Reverend Fr. Joel A. Alve, OAR was installed as the 18th President University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) in Bacolod City during an Investiture Rites held at the university gym yesterday, August 31.
“With all humility, I accept the task and the challenge laid down before me,” Alve, who succeeded Rev. Fr. Don H. Besana, OAR through an election, said.
He said that he is grateful to his superiors in the Order of Augustinian Recollects and to the Board of Trustees of the school for the trust and confidence given to him as well to his predecessors.
“(They) have brought the University into where it is today as it beams with pride being the Cradle of Evangelization and Excellence, inspired by St. Augustine's charisma of Caritas et Scientia,” Alve also said.
Alve recalled that he arrived at UNO-R with almost everything in place, including the vision-mission, goals, objectives, four-year development plan; institutional thrust with the seven-Point Agenda and the curricular programs.
He said the school finances are also in place while the personnel from the administrators to the teaching and the non-teaching staff are already highly competent.
Alve also noted that the school’s enrollment is at 9,500 enrollment figures for the academic year 2022-2023.
“I am confident that (my) journey in the next three years will be very smooth with the help of my brothers in the community and of our lay collaborators,” he quipped.
Saying that have come to serve and not to be served, he wants his presidency to be founded upon the precept from our Lord Jesus Christ.
As a position of trust, it is mandatory for the president to uphold the highest standards of his office and to avoid any form of abuse that can endanger the stability and sustainability of the institution, Alve pointed out.
“As your president, I am accountable to my superiors in the Order, to my brothers in the community, to the lay collaborators, to each and every parent who has entrusted the education of their children to this University,” he assured.
He urged the UNORians to turn their differences into powerful insights that could bring us closer to the achievement of their goals and reap the benefits of diversity.
Albv is from Calubian, Leyte and was born on September 19, 1970 to Dr. Angel and Mrs. Evelina Alve.
He made his Simple Profession of Vows on April 30, 1993, and his Solemn
Profession of Vows on June 13, 1998 and was ordained Deacon on September 11, 1998.
On October 30, 1999, Alve was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood.
His installation was graced by Commission on Higher Education Regional Director for Western Visayas Dr. Raul Alvarez, Jr., and his UNO-R family Rev. Fr. Bernard C. Amparado, OAR; Rev. Fr. Rafael B. Pecson, OAR, Lay Administrators, Program Heads and Chairs, Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff and Students, his parent, siblings and relatives, and other guests.*