Saturday, August 25, 2007 MSU studes, faculty appeal president's stay By Lino dela Cruz Iligan Correspondent
MARAWI CITY -- Thousands of students and faculty members of the Mindanao State University (MSU) and its other major campuses in Mindanao simultaneously staged a peaceful gathering last Thursday to urge President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to retain the university president.
In a manifesto, students and teachers cited "the outstanding performance of MSU acting president Dr. Ricardo de Leon that truly transformed and revitalized the university after reforms were instituted."
De Leon, a retired police general who holds a doctorate degree, was appointed by President in September 2005 to institute reforms and revitalize the university.
Before de Leon's appointment, the MSU Board of Regents organized a search committee that submitted to Arroyo, a short list of prospective university president from where she could select an appointee.
But instead of selecting from the said short list, President Arroyo, seeing the need to reform the state university, appointed de Leon to the dismay of the aspirants because de Leon did not come from the academic community, but instead a virtual "outsider."
On his arrival at the MSU campus here in September 2005, he was met with opposition by a large crowd of students, some faculty administration members and school activists, objecting his appointment and claiming that the university will be "militarized and Christianized."
Cleanup, reforms
But soon, de Leon won the hearts and minds of the academic community and embarked on his task to initiate reforms and "clean" the university.
Among de Leon’s achievement include removing garbage and squatters in the campus, stopping the practice of hiring casual employees (independent gun owners) as security force and rehabilitating several deteriorating school infrastructures.
The 18-hole executive golf course overlooking Lake Lanao is now restored to its former beauty.
He improved the administrative and accounting system and disciplined lax or erring school officials and personnel.
Also, he started the income generating activities of the university's cafeteria, computer center, dairy and vegetable farm, golf course, the College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, among others and used the revenues to improve or construct new infrastructures.
De Leon enhanced the academic performance of the university through improving the curriculum.
"De Leon, is the best president MSU ever had," said Professor Salipada Tamano, former Secretary of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).
Nasroden Guro, vice president for academic affairs and a former aspirant for the school presidency, said they are apprehensive that if de Leon is replaced by somebody else, the newly restored peace and order in the campus and MSU’s aim to promote peace and development in understanding the Moro problem, in Mindanao, will be affected.
Guro said they are getting the support of politicians and other leaders in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City to work for the retention or extension of de Leon as regular university president with a six-year term.
Palace director for internal house affairs, Gloria Villaraza, who was at the gathering here Friday said, "I felt like crying seeing the overwhelming support of the people to retain De Leon."
President Arroyo is scheduled to visit Cagayan de Oro on August 27.
However, lawyer Bert Caudang of the university's legal department said they may have to accept the fact that de Leon may depart from the campus.
