Central Mindanao University holding top positions in the local government unit.”

Designs, plans, researches, projects, and activities on infrastructure; social services; health and wellness; peace and order; and disaster preparedness are some of the services rendered by the university that influenced their growth and performance as a renowned municipality.

“CMU’s livelihood and skills development program permit these unemployed mothers to engage in business involving handicrafts,” he added.

Obedencio emphasized that with the constant support of CMU to the LGU Maramag, it has received numerous awards such as the local legislative award of the legislative branch headed by the vice mayor Jose Joel Doromal; and the highest award for an LGU, the seal of good local governance by the Department of Interior and Local Governance.

“This seal is given only to the best and only the best LGU in the country based on the parameters that recapitulate each aspect of the local governance,” he stressed.
After hearing that the university is part and parcel of the development of the municipalities, Dr. Hilario said: “Mapalad ang mga taga maramag sa bayan sapagkat nasasainyo ang isa sa pinakamahusay na pamantasan sa Pilipinas.”

Dr. Soliven responded: “Ang importante ay nakatulong kami. Nagpapasalamat kami sa mga narinig naming mga kwento ng mga recipient/beneficiaries sa mga ginagawa namin sa CMU, ganon na pala ka lawak. What is more important is the impact of what we have done to the communities.”
Dr. Soliven further asserted that CMU’s reach goes beyond Valencia and Maramag as she never hindered any faculty or experts who wanted to extend their services and expertise.

She added, “It is our commitment also to give pride to the province of Bukidnon. And I would like to repeat that our very existence as a university is because we want to improve the life of our communities.”

[gview file=”http://www.cmu.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IA-BULLETIN-DAY-2.pdf”]

Different stakeholders including students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the community gathered on Tuesday afternoon to discuss with the accreditors positive points and key issues of the university.

Most of the responses were commendations for CMU especially in the field of quality education.

Dr. Maria Luisa R. Soliven, university president, disclosed that it has been the practice of the university to invite stakeholders to participate every time they revise or formulate new curricula to include their concepts or inputs.

Some issues raised by the stakeholders included the need for fast Internet connection, online enrollment process, and upgrading of facilities, among others.
Aside from that, the President and some members of the Board of Regents and the administrative council were also interviewed by the accreditors on Tuesday morning.
The university officials answered questions on the university’s key areas, specifically on finances, research, faculty evaluation, employment status, research interface with instruction, and graduates’ employability.

“We do not only give you the good side of CMU but also give you our struggles because I know that we can also learn from you—you can also share what you know—your expertise to us,”Dr. Soliven said.

She added, “We should know the realities so that we can be able to share how these problems we are encountering should be given solutions.”

Dr. Danilo S. Hilario, team leader of the AACCUP institutional accreditation survey team visit, was all praises for CMU during the opening program yesterday.
He said: “Nais ko po munang ibigay ang papuri sa mga tao na tumulong sa amin at sa napakahusay na pagtanggap ng AACCUP at hanggang ngayon naniniwala ako na ang aking mga kasama ay pawang naimpress sa aming nakita.”
Prior to the opening program, the accreditors toured in some centers and offices such as the Natural Science Research Center (NSRC), Center for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM), Natural Products Research and Development Center (NPRDC), Philippine Carabao Center, Rubber Processing Center, Nursery, University Press, and DXMU.

Dr. Divinagracia M. De Guzman, an accreditor from Nueva Viscaya State University, said: “We thought CMU is not this beautiful but when we were touring around, I can say that Dr. Hilario is right.”

“I am so pleased about the hospitality of CMU. I find your place so beautiful and I think, the preparations are well-done…we will do our best for the institutional accreditation,” she added.

According to Dr. Hilario, he is glad that CMU has subjected itself for institutional accreditation this year, adding that it is one of the few state universities to do so. “Mabibilang mo sa kamay ang mga pamantasan na nagsubmit na ng kanilang programa for institutional accreditation, hindi dahil sa napakahirap subalit kailangang patatagin ang pundasyon ng lahat ng programa, damihan ang programang na accredit na hanggang level 2 or level 3. “

He mentioned other schools institutionally accredited are the Mariano Marcos State University, Central Luzon State University, Tarlac Agricultural University, and Tarlac State University.

Dr. Hilario, a retired professor in Bulacan State University, said that they have seen some of what they saw in Visayas State University, the first institutionally accredited university in the country.

“Magkakaroon din po kami ng document analysis to validate, triangulate, tingnan ang inyong good practices, good programs upang maipresenta namin sa board of national network for quality assurance,” he said. “Pero sa uri ng ganda ng sayaw, sa uri ng ganda ng pagtanggap, sa basehan ng pagkain na sa amin ay ibinigay, sa palagay ko’y yong Level I ay sigurado na.”

The 5-day accreditation period also covers simultaneous video presentations for Day 1; several interviews with the university president, members of the board of regents, members of the administrative council, university alumni, stakeholders, faculty, and students for Day 2; document inspection for Day 3; visit to research and extension sites, laboratories, library, and other infrastructures for Day 4; and closing program for Day 5.

Other accreditors were Dr. Manuel T. Corpus, overall coordinator and executive director of AACCUP, Dr. Luis M. Sorolla, Jr. of West Visayas State University; Dr. Rolando F. Hechanova, Sultan Kudarat State University; Dr. Raul F. Muyong, Iloilo Science and Technology University; Dr. Riceli C. Mendoza, University of Southern Mindanao; Dr. Maria Glenda O. de Lara, Philippine Normal University; Dr. Marcela T. Caluscosin, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University; Dr. Anita C. Sorinto, University of Southern Mindanao; Dr. Marlene B. Atinyao, Benguet State University; and accountant Samuel C. Chinaman, Prof. Marina S. Quesada, and Dr. Divinagracia M. de Guzman all from AACCUP.

Though the impressions of the accreditors were positive, the university president Dr. Maria Luisa Soliven said, “We should not feel confident still, we still have to prove our worth.”

[gview file=”http://www.cmu.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/IA-BULLETIN-DAY-1-web.pdf”]

By: RGPadoginog

To ensure all documents are complete and ready for evaluation, the Quality Assurance Office (QAO) initiated a 2-day mock accreditation from July 31 to August 1, one week before the institutional accreditation survey visit on August 7-11.

“We cannot afford to fail,” said Dr. Agapito Bayron Jr., QAO’s assistant chief. “We [CMU] have squeezed off everything— time, effort, and money for this, and we are very positive.”

The accreditation will evaluate the university in its nine key areas: Governance and Management; Teaching, Learning, and Evaluation; Faculty and Staff; Research; Extension and Consultancy and Linkages; Support to Students; Library; Infrastructure and Learning Resources; and Quality Assurance.

According to Dr. Nenita Prado, QAO chief and co-chairperson of the institutional accreditation committee: “The members of the local task force and the focal persons are working very hard and spending time and effort in preparing the documents…”

She added that to be institutionally accredited is “very vital for the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) levelling.”

Dr. Raul C. Orongan, College of Education dean and Area I (Governance) focal person said, “Governance and management has the biggest percentage in terms of content…I am very much pressured in terms of preparing the documents…”

Other members of the local task force affirmed that they are optimistic of the survey visit results.

“If we can pass this institutional accreditation even just by earning at least Level II, [CMU] would be the first institutionally accredited state university in Mindanao.” said Dr. Bayron, also the Area IX focal person. “It would be another milestone for the university.”

He added, “If we are institutionally accredited, it means that we are transparent, sustainable, all our programs are effective, and our [graduates’] employability is strengthened.”

[gview file=”http://www.cmu.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/IA-BULLETIN-DAY-1-web.pdf”]