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MSUN holds on to its goals; Chancellor Roxas forges ahead

As Chancellor Roxas had said before, "Time is of the essence and so I wasted none of it by immediately assessing and utilizing our available resources and potentials." True to his words, Chancellor Jusie C. Roxas, forges ahead with the expansion and development of MSUN. With his leadership, MSUN envisioned international recognition providing relevant, market-driven and quality education. Its objectives include providing wider access for the poor but deserving youth to higher education, creating more relevant operations in the community through market-oriented programs, providing quality education through improvement of facilities, equipment, and relevant faculty development program and developing among its constituents the culture of innovation through entrepreneurship.

The objectives are being achieved by offering more programs with focus on market-oriented, and community-relevant courses, by making fees competitve within the market area, by campaigning for sponsorships of scholars by the stakeholders, both private and public sectors as expression of social responsibilities, by developing a culture of entrepreneurship among its constituents and even in the institutional processes, by encouraging the confidence level of the constituents through visible growth and developments, by enhancing educational facilities and equipment and by strengthening Income Generating Projects (IGP's).
Since 2007, the programs offered increased by 126.6%, from having 15 existing programs, it went up to 34. With various programs offered, the student population also increased by 213.3%. In 2007, there were only 587 students in the campus; but as of the present academic year, MSU Naawan already has 1839 students. Having a bigger population also means an augmented faculty force and the present administration did not fail to meet such need for a total of 27 competent instructors and 11 skilled staff members were hired since 2007. It has also doubled the equipment needed by the students and maximized the infrastructures utilized by the students. The scholarships granted to deserving students also increased by 309%.
Indeed, the efforts of the MSU Naawan constituents with the leaderships of Chancellor Jusie C. Roxas and support of Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Helen J. Vicente, did not go to waste for MSU Naawan had been recognized as the Center for Development in Marine Science in 2007 and 2008. Presently, it is the Center for MSU System Fisheries Review, the NAFES center for Fisheries and the Northern Mindanao Siganid Hatchery Center. The passing rate for fisheries licensure exam also increased from 72% in 2007 to 80% in 2011.
The present administration knows that there are still a lot to be done. For the years to come, it aims to heighten quality education by sending more faculty under FDP (Faculty Development Program), adding more laboratory facilities and equipment, by providing more books in the library, by further developing an e-library and by participating in fairs and inter-school competitions in various disciplines.
MSU Naawan campus is not yet on its prime but is consistently moving to its goal.

The Window
February 2011 - June 2011
MSUN Library: Enlarged and Extended

In pursuit to keeping up with MSUN's mission, vision, goals and objectives, the library has been equipped with more books in various subject areas like Education, Agriculture, Hotel and Restaurant Management, and others.

Recently MSUN Library also received sevety (70) individual titles from Books for Asia Foundation in various fields of specialization in subject areas in Information Technology, Accounting, Auditing, Finance, Economics, Politics, History, Physical Fitness and Wellness, Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry, Grammar, Theater Arts, Literature and others.
The right and left wing extensions which were newly constructed showed an evident enlargement in its floor space. Moreover, in coordination with ICTU personnel, the further development of the E-library was materialized through the administration's priority effort to serve the university faculty, staff, students and other visiting scholars in crossing boundaries in information literacy and dissemination through the internet and other digital and electronic resources.

The Window
February 2011 - June 2011
Up Close and Personal with MSUN top official

"If there is no passion in your life, then, have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen For you, To you and Because of you."

Dr. Helen J. Vicente was one of the top honchos during the early years of this campus. And she has remained one today. Some contemporaries would say that she is one of the pillars in this institution – and herself an institution. At great length, her name has made a niche in the history of MSUN. Others may have the gratitude to acknowledge her as instrumental in their meaningful metamorphosis. But still some others may recall her with great distaste – for she is but a great icon of power, strength, tenacity and bluntness. But didn't Ralph Emerson once write?
That to be great is to be misunderstood,
To be great is to be shunned.
To be great is to be feared.
To be great is to be abnormal.
Indeed she has been shunned, feared, and sadly, despised. The only way to realize its ultimate sense and meaning is to pull back the curtain and see her every side, from every angle, up-close and personal…
She is Manang to friends and enemies.
She is Madam to everyone.
And Mommy too.
Or Day to a very few, which is actually short for inday ---
And she's instantly recognized by her acronym, HVJ ---
Her name is simply Helen…
After the Greek half-goddess whose face had launched a thousand ships.
Her name suggests charm and passion.
Obviously, her greatest passion in life is work, more work and all work. If it makes John a dull boy, it made her otherwise. When she works, she works hers fingers to the bone – around the clock! And for all that she has done and worked, there is only one thing that stands out-her persistent and unwavering advocacy for excellence. To her, a task not perfectly done is equal to a task undone. Despite her small stature, she is anything but a powerful personality. Her loud and strong voice exudes toughness and firmness; her stern face reveals arrogance and grace; her short and slow gait suggests authority. And her work shapes good prospect, work is her passion, and it becomes her- and she made great things happen for herself and for others.
Her first job as a laboratory assistant in 1967 when she first joined the MSU system groomed her to become a conscientious, diligent, obedient, and meticulous worker. She rose up in the ladder to become what she have become today – a leader oozing with authority and whose leadership style is apt to lead a team of equally intelligent, and superior professors and researchers.
In 1979, when she was a Deputy Director General for Research and Technology Transfer she was both despised and respected.
Though her heart meant well, but with her sharp tongue and her straightforward manner –to the point of being blunt, she has created in herself an image of an ogress feared by those around her. Everyone was careful not to defy her policy and rules. And her policy is obeying rule number 1 that states, "work as if there is no tomorrow", and if tomorrow comes, stick to the first rule. She doesn't sleep unless her duty is done. Whether it's about her job as a head or other noteworthy project, she doesn't rest until her "duty" is done.
And her duty is to carry out all her good plans as a researcher, as a leader and as a follower.
She was regarded as the local mother of research, not because she was, at different times, Research Supervisor, Director for Research, and Deputy Director for Research not because she was Manager of the Penaeus monodon hatchery of IFRD, neither because she was innovator and chief of the established phycology laboratory (a support system in food organism culture) and not even because she was the designer of the modified Sedgewich Rafter counting chamber for food organism quantification.
But that with her ardent advocacy for scientific development, she had thoroughly conquered research endeavors. Her research proposal entitled "Hydrobiology and Ecology of Panguil Bay" which she wrote overnight was the first project funded by PCARRD-DOST. This was followed by her another PCMARRD-DOST funded project on "The Biology and Culture of Ranina ranina Linanaeus". And she was the first homegrown researcher to embark in an international presentation of three research papers in a row in Tokyo, Japan. Overall she had authored or co-authored locally, nationally, and internationally published and unpublished about 80 researches and studies.
Her legacy did not stop there. In 1980, she was among the members of the committee to formulate and implement admission requirements of the newly established School of Marine Fisheries and Technology. And in the years to come, she becomes one of the architects in the making and remaking of SMFT, in its expansion and splitting into colleges. In fact she chaired the committee who formed the structure of the 2008 Reorganization and Developmental Plan of MSUN.
In 2008, when MSUN has its boldest move about offering new programs, Dr. Vicente chaired the committee to work on the proposal to offer new programs. She was also at the time OIC Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and OIC Dean of the College of Education and Social Sciences.
And many times since then, she chaired several committees tasked to shape the aims and goals of the university.
Her scholastic records par excellence. She was first honors in the heterogeneous pilot elementary school; salutatorian in high school; a full university scholar in MSU Marawi when she took her BSE Major in Biology, with a GPA of 1.751; FDP scholar when she took her MS Biology major in Marine Biology in University of San Carlos, with GPA of 1.11; a multi-scholarship recipient when she took her PhD in Biology in the University of the Philippines, not to mention that she was a university scholar, having a GA of 1.247 and due to meritorious achievement she qualified as Lifetime member in PHI Sigma Biological Sciences Honors Society. She was also a UNESCO scholar on Tropical Swallow Water Biological Oceanography and a JICA delegate and scholar on Bivalve Researches and Symposium. Among her early wards and recognitions include Service Award for Regional Research Networking, Meritorious Award as Speaker on Regional Research Planning, Meritorious Award as Chairman of the Suggestion and Incentive Award Committee, Best Research Paper and Poster Awards, and the list goes on and on.
To say that she is perfect is far from true. She has also her share of ill-favored, unpopular decisions. And just like everyone else she has a list of flaws and failures which is very typical of human.
No matter what you think of Dr. Helen J. Vicente, as a person, as a friend, as a mentor, as colleague, as our Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, very few will argue that she is anything but a great asset in the academe, worthy of praise and respect. And no matter how she would lambast anyone, or no matter how sharp her tongue could be at times, there is no argument her sharp admonitions, her only aim is to teach lessons and to bring out the best in us, at her very own unique way. After all she is also a loving mother of three gentlemen; and a submissive wife of a strict man in the house in fact she is easily moved by heartwarming soap operas in ABS-CBN, your ogress is a marvelous ogress, caring, sentimental and sensitive at times. Though she is tough, hard and serious outward, but with her love for dolls and other simple joys in life, her youthfulness shall continue to shine through.
When asked about her plans upon retiring, which is only less than a year from now she laughed about loud and said, "Perhaps I will just pursue my craft in quackery and chase evil spirits with my tawas and palina --- yes, the tough and sharp Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs has a very down to earth and simple beliefs in some things, which speaks so much of her humble origin down the hilly region of Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte. Perhaps, one day, Dr. Helen J. Vicente will also become a famous albularya.
Meanwhile, she is our Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, who at 64 refuses to stop dreaming big for the academe. - By JL Valdez

The Window
February - June 2011
Enrollment grows as it pushes to offer more curricular programs

MSU at Naawan was a quiet campus with moderate growth a little more than a decade ago. Dimly visible outside the province, MSU at Naawan is the least of the students' choice, or worst, not even among the top 5 of their choices. The reason obviously is that the campus being focused on fisheries then offers very few numbers of courses. Certainly the campus has gained national and international prominence in fisheries research and development however it doesn't seem to work with incoming freshmen. In 2008, the campus has yet its boldest move about offering new programs. At the helm then is MR JUSIE C. ROXAS whose investiture in July 2007 marks the beginning of some expansion and visible development in the campus. In one of his speeches, Chancellor Roxas, with distaste for complacency, expressed that he envisions more for the university.

The Chancellor's punch line has always been well-remembered, "we must be sensitive on the demands and needs of the community, so the campus must diversify its programs." The OIC-VCAA, Dr. Helen J. Vicente chaired the committee to work on the proposal to offer new programs which resulted in the established of three Schools/Colleges (School of Graduate Studies, School of Marine Fisheries and Technology, College of Education and Social Sciences). Dr. Vicente was then at the same time the OIC Dean of the School Graduate Studies and OIC Dean of the College of Education and Social Sciences from April 1, 2008 to October 15, 2009. By and large, the school management made a concerted and collaborative effort of enhancing the school's academic profile by increasing the number of curricular offerings and through massive information campaign drives every beginning of the semester. - By JL Valdez

The Window
December 2010 - January 2011
OICs, designated in various Schools and Colleges

Some faculty members are designated Officers-in-Charge in various Schools and Colleges, pending the election and confirmation of regular officials by the Board of Regents.

Also recent designations in the OVCAA include a new Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and a Secretary of the OVCAA. Dr. Helen J. Vicente retains her post as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, by election. Dr. Jessie G. Gorospe as OIC, Dean of the School of Graduate Studies; Prof. Marissa Y. Salarda as OIC, Dean of the School of Marine Fisheries and Technology; Prof. Grace I. Prado as OIC, Dean of the College of Science and Environment; Mrs. Teresa M. Kiunisala as OIC, Dean of the College of Education and Social Sciences; Prof. Rodolfo B. Trinidad as OIC, Dean of College of Business Administration and Accountancy; Ms. Andrea G. Dadole as OIC, Principal of the MSUN-Integrated Developmental School; Prof. Elnor C. Roa as Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; and Ms. Jackie Lou A. Valdez as Secretary of the OVCAA and Writer. - By JL Valdez

The Window
December 2010 - January 2011
PCAMRD Zonal Center IV Holds 15th Annual RD&E Symposium

The PCAMRD Zonal Center for Northern Mindanao based in MSUNaawan and headed by Dr. Proserpina G. Roxas conducted its 15th Annual RD&E Symposium,

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Zonal Center IV
November 2010
Up Close and Personal with MSUN top official

All MSUN constituents huddled closely together inside of MSUN function house. The strong winds outside disrupted the regular rhythm of the sound of the waves nearby.The rains pelted, creating a dispiriting and chilly atmosphere. The weather was totally in a gloomy state. For a superstitious believer, the day is doomed.

Nonetheless, the speaker on stage was oblivious of the heavy rains, undisturbed. He was both cheerful and dreamy; in fact, his mood was infectious and zealous. The day was August 1, 2008, barely a year after the investiture of MR. Jusie C. Roxas as Chancellor of MSU Naawan campus. On this day, while the rains and the winds outside continued to destroy the tranquility of the usual afternoon in Naawan, Chancellor Roxas was delivering his first State of University Address (SUA) to MSUN employees and students whose faces registered skepticism.
The walls have ears, they say; and so they say that as far as MSUN constituents are concerned, Mr. Roxas was stranger, an outsider. But records show that Mr. Roxas had already served and followed MSUN in various capacities at great length.
To start with, Mr. Roxas is a native resident of Naawan where MSUN is located.
As a student, he is an alumnus in 1967 at MSU-NHS, now IDS. He is a cum laude graduate of MSU-Marawi with a BS Business Administration degree in 1971. He had pursued LLB for 2 years at MSU-IIT Extension. He finished his Master in Public Administration at MSU-IIT in 2000.
As a constituent, Mr. Roxas had served as Administrative Officer in 1990-1992. He served as coordinator of MSU-Marawi's MPA Extension Program in the Provincial Capitol in 2001-2002. He was a member of the MSU Alumni Association, being President of the MSUAA Cagayan de Oro Chapter. He was Nation President of the MSUAA twice, in 1986-1987 then in 2004-2006 during which he was the Alumni Regent of the MSU board of regents. He was already a mentor of MSU-IIT in 2005-2006, as an Associate Professor Lecturer in the Master of Public Administration Program.
Indeed, his records speak volume about his loyalty to MSU. In fact, he married MSUN; his better half, Dr. Proserpina Gomez-Roxas, is an active faculty member in this campus.
Yet for MSUN constituents then, Mr. Roxas was an intruder for anyone would surely prefer a homegrown chancellor. Little did they know that as a young child and a scholar, Mr. Roxas had been dreaming big for MSUN, he was hoping that the presence of MSUN campus can spell a difference in the socio-economic life of the people in his hometown where MSUN is located.
It didn't take long for Chancellor Roxas to prove his critics that his dream for MSUN is sincere. Immediately in his first year as a Chancellor, several changes were seen and felt. No one can ignore that the once an eye sore-skeleton construction is now called a MESC building, catering the OVCAA, faculty office and 6 classrooms. Not to mention the IT building, MSUN Food Court and Arcade and soon, a publication office. Some edifices were converted into a more functional, if not glamorous structure; the MSUN Guesthoust has turned into a HOSTEL, whice serves as a laboratory for HRM students and as an IGP. Renovations and rehabilitations among dilapidated structures were also done; the well-repaired fishponds and hatchery; the MSUN CARES; the Speech Laboratory cum Radio Room; the SMFT building which accomodated 5 classrooms, a mini fish processing laboratory, a faculty office, kitchen and 2 comfort rooms; the MSUN Bodega wihch had half the structure rehabilitated as feed formulation laboratory; the SGS building which accomodated 3 classrooms, 1 office for the Dean of Graduate Studies and 2 compartments, for the Dean of CESS and for the Dean fo CSE. The most noticeable and recognizable change in MSUN campus is seen and felt at the portal of the campus. For many years, the gateway entrance was then very plain, if not hideous, somehow giving an air of inferiority. With his "action agad" attitude towards problems and issues, Chancellor Roxas created a mural on the gateway, adding prestige (and poise!) to MSUN campus.
For those who had known of his simple origin, his remarkable accomplishments are not surprising. For at a young age, he had been seen as a hard worker, persistent and steadfast in achieving his goal. He worked odd jobs to be able to send himself to school like working as jeepney conductor where he met an accident which earned him the status of "a man who can single-handedly defeat anyone in a tennis game," of course, literally. His accident has hardly changed his ambitions in life. If at all, it has deepened his faith to achieve more, to be a better person, to be a humble achiever. His achievements in life begun at home. He prided himself for being a full scholar at MSU Marawi in 1967-1971 and graduated CUM LAUDE for the degree BS in Business Administration where he was also a College Leadership Awardee. He received Award of Achievement given by the Philippine Packing Corporation Twin Cooperatives, in 1977. He was also a Champion for Extemporaneous Speech and the Best Speaker for a Debating Competition during his days in the College of Law at MSU-IIT in 1992. And in 2007, he received the Past President Award given by the MSU Alumni Association, Inc.
For Chancellor Roxas, his guiding principle in life is within the context of his favorite adage, "You harvest will just be as good as the seed you sow and the efforts you invest." - By JL Valdez

The Window
December 2010 - January 2011
Zonal Center for Northern Mindanao Holds First Meeting for 2011

The PCAMRD Zonal Center for Northern Mindanao conducted a one day Joint Meeting of the Technical Working Group and Representatives of Member Institutions on March 29, 2011 at the MSU-N Hostel, MSU Naawan Campus.

The meeting was aimed at updating the Zonal Network of the thrusts of PCAMRD under the new DOST Secretary and to present for discussion the plans and programs of the Zonal Center for 2011. It also was a venue for sharing among the representatives of the R&D Programs of their institution.
The activity brought together 21 participants from the member-institutions of the network, namely; Surigao State College of Technology (SSCT), DENR 10, DENR Caraga, Liceo de Cagayan University, MSU Marawi, MSU Naawan, Central Mindanao University (CMU), MSU-IIT, Caraga State University. The meeting started with a short program attended by no less than the Chancellor of MSU Naawan, Chancellor Jusie C. Roxas who graced the activity with warm words of welcome.
Dr. Proserpina G. Roxas, the Zonal Center IV Coordinator, chaired the meeting. There were seven items in the Agenda that she discussed that included the following: DOST-PCAMRD's Priority Areas for 2011, DOST Scholarship, Industry and Technology Forum for 2011, Annual R&D Symposium for 2011, Zonal Network Collaborative Projects, Application for Membership from Lourdes College, realigning of ESARM, Potential Training Activity for 2011 and Funding Windows for R&D institutions.
Decision Points and highlights of the meeting include the following: a) TWG members and representatives of the Network will help disseminate information on DOST scholarships and the upcoming industry forum, b) industry and technology forum on July 7-8, 2011 in MSU at Naawan, c) R&D Annual Review on November 17-18, 2011 with venue to be finalized later from among bidders; d) Zonal Network to come up with a concept paper on potential training activity; e) Creation of a "Core Team" to write a programmatic proposal on Alpheus sp. as a commodity.

Zonal Center IV
March 2011