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CHED clarifies conditions on state college conversions

President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed laws on the conversions of 12 public higher education institutions, majority of them existing State Colleges. Under these new laws, the conversions will not take effect until CHED has verified their full compliance with the standard requirements imposed on other schools granted University status under CHED policies, and is declared by CHED to be qualified for conversion. CHED Chairperson Patricia B. Licuanan clarified that in an effort to rationalize the conversions and align these to the current mandatory requirements of establishing a University, an Omnibus Amendment is included in all these bills which states:

“THE ESTABLISHMENT OR CONVERSION OF THE INSTITUTION INTO A STATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, RESPECTIVELY, SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ONLY UPON DETERMINATION AND DECLARATION BY THE COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF A PANEL OF EXPERTS, THAT THE INSTITUTION HAS COMPLIED WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A UNIVERSITY STATUS. THE CHED, THROUGH ITS REGIONAL OFFICE, SHALL REGULARLY PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE INSTITUTION AND MONITOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE COMMISSION. THE CHED SHALL DESIGNATE A PANEL OF EXPERTS WHO SHALL PREPARE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CHAIRPERSON OF CHED, ON WHETHER THE INSTITUTION HAS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLIED WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GRANT OF UNIVERSITY STATUS. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A UNIVERSITY:

1. LEVEL III ACCREDITATION OR EQUIVALENT UNDER CHED POLICIES FOR AT LEAST FOUR (4) OF ITS UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS, ONE IN LIBERAL ARTS AND ONE IN THE SCIENCES, AND TWO (2) OF ITS GRADUATE PROGRAMS;
2. RATIO OF QUALIFIED FULL-TIME FACULTY WITH REQUISITE DEGREES TO NUMBER OF STUDENTS;

3. ADEQUATE LIBRARY AND LABORATORIES;

4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OUTPUT OF PRACTICAL AND COMMERCIAL APPLICATION TO THE COMMUNITY;

5. RELEVANT LINKAGES AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS THAT ARE MINDFUL OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY; AND 6. RELEVANT ACADEMIC POLICIES, SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES.

THE INSTITUTION SHALL RETAIN ITS STATUS PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT, UNLESS IN THE MEANTIME IT IS ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS PROVIDED HEREIN WITHIN A PERIOD NOT EXCEEDING JANUARY 1, 2016.”

The Commission on Higher Education through the CHED Chairperson heads all the Governing Boards of State Universities and Colleges under R.A. 8292 and its Implementing Rules. The new laws give all identified public higher education institutions until January 1, 2016 within which to comply with the requirements spelled out in the Omnibus Amendment. A panel of experts designated by the Commission shall review and evaluate the status of compliances of the identified public higher education institutions. Only upon declaration by CHED that all the requirements are met as verified by the panel will the institution enjoy the status as University. They are therefore discouraged to enter into premature institutional activities such as name-change, investitures, and the like. The Commission is currently preparing the draft implementing guidelines that will guide the institutions in attaining the objective of the Omnibus Amendment. Those among the 12 concerned institutions that have exhibited compliance with the requirements will be immediately assisted by the Commission in attaining University status in order to immediately enjoy the full benefits of such converted status.

Issued this 20th day of June 2013 at the Higher Education Development Center Building, C.P. Garcia Avenue, U.P. Campus, Diliman, Q.C.

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