Visayas State University

Visayas State University
Pamantasang Estado ng Kabisayaan
Official Logo
Motto	RITE: Relevance, Integrity, Truth, and Excellence"
Established	August 1924
Type	Public
President	Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo
Vice-president	Dr. Oscar B. Posas
Location	Baybay, Leyte, Philippines
Campus	Rural
Former names	ERHS, BNAS, VAC, ViSCA, LSU
Hymn	VSU Hymn
Colors	Gold      Green     Brown      White
Nickname	VSUans
Website	www.vsu.edu.ph

The Visayas State University is a premier university in the Philippines located at the city Baybay, Leyte, Philippines. It is one of the leading universities in Southeast Asia for research in agriculture. The five-campus VSU system has ten colleges, three institutes and one school. Located in the main campus are the College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Engineering, College of Education, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, College of Arts and Science, College of Nursing, College of Management and Economics, College of Nursing, College of Agriculture, Institute of Strategic Research and Development Studies, and the Graduate School and Special Programs.

Visayas State University is the only university in the Visayas acknowledged by the Philippine Department of Tourism as a tourist destination because of its diverse flora and fauna bounding the mainland and sea from side to side. With Mount Pangasugan and the Camotes Sea as VSU's backdrop, it makes the university distinctive from any other colleges and universities in the region. VSU administration is currently promoting the school as a "Resort University" for it has resorts, seafront suites, cottages, and bungalows catering to visitors and tourists coming over to the university.^{[citation needed]}

The Main Campus has an Open University which takes care of the distance education program. Its external campuses which are located in the different parts of Leyte are the College of Fisheries (VSU-Tolosa Campus), College of Industrial Technology (VSU-Isabel Campus), College of Environmental and Agricultural Technology (VSU-Alangalang Campus), College of Education and Agricultural Technology (VSU-Villaba Campus).

It continues to specialize in agricultural research and education, including work in jatropha propagation for the production of biofuel and development of a dwarf macapuno coconut and root-crops, particularly, sweet potato, cassava and yam. The university also hosts a program on rain forestation, making VSU as the only school in the Visayas to be labeled as a "Dark Green School" by the Environmental Education Network of the Philippines.

Programs are available in Agro-Industry, Information Technology, Hospitality Management, Tropical Ecology, Veterinary Medicine, Forestry, Fishery, and Food Science and Technology.

The 1,099-hectare campus hosts 193 buildings composed of academic departments, research and trainings centers, staff and student housing facilities and other vital structures.

The University is home to faculty and academic staff obtaining most of their local and international recognitions in research and development, 92 of whom are Ph. D. degree holders, 110 MS degree holders and 72 BS degree holders from reputable colleges and universities here and abroad.

History

The institution was first established on June 2, 1924 as the Baybay Agricultural School (BAS) through a Provincial Board Resolution. In 1934, it was renamed Baybay Agricultural High School (BAHS) and was later converted into the Baybay National Agricultural School (BNAS) with the approval of Commonwealth Act No. 313 in 1938. BNAS was converted into the Visayas Agricultural College (VAC) by virtue of Republic Act (RA) No. 2831 issued on June 19, 1960. The institution attained rapid growth and development following its conversion into Visayas State College of Agriculture (ViSCA) on May 24, 1974 through Presidential Decree (PD) No. 470 and amended by PD No. 700 on May 12, 1975. In 1999, four institutions of higher education in the province of Leyte were integrated into the College to create a five-campus ViSCA system. ViSCA became Leyte State University (LSU) through RA No. 9158 issued on August 11, 2001. LSU became Visayas State University (VSU) on April 27, 2007 by virtue of RA No. 9437.

The establishment of VSU realized the thrust of the Philippine government to develop three Zonal Agricultural Universities (ZAU's) - to serve major regions of the country: for the Visayas, Visayas State University (VSU); for Mindanao, the Central Mindanao University (CMU); and for Luzon, the Central Luzon State University (CLSU).

Administration

Governance and Administration

The governance and administration of VSU as set forth in Republic Act (RA) No. 9437 and duly constituted by RA 8292 are vested in the Board of Regents (BOR) and the President of the University as authorized by the Board. The Board of Regents is composed of the following:

• Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Chairman
• VSU President, Vice Chairman
• Chairman of the Committee on Education of the Philippine Senate, Member
• Chairman of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education of the Philippine House of Representatives, Member
• Regional Director of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Member
• Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Member
• President of the VSU Faculty Association, Member
• President of the VSU Alumni Association, Member
• President of the VSU Supreme Student Council, Member
• Two (2) Prominent Citizens in the Region, Members

The following served as administrators of the University

• 1924 - Washington Wiren, Principal (Baybay Agricultural School)
• 1933 - Robert Kilbourne, Principal (Baybay Agricultural High School-BAHS)
• 1935 - Fred Warner, Principal (BAHS)
• 1938 - Fred Warner, Superintendent (Baybay National Agricultural School-BNAS)
• 1949 - Pedro Montellano, Superintendent (BNAS)
• 1949 - Dominador D. Clemente, Superintendent (BNAS)
• 1958 - Amado C. Tolentino, Superintendent (BNAS)
• 1960 - Julian Mamaril, Superintendent (Visayas Agricultural College-VAC)
• 1963 - Napoleon D. Dignadice, Superintendent (VAC)
• 1971 - Rafael G. Macahilig, Superintendent (VAC)
• 1974 - Dr. Fernando A. Bernardo, President (Visayas State College of Agriculture-ViSCA)
• 1986 - Dr. Marianito R. Villanueva, President (ViSCA)
• 1993 - Dr. Samuel S. Go, President (ViSCA)
• 1999 - Dr. Paciencia P. Milan, President (ViSCA)
• 2001 - Dr. Paciencia P. Milan, President (Leyte State University-LSU)
• 2007 - Dr. Paciencia P. Milan, President (Visayas State University-VSU)
• 2007 - Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, President (VSU-Effective November 1, 2007)

Location and Facilities

Location

The VSU (main campus) is situated in Barangay Pangasugan, 8 km north of the City of Baybay, Leyte and 34 km south of Ormoc City. It is accessible from both directions because the national road cuts across the University campus. It can also be reached from various points in Leyte either by air through Tacloban City airport (116 km away) or by sea through the ports of Baybay City, Ormoc City, Hilongos (43 km), and Bato (50 km).

Manpower Capabilities

As of January 2002, the VSU main campus had a total of 261 faculty members (95 PhDs, 115 MS, and 51 BS), 175 (67%) of whom had permanent employment status. Some (52) members of the faculty were detailed in research centers and two were on secondment.

Physical Features

Land Area:

The VSU-Main Campus has a total land area of 1,099.4 hectares that extends from the shore of Camotes Sea to the top of Mt. Pangasugan. It comprises the following:

• Campus Grounds - 61.6 ha.
• Research/Experiments - 94.0 ha.
• Instruction - 3.0 ha.
• Production Area - 104.3 ha.
• Pasture Area - 114.0 ha.
• Forest Reservation - 574.2 ha.
• Coconut - 62.3 ha.
• Abaca - 25.0 ha.
• Rice - 7.0 ha.
• Orchard - 5.0 ha.
• Corn - 3.0 ha.
• Coffee - 2.0
• Roads, Creeks/Marshy Areas - 44.0 ha.

Buildings

The University main campus has 188 buildings: 21 student dormitories, 75 staff houses, 17 academic buildings, 2 Administration buildings, and 63 others which include the Main Library, Student Union, Convention Center, Center for Continuing Education, Infirmary, Guesthouse, Hostel, Pavilion, Cebu and Manila offices, market, cafeteria, high school, elementary, workshop, DASVM auxiliary, gymnatorium, marine laboratory, fuel depot, power house, motor pool, garage, nurseries, barns, and research/training centers.

Research

The Visayas State University is one of the Philippines' premier research university in agriculture as it is identified as a multi-commodity research center by the Bureau of Agricultural Research in the Philippines, appointed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) the Research Center for Region VIII, and lastly, it is the ead institution of the PCARRD-supported Visayas Consortium for Agriculture and Resources Program (VICARP)

• Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops)
• National Abaca Research Center (NARC)
• National Coconut Research Center (NCRC) - Visayas
• Ecological Farm and Resource Management Institute
• Institute for Strategic Research and Development Studies(ISRDS)
• Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) - Leyte
• Agricultural Training Institute-National Training Center (ATI-NTC) - Visayas
• Multi-Media Development Center (MMDC)
• Institute of Tropical Ecology (ITE)

VSU’s R and D responsibilities follow a multitiered system. Its national R and D responsibilities are in rootcrops, abaca, and coconut. Its regional responsibilities include rice, corn, sorghum and other cereals, vegetables, livestock, forage and pasture, soil and water resources, applied community sociology, and socio-economics.

As a cooperating research agency, the University conducts research studies on ornamentals, medicinal plants, legumes, carabeef, poultry and livestock, agro-forestry and tree plantation, bamboo, rattan, and other non-timber forest products, marine fisheries and aquaculture, and non-conventional energy.

With the implementation of the government’s Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), VSU has been mandated to continue building up its research capability and further expand R and D pursuits to include environmental ecosystems, biotechnology, agro-industry, and information technologies. The commodity-based programs follow the thrust of the Science and Technology Agenda for National Development (STAND) 2000 towards national sufficiency and food security, as well as global market acceptability of agricultural products.

Graduate programs

Land Administration & Management

• Diploma in Land Administration and Management (DLAM)
• Master of Land Administration and Management (MLAM)
• Master of Science in Land Administration and Management (MSLAM)

Doctor of Philosophy

• Doctor of Philosophy in Horticulture
• Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Science
• Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural Education
• Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Breeding
• Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology

Master of Agricultural Development

• Master of Agricultural Development in Agricultural Economics
• Master of Agricultural Development in Agricultural Education
• Master of Agricultural Development in Agricultural Engineering
• Master of Agricultural Development in Agricultural Extension
• Master of Agricultural Development in Agricultural Technology Education
• Master of Agricultural Development in Agronomy
• Master of Agricultural Development in Animal Production
• Master of Agricultural Development in Development Education
• Master of Agricultural Development in Entomology
• Master of Agricultural Development in Home Economics
• Master of Agricultural Development in Language Teaching
• Master of Agricultural Development in Plant Pathology
• Master of Agricultural Development in Plant Protection

Master of Science

• Master of Science in Development Communication
• Master of Science in Land Administration and Management
• Master of Science in Agricultural Economics
• Master of Science in Agricultural Education
• Master of Science in Agricultural Engineering
• Master of Science in Agricultural Extension
• Master of Science in Forestry
• Master of Science in Plant Protection
• Master of Science in Animal Science
• Master of Science in Language Teaching
• Master of Science in Development Education
• Master of Science in Home Economics
• Master of Science in Food Science & Technology
• Master of Science in Weed Science
• Master of Science in Tropical Ecology
• Master of Science in Soil Science
• Master of Science in Agronomy
• Master of Science in Botany
• Master of Science in Plant Pathology
• Master of Science in Horticulture
• Master of Science in Entomology
• Master of Science in Forestry
• Master of Science in Development Sociology

Master of Management

• Master of Management Business Management
• Master of Management in Agribusiness Management

Master in Education

• Master in Education in English
• Master in Education in Biology
• Master in Education in Chemistry
• Master in Education in Physical Education

Undergraduate Programs

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
• Bachelor of Animal Science
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Agronomy
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Agricultural Botany
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Agricultural Economics
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Horticulture
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Plant Breeding
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Plant Protection
• Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Soil Science
• Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness
• Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Chemistry
• Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Biology major in Botany
• Bachelor of Science in Biology major in Ecology
• Bachelor of Science in Biology major in Marine Biology
• Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology
• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
• Bachelor of Science in Development Communication major in Community Broadcasting
• Bachelor of Science in Development Communication major in Development Journalism
• Bachelor of Science in Development Communication major in Educational Communication Technology
• Bachelor of Science in Economics
• Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education major in Biological Sciences
• Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education major in Mathematics
• Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education major in Physical Science
• Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education major in Music, Arts & PE
• Bachelor of Science in Forestry
• Bachelor of Science in Food Technology
• Bachelor of Science in Geodetic Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Bachelor of Science in Statistics
• Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education
• Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management
• Bachelor of Tourism Management

VSU and Mount Pangasugan

VSU is located on one of the last remaining virgin rain forests in the Philippines. A study by VSU found many animal species listed by the World Conservation Union in the Red List of Threatened Animals (IUCN Red List), including the Philippine tarsier, Philippine flying fox, Fischer’s pygmy fruit bat. New records of the microbat (Hypposideros obscurus), with a length of 5.5 centimeters and body weight of 10 grams, a type of skink (Tropidophorus grayh), and two new species of the fish Goblidae (Stiphodon olivaceous and Stiphodon surrufus) were also found by the VSU survey.

VSU’s Natural History Museum collected 43,000 arthropod specimens from 377 families and 500 genera on Mt. Pangasugan. A new species of orchid (Dendrobium milaniae) and a tiger beetle (Thopeutica milaniae) were named in honor of the former incumbent VSU president Dr. Paciencia Po-Milan, a renowned ecologist.

Other endemic species include the eagle-owl, Philippine hawk-eagle, Rufous Lord kingfisher, Philippine leafbird and miniature tit-babbler and flying lemur.

The Federal Republic of Germany (through the ViSCA-GTZ Applied Tropical EcologyProgranl, ViSCA, Baybay, Leyte, Philippines International) funded the VSU study to collect, identify, describe and document the existing species of aroids (Araceae) and orchids in Mt. Pangasugan. 25 species of aroids representing 12 genera were documented at elevations of up to 350 m ASL. Classified as erect ground dwellers or climbers, the most dominant aroid belong to Pothos and Epipremnum. The orchid species represent 16 genera, with the most dominant belonging to Phalaenopsis.

The Herpetofauna (herps) of Anibong, Jordan, Mt. Pangasugan Range, Leyte is a habitat to endemic species, which is so diverse and slightly distributed. The Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology identified 17 herpetofaunal species belonging to 6 families (Ranidae, Rhacophoridae, Agamidae, Scincidae, Colubridae, Viperidae), of which eight (47%) are endemics (Endemism). These endemic species include Limnonectes magnus, Platymantis corrugatus, Platymantis dorsalis, Brachymeles samarensis, Draco lineatus, Sphenomorphus jagori, Rhabdophis lineate and Trimeresurus flavomaculatus. Limnonectes magnus is already in the near-threatened category.

Distinction

Academic achievements of the university include the following:

• The Philippine's Zonal Agricultural University in the Visayas since 1975
• VSU is one of the country's largest schools. VSU is the only university in the region acknowledged by the Department of Tourism as a tourist destination.
• The only "Dark Green School" in the Visayas awarded by the Environmental Education Network of the Philippines
• Identified by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as Center of Excellence in Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, and Forestry (2000) and Zonal Research Center in Region 8 (2000–2003)
• Accredited by the Bureau of Immigration to accept international students into its degree programs (2000)
• Professional Graduates from SY 1953-1954 to SY 2000-2001 totaled 8,522
• Accredited Level II (Enhanced Accredited Status) in Agriculture and Graduate Education Programs by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines Inc. (AACCUP) (1999)
• Chosen by CHED as Learning Center for the Massive Upgrading of College Instructors Program for the western part of Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Biliran Provinces since 1998
• Accredited by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to act on the approval of appointments of personnel and employees since 1994.
• Gintong Ani Awardee of the Department of Agriculture (1988)
• Granted a New Zealand Government Technical/Fund Support for the Extramural Program for Rural Development (EPRD) (1985)
• Tanglaw Awardee from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) (1977 and 1980)
• Lead Institution of the Visayas Consortium of Agricultural Resources Program (VICARP) since 1978
• Granted a World Bank (WB) Agricultural Support Fund (1976)
• Multi-commodity research center in the Visayas since 1975

See also

• List of forestry universities and colleges