(UPD-IO,February 24)— Dr. Sergio S. Cao was elected Chancellor of the flagship campus of the UP System (UPS) by the UP Board of Regents at its 1193rd meeting today. He will serve a 3-year term, starting March 1, 2005.
A professor at the College of Business Administration, Cao was elected Faculty Regent by the faculty-at-large of the UPS in 2004 and served as Vice President for Planning and Finance for the UPS from 2001 to 2003. He was also University Registrar for UPD from 1993 to 1997.
In his vision paper, Cao listed 14 action points for consideration in the formulation of a collective vision for UPD. These are:
Complete the review and subsequent follow-up studies on undergraduate admission and the UP College Admission Test (UPCAT), the resulting recommendations to be presented to the University Council (UC) and the UPS Administration, and to work for their implementation.
Conceptualize and establish a consulting management mechanism to provide assistance to faculty, REPS and other staff who want their expertise marketed and their welfare, interests and intellectual property rights protected when providing consulting and professional services.
Conceptualize a ‘matching’ structure that will aggressively promote to well-targeted sectors outputs of researches and creative works, and be pro-active in seeking out research and other institutional development opportunities offered by external agencies or organizations.
Mobilize the Colleges of Science, Engineering, Home Economics, Architecture, Social Work and Community Development and other colleges to design a program to help make science and technology responsive and relevant to countryside development.
Work to transform UPD into a Cultural Center for Music and the Arts, mobilizing concerned colleges and departments and draw support and assistance from various sectors for its implementation.
Redesign the concept of a socialized undergraduate tuition structure to make those who can really pay the actual costs of education (and considers the differences among colleges and disciplines) and provide realistic benefits to the deserving. At the same time, to make the student loan program more responsive to students needs while remaining sustainable. If tuition restructuring will clearly respond to increased stipends and benefits for scholars and other underprivileged students, improved classrooms, laboratories, student services, incentives to faculty for course development and delivery, I will work to draw support and approval for its implementation.
To set up an effective program of providing job matching and placement assistance services to graduates. The program will include mechanisms for summer job placements and will assist in finding part-time employment for currently enrolled students during the semester.
Continue to implement cost-reduction programs initiated by previous administrations through optimal use of classrooms, office spaces, facilities and equipment.
Come up with a rational plan for personnel item allocation, modification, abolition and creation of new ones, consistent with the overall objectives and thrusts of the individual units.
Continue to implement the existing programs to protect UPD properties from encroachment and explore possible mechanisms to recover parts of illegally-occupied land properties.
Work for a comprehensive, long-term development plan for UP Pampanga that will determine exactly what UP’s role should be in Pampanga and the region and how to go about fulfilling that role, drawing support from the faculty, staff, students and other sectors.
Work to get support for the Center for Retirees in UPD—a place where retirees can go during the day and do academic functions vital to the University such as tutorials, course materials review and development, thesis advising or research mentoring and other creative works.
Continue to support and promote wellness programs designed by the College of Human Kinetics and improve conditions of sports and fitness facilities.
Find a mechanism for the University to provide additional health, medical or hospital benefits to employees on top of what they are entitled to as government employees.
Believing in collective leadership, Cao said the successful implementation of his action plans does not rest mainly on the chancellor, but the incumbent is expected to spend efforts and energy to mobilize people and draw support for his or her projects.
Only 43 years old, Cao has a doctorate degree in mathematics. He is the youngest of the five nominees to UPD’s top post, the remaining four are: College of Arts and Letters dean Virgilio Almario, sociology professor Cynthia Rose Bautista, College of Social Work and Community Development professor Angelito Mananili and School of Labor and Industrial Relations professor Rene Ofreneo.
Cao succeeds Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman, who was elected UP president on November 22, 2004.
—Chi A. Ibay