Hechanova: The five years that was

Friday, July 15, 2011

SHORTLY after I assumed the presidency in SLU, our various colleges, departments and offices formulated their respective Five-Year Strategic Plans for School Years 2006-2011.

The core strategy that we adopted to achieve our vision/mission was "transforming persons and communities through Louisian education" which was put into the slogan 'A Mission to Transform'.

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Over the five-year period, the overall percentage of full implementation of the objectives of SLU taken collectively grew steadily from 62.74 percent in SY 2006-2007 to 83.08 percent as of May 2011. Some planned activities were either partially implemented or not implemented due to reasonable circumstances.

The growth of SLU in terms of student population in the college, high school and elementary levels has been evident. In SY 2006-2007, the combined total student population of all three levels was merely 27,319. By SY 2010-2011, the total population ballooned to 32,546.

Thus, the opening of the Maryheights campus in Bakakeng was timely for the transfer of the School of Accountancy and Business Management to decongest the Bonifacio main campus since it posted the highest number of students at around 8,000.

The five-year period also saw the increase in the number of employees from 1,378 in SY 2006-2007 to 1,769 in SY 2010-2011.

As a missionary Catholic institution, SLU is now focusing beyond the current centennial year into the next decade through a series of strategic planning for SY 2012-2016.

There are, however, important challenges that SLU must respond to since they are expected to influence and frame the directions that SLU shall take for the next five years.

First is the delivery of quality Catholic education at par with international standards. As an institution founded and managed by CICM, an international congregation, SLU has more reasons to be more international in its programs, opportunities and services.

It is our goal to be included in the top 100 universities, at least in Asia. According to the May 2011 release of the QS World Universities Ranking project, SLU is now one of the 201+ top universities in Asia.

Second is improving our research capabilities and outputs. Being one of the top universities in the Philippines, SLU must consider it her responsibility to be at the forefront of new knowledge generation through research.

Some of our faculty members and students were national awardees in the field of research. Also during the past school year, research studies by our faculty were published in international and national refereed research journals.

Third is that SLU shall be at the service of the CICM mission. As it approaches its 150th foundation in 2012, CICM is called to respond to new missionary challenges around the world brought by globalization, secularization, terrorism, injustice, poverty, etc.

Thus, SLU's extension programs, institutes and services shall be more creative, transformative and aligned to the CICM pastoral priorities directed towards the very poor, indigenous peoples, marginalized sectors, youth and the environment.

Scholarships can be provided to lay and religious missionaries particularly to foreign students sent by CICM missionaries to help in their respective parishes around the world.

Fourth is the formation of an integrated, committed and witnessing missionary personnel and community. Our priority is the overall welfare of Lousian employees. Formation programs shall be available to help them achieve a more balanced, meaningful and healthy personal, professional and spiritual life.

We might have observed how SLU has changed since 1911 and how she has contributed to the transformation of the city of Baguio through her numerous and dedicated Louisian graduates.

If a miracle is defined as an event, a situation or reality that made or caused a positive and constructive change in the subject or object, then all the positive and constructive changes that happened in SLU and her surrounding communities may be considered little ordinary miracles.

The dedication of SLU towards the welfare of her students and employees has produced the changes, the little ordinary miracles that have transformed and are still transforming lives. This has been made possible only by the love and concern of thousands of Louisians who have been part of the history of SLU for the past 100 years.