We should all be very grateful and proud for the opportunity to contribute to the continuing growth of our university. Each one of us must draw comfort, encouragement and inspiration from the thought that our collective efforts, which had been abundantly available in the past four years, will continue to sustain it. Together we formulated our Strategic Plan to 2013, the blueprint for achieving greater achievement for the university, and engaging it as a partner for progress and development. With a clearer focus and direction, we achieved significant milestones due largely to our cooperative spirit. By working together, our complementary talents and skills have led to outstanding accomplishments. But the university’s potential has not yet been fully reached and I am certain that we can still do more.

What can we look forward to? We will continue to pursue more vigorously the targets we have set in our Strategic Plan. The following will constitute our priority thrusts:

At present, our university has the most number of programs with Re-accredited Level III Status. Our next target is to achieve institutional accreditation for which preparations are now well underway. Achieving this will validate our continuing search towards Quality and Excellence in Learning. Enriching our curricular programs is a progressive work as we transform them to become relevant and responsive to the needs of the times. We hope to secure approval for the offering of new graduate and undergraduate programs particularly in the fields of entrepreneurship, environmental science, and public administration. We will expand the scope of our contribution to capacity building and human resource development by offering programs that will adequately prepare and enable our graduates to become more globally competitive.

CLSU has achieved a lofty stature and a high level of credibility in research and development, particularly in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and natural resources (AFNR). The past four years have been a bountiful period for us: we received record highs in external funding support; more attention is given to areas other than our traditional R&D responsibilities; recognitions and awards have been bestowed on us, institutionally as well as individually; and we have initiated efforts to accelerate the uptake and commercialization of the technologies we have developed. Inspired by these, we will continue our relentless Pursuit for New Knowledge as more of our efforts, creativity, and resources will be channeled for the conduct of strategic research in the rapidly advancing frontiers of science and technology. We have made significant inroads in biotechnology research and we hope to achieve tangible milestones within the next few years. How we respond to the challenges brought about by climate change will be addressed in a holistic manner. We will endeavor to establish a stronger research-instruction complementation as we continue to provide more opportunities for greater faculty accomplishments and involvement in research. Having institutionalized a rewards and incentive system is a significant step toward this end. Mentoring young, dynamic and aggressive researchers will be a priority undertaking.

Our objective of becoming a partner for progress and development is underpinned by Proactive Engagement among us, and between the university and its various partners and stakeholders. Partnerships with groups and institutions that promote economic growth and development will be expanded. Cultivating and nurturing teamwork within and among the various programs of the university is a necessary element for greater success.

The adequate provision and efficient management of our human, physical, and financial resources is necessary to achieve our institutional goals. Creating a working environment that inspires and challenges the professional capabilities of our personnel will remain a high priority as we continue to allocate more resources to sustain our human resource development. Our efforts to improve our fiscal management will be sustained as we continue to share and distribute responsibility and accountability. Our income-generating capacity should be improved to generate more support to priority programs and projects. We will continue to work hard to provide a conducive teaching-learning environment particularly through facilities improvement. We hope to build additional classrooms and dormitories for the comfort of our students. We must intensify further our efforts to transform our academic community into a green university.

Just like in the past four years, our governance will continue to be guided by the following general principles: efficiency of operations, effectiveness of management systems, maintaining high standards of professionalism, and delivery of excellent service. I enjoin all our university constituents and stakeholders to continue working together in harmony and solidarity for us to secure the brightest future for our institution while fulfilling our responsibility to the people and our country. Our greatest challenge continues to be the transformation of our beloved university into a knowledge-centered, pro-active, innovation-driven institution effectively engaged in the lives of the people it serves, contributing to the solutions of society’s problems through lifelong education, disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, and community partnerships.

“What we sow together, we shall reap together”.

by Ruben C. Sevilleja, President