The Tarlac State University Board of Regents, executives, and administrative council convened in Baguio City on December 13-15, 2021 for the annual university planning focusing on the action plan for 2022 and targets for 2023.
Hon. Dennis Norman T. Go, BOR member representing Hon. Mark O. Go, challenged the administration to plan and build a “SMART university” that can contribute to the improvement of people’s lives especially after the pandemic.
“We should do better because I know you can do better. TSU should not only be known as the premier state university in Central Luzon, but rather as the premier state university who is able to partner with [the] government and private sector in order to improve the quality of life of people,” Hon. Go said in his message to the administration.
This challenge calls for more significant contributions of TSU to the everyday lives of citizens by being active players in community development which also include attitudes and behavior.
As a response, TSU president Dr. Myrna Q. Mallari mentioned in her welcome remarks that a “SMART university” produces “meaningful research and community services.”
Aside from research and extension, Pres. Mallari also included the following vision and characteristics of a “SMART university” which will serve as a guide for TSU: simulated laboratories, agile workforce and governance, robust ICT infrastructure and quality assurance, and talented ang engaged students and workforce.
Said characteristics will take TSU further to the path of a premier university in the Asia Pacific region which has been traversed by the institution since 2014 as its “leap of imagination.”
She also gave credit to the past TSU administrations and influence of former TSU presidents in setting the direction of TSU noting that the future administration should likewise remember the efforts of the present executives and Administrative Council.
“Whether we are here or not by the time these plans will be implemented does not matter. What matters most is that right now, we own these plans, and we commit ourselves in implementing the plan of action and all the targets we have set and discussed,” Pres. Mallari said.
“All of these [plans] are for the benefit of our students, our faculty members, our non-teaching personnel, and our community. We need to focus [more of our efforts] now and enhance our existence that will be felt by our stakeholders in the community,” she added.
BOR members who are also present in the planning sessions are Hon. Melissa Yeung-Yap, representative of Sen. Joel Villanueva (chair of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education); Hon. Murphy Mohammed representing the faculty and personnel union; and Hon. MIkaela Laxamana representing the students.
The regents gave their inputs to improve the plans of the university which were presented according to the roadmaps. Hon. Yap even suggested a consultant to enrich the research undertakings of TSU.
Meanwhile, Commission on Higher Education commissioner Hon. Ronald L. Adamat; House Committee on Higher and Technical Education chairperson Hon. Mark O. Go; National Economic and Development Authority Regional Director Hon. Gina T. Gacusan; TSU Alumni Association president Hon. Reynaldo Catacutan; and private sector representatives Hon. Alvin P. Belarmino and Hon. Jose D. Lacson graced the first day of the planning session.
