Silliman University

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Silliman University
Pamantasang Siliman
Motto:	Via, Veritas, Vita
Motto in English:	"The Way, The Truth, The Life"
Established:	1901
Type:	Private, (Protestant) Presbyterian University
Religious affiliation:	United Church of Christ in the Philippines,Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia
President:	Ben S. Malayang III
Staff:	500
Students:	8,400
Location:	Dumaguete City, Oriental Negros, Philippines
Campus:	Urban, 610,000 m²
Colors:	Red and white
Nickname:	Stallions and Mares
Affiliations:	Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia
Website:	www.su.edu.ph

Silliman University is a Christian institution of higher education located in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines. It was the first Protestant school founded in the Philippines and the oldest American-based university in Asia. The University holds the distinction of being one of the 30 private higher education institutions in the country that have been granted autonomy by the Commission on Higher Education.^[1][2][3]

Academic programs of the University are accredited with the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities Accrediting Agency (ACSCU-AAI), the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) and the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) -all recognized by the Philippine educational system. The programs of Theology on the other hand are accredited with the Association for Theological Education in Southeast Asia (ATESEA).^[1][4]

The University is a member of the Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA), and one of the recognized institutions in the U.S. Veterans Administration's list of approved educational institutions.^[5][6]

Contents 1 History 2 Campus 3 Academics 3.1 Ranking 3.2 Recognition 3.3 International Linkages 3.4 Academic Programs 3.4.1 Colleges 3.4.2 Schools 4 Auxiliary and Affiliate Units 4.1 Library System 4.2 Silliman Medical Center (SUMCFI) 4.3 Anthropology Museum 4.4 Marine Laboratory 5 Student Life 5.1 Athletics 5.2 Student Government 5.3 Organizations 5.4 Student Publications 5.5 Dormitories and student housing 6 Notable persons 7 Notes and references 8 External links

[edit] History

Silliman University was founded in August 28, 1901 as Silliman Institute, an elementary school for boys, by Protestant missionaries under the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. Operations started through a gift donation from a businessman and a Christian philantropist of Cohoes, New York, named Dr.Horace Brinsmade Silliman who wanted to establish an industrial school using the Hampton Institute of Virginia model.^[1][7][8]

The institute had a modest beginning: Missionaries Dr. and Mrs. Hibbard held classes in a rented house beside the sea until the Institute's first building, Silliman Hall, was completed in 1903.^[6] Recalling how the University started half a century later, Dr. Hibbard described:

“There were fifteen boys that first morning. The equipment consisted of four desks about ten feet long, two tables and two chairs, a few McGuffey’s Readers, a few geographies, arithmetics and ninth-grade grammars. I was President; Mrs. Hibbard was the faculty.” ^[9]

Enrollment in the school gradually grew thereafter to include students from Asian countries.^[1]

In 1910, Silliman was awarded government recognition and the right to grant a degree. In the same year, it was incorporated under the laws of the Philippines. In 1921, the Silliman Bible School (later to become the Divinity School) was established in cooperation with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, representing the Congregational Churches of the United States. The University was incorporated in 1935, and in 1936 the Philippine National Assembly (now Philippine Congress) passed a law establishing requirements for institutions to qualify for university status. In 1938, Silliman became a university, becoming the first school outside of Manila to be granted university status.^[1][7][8]

Silliman rapidly Filipinized in the early fifties. Dr. Leopoldo Ruiz became the first Filipino president in April 1953 and in the same decade, the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia, an interdenominational group, assumed responsibility for channeling all church aid to Silliman. The Board gave grants for land, building and equipment.^[6]

[edit] Campus

The campus has a land area of 62 hectares (the Hibbard Avenue main campus is 33 hectares, and the Marine Lab & College of Agriculture campus is 29 hectares; excluding a 465 hectare Ticao facility of the College of Agriculture in Masbate Island) adjacent to and intermixed with the city's downtown district. It faces the sea to the east, with its portals now considered as symbols of the University.

Dumaguete has made a name for itself as "The Center Of Learning In The South," or a "University Town" due to the presence of Silliman and other local universities that have made their mark nationally and abroad. The city has become a melting pot of students, professionals, artists, scholars and the literati coming from different parts of the country and the world. ^[10][11]

[edit] Academics

[edit] Ranking

In a study conducted by the Philippine Regulations Commission (PRC) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Silliman University was ranked 4th, following three schools of the University of the Philippines (UP) namely, UP-Diliman, UP-Los Baños, and UP-Manila, which ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively. The survey was based on average passing rates in Board examinations from 1991 - 2001 in all courses of all universities and colleges in the Philippines. The study is conducted every ten years. ^[12]

[edit] Recognition

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) designated Silliman as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education and Teacher Education, and a Center of Development in Biology, Marine Sciences, Information Technology Education and Accountancy. ^[1][4]

Aside from these, the university was named by the USAID as a Center of Excellence in Coastal Resource Management, and by the Haribon Foundation as an Academic Center of Excellence in Biodiversity Conservation. ^{[13][14][15][16]} Due to the university's community-based coastal resource managment program, Apo Island, a small island off the coast of Dauin, was recognized as one of the best diving spots in the world. ^[1][17][18]

[edit] International Linkages

The University maintains linkages on collaborative research and faculty and student exchange with universities in the United States and Asia, on top of its strong affiliation with the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (UBCHEA) and other international development organizations. Its longest running student exchange programs are with three Japanese universities: International Christian University, Ferris University and Shikoku Gakuin University. ^[1][19][20]

Other research & academic linkages of the University include the University of Washington, California State University, East Bay, Gordon College, the Smithsonian Institution and Sookmyung Women’s University (South Korea).^{[21][22][23][24][25]}

[edit] Academic Programs

Silliman University confers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees all accredited by either PAASCU, ACSCU-AAI or FAAP in its present 14 colleges and schools:

[edit] Colleges

• The College of Agriculture offers three academic degrees: Agribusiness, Agronomy and Animal Science. Located in a 24 hectare agricultural complex, two kilometers north of the main campus, the College’s beginnings can be traced back as early as 1913, when Dr. Sutherland Hibbard, first president of Silliman Institute, was instructed by the founders to make provisions for a “school garden and a farm”. In 1950, it was formally established as a Department, and in 1976, was elevated into what was then known as the School of Agriculture. The years 1977 to 1980 saw the construction of modern classrooms, a laboratory complex, eight dormitories and a library, elevating it into what is now known as the “College of Agriculture”.^[4][26]

• The College of Arts and Sciences has 18 major courses leading to several degree programs. At present, the College is composed of the departments of Anthropology and Sociology, Biology, Chemistry, English and Literature, History and Political Science, Filipino and Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Philosophy and Religion, Physics, Psychology, Social Work, and the Speech Department. During the early years of its founding (1902 up to the war years), the College of Arts and Sciences was composed of the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Sciences. Starting in 1947, however, both colleges merged to become the College of Arts and Sciences.^[4][26]

• The College of Business Administration was opened in 1938. It is composed of six departments: Management, Economics, Accountancy, Business Computer Applications, Entrepreneurship, and Commercial Science. Due to its consistently high performance in accountancy board examinations, the College has been designated by CHED as a Center of Development in Accountancy Education.^[4][26]

• The College of Computer Studies offers three ICT degrees namely: Computer Science, Information Technology, and Information Systems. Due to its established IT infrastructure and well-developed curriculum, the College was designated by CHED as a Center of Development in Information Technology Education. Recently, the College pilot tested the SU Online Learning website, a virtual classroom for students.^[4][26]

• The College of Engineering and Design started as a Department of Engineering in June 1932, offering an undergraduate program in Civil Engineering. In March 1935, the Board of Trustees authorized the change in status of Silliman from an Institute to a University. With government approval of this change, Silliman proceeded to adopt additional undergraduate programs in Mining Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Industrial Engineering. Today, the College is home to four bachelor degrees namely: Civil Engineering; Computer Engineering; Electrical Engineering; and Mechanical Engineering.^[4][26]

• The College of Education has been designated by CHED as Center of Excellence in Teacher Education. The College has three departments: Physical Education, Teacher Education, and Nutrition and Dietetics. Its beginnings can be traced way back in 1924 when it first offered diplomas in Bachelor of Science in Education. From then on, the Teacher Education Program grew and developed into what is now known as the College of Education.^[4][26]

• The College of Law was established in 1935, starting with a freshman class of only 22 members. Guided by its motto "Law with a Conscience", the College seeks to teach its students not just the correct undertanding of legal provisions and principles but their ethical implementation to society and people.^[4][26] Starting SY 2009-2010, the College shifted its course offering from Bachelor of Laws (LLB) to Juris Doctor (JD).^{[citation needed]}

• The College of Mass Communication was established in 1966 as the first school outside of metropolitan Manila to offer a degree program in journalism. Its founding director was D. Wayne Rowland, Ph.D., a visiting professor in journalism from Texas Christian University. Today, the College continues to offer courses in journalism with a revised curriculum to reflect technological advances in the field of mass communication and to maintain its social relevance.^[4][26]

• The College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences has been designated by CHED as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education. This academic unit is home to three departments, namely: Nursing, Medical Technology and Physical Therapy. Founded in 1947, the College is known for its ratings in the professional licensure exams which have been consistently higher than the national average. For 2007, 100 percent of its graduates passed the licensure exams for Physical and Occupational Therapy.^[4][26]

• The College of Performing Arts is home to three areas of specialization: Fine Arts, Music, and Theater Arts. In 1912, the College started as a music department in the College of Arts and Sciences. With the arrival of American missionary Geraldine Kate in 1934, it was transformed into a Conservatory of Music, with Kate as its founding director. In 1941, it became a School of Music, and with the addition of the Fine Arts Department in 1969, it was renamed as the School of Music and Fine Arts. Due to developments within the school it was given college status in 2001 and renamed as the College of Performing Arts.^[4][26]

[edit] Schools

• The Divinity School offers two undergraduate and three graduate degrees in Divinity, Theology, and Ministry. Starting in 1921 as the Silliman Bible School, this academic unit used to be a Congregationalist-Presbyterian training school for Visayan-speaking candidates in pastoral ministry. Today, the Divinity School has in its roster, students from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and the Southeast Asian region.^[4][26]

• The Medical School is a new addition to the University. Established in 2004, it has a faculty of 50 medical doctors specializing in Anesthesiology, Cardiology, Endocrinology, Eye-Ear-Nose-Throat, Family Medicine Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Hematology, Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine, Nephrology, Neurology, Neuro-Surgery, Nuclear Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oncology, Orthopedic Surgery, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Public Health Administration, Pulmonary Medicine, Rehabilitation Medicine, and Urology.^[4][26].

• The School of Public Affairs and Governance started in June 2007 to provide formal training in the management of local government affairs. It specializes in three areas: Fiscal Administration, Local Governance, and Criminal Justice System. The School aims to beef up the expertise of public servants to become more efficient administrators who can discharge their duties in the most economical way with maximum results. A distinguished panel of guest lecturers from Manila and abroad join the resident faculty of Silliman in teaching the courses.^[4][26]

• The School of Basic Education is home to three departments: Early Childhood, Elementary, and High School. When Silliman Institute (former name of Silliman University) was founded in 1901, it started as an elementary school. As such, of all departments in the University, the Elementary School is the oldest. In 1916, the first high school diplomas were awarded, and in 1957-58, funding for an Early Childhood School building was secured. Historically, these three departments operated separately. However, due to developments within the University in 2001, and to facilitate better coordination between them, the early childhood, elementary, and high schools, were merged together, forming what is now known as the School of Basic Education.^[4][26]

[edit] Auxiliary and Affiliate Units

[edit] Library System

The Silliman University Library caters mainly to the book needs of its faculty, staff and students. It has a seating capacity of 490 readers, and holds over 250,000 volumes, ^[1] with enough space to accommodate 400,000 more. It also subscribes to 500 periodicals. Some courses provide instruction in the location of books and publications for research and other school work. Students can search for library materials using the On-Line Public Access Catalogue. Instructions on how to use it are posted on the stations were the system is installed. Research can also be done using the Internet through the Cyberlibrary. Students pay a semestral fee to avail of this service. ^[27][28]

Aside from the main section of the library which contains the bulk of its book and periodical collection, other notable sections of the facility include the Filipiniana section, containing books and materials published by famous Filipino authors during the spanish and pre-war periods of the country, and the Sillimaniana section, containing Silliman memorabilia from 1901 up to the present (e.g. trophies, plaques of recognition, portraits of past presidents, etc.), and an archive of past publications and documents.

The main library is likewise the home of two notable centers. The American Studies Resource Center (ASRC) and the World Bank Knowledge for Development Center (WB-KDC). The American Studies Resource Center (ASRC)is a result of a memorandum of agreement between the United States Embassy, Manila and Silliman University. It is the only ASRC in Region VII hosted by an academic institution. The ASRC provides a variety of materials: books, periodicals, CD-ROMS, DVDs, VCDs, VHS tapes, electronic materials for those interested in studies and issues related to the United States. ^[29]

The World Bank Knowledge for Development Center on the other hand is a result of a partnership between the University and the World Bank. It contains an extensive collection of development publications and World Bank project documents to people involved in the academe, researchers, NGOs, media, government agencies and the business sector. The section is open to the public. ^[30]

In 2008, the Silliman University Library System was given the "Outstanding Library Award" by the Philippine Association of Academic and Research Librarians (PAARL) for its growing collection and ongoing computerization program. ^[1][31][32] The Silliman University Library System includes the local libraries of the College of Law, College of Business Administration, Divinity School, College of Agriculture, High School, Elementary and Early Childhood schools.

[edit] Silliman Medical Center (SUMCFI)

An enrolled student automatically becomes a member of the Silliman Medical Care Plan. The Silliman University Medical Center Foundation, Inc.(SUMCFI), an affiliate of Silliman University, is a 140-bed hospital located on campus, with comprehensive services available to students at any given time. SUMCFI started as an infirmary in 1901 until it became a hospital in 1923. ^[33] In 1974, the cornerstone for a New Medical Center was laid down to commence the building of a four-storey structure with passenger elevators (the first in Negros Oriental). ^[34] Inaugurated in 1976, it is considered as one of the most modern hospitals outside Metro Manila and Cebu. ^[35] Recently, a new Medical Arts Building was added ^[36] to the main structure to further address the growing needs of the surrounding community.

Although institutionally distinct from Silliman University, SUMCFI supports the University by being its base facility for the internship programs of the College of Nursing, School of Medicine, the Medical Technology and Physical Therapy departments, the Divinity School (for its chaplaincy program), and the Nutrition and Dietetics Department.

[edit] Anthropology Museum

The Anthropology Museum is located at the old Silliman Hall. Established in 1973, this museum was founded to bring the importance of the Filipino’s cultural heritage to the attention of the public. The bulk of the artifacts displayed in the museum came from fieldworks, excavations, purchases and donations. The museum has seven galleries. The first three, contain exhibits which have been collected from known cultural or ethnic groups all over the country. These items or artifacts include simple tools and instruments such as basketry, agricultural and aquatic tools, weapons, clothing and ornaments as well as musical instruments. The display is based on two general criteria namely –the type of social organization (incipient, tribal or sultanate) and the type of economic subsistence (hunting, and gathering, marginal agriculture or farming) under which ethnic group is categorized.

The exhibit on the last four galleries are artifacts excavated from different parts of Negros Island and in the mountain areas of Cotabato. A number of excavations done by Sillimanian anthropologists way back in the 1970s yielded ancient artifacts, like burial urns, and porcelain pieces which date back to the Sung period in the twelfth century. ^[34][37]

[edit] Marine Laboratory

The Silliman University Marine Laboratory (SUML), is the University’s research facility in the field of marine sciences. Located at Silliman Beach, two kilometers north of the main campus, the facility was established in 1974 through a modest grant from the United Church of Canada. Since then, it has produced notable research in conservation and management which are being applied in cooperative projects in different local communities, such as the conservation programs in Sumilon and Apo Islands.^[17][6] SUML's areas of focus include: (1) Researches in the marine sciences with emphasis on basic biology conservation, management and feasible aquaculture technology; (2) Development of management and conservation models focusing on the shallow coastal ecosystems, such as coral reefs, seagrasses, mangrove and soft bottom communities; (3) Providing laboratory facilities for biological courses of the University; (4) Promotion of local and international exchanges of scientists and students in marine sciences; and (5) Giving assistance to public and private agencies in marine development activities such as coastal management training, resource and ecological assessment, marine parks, aquaculture and pollution studies. ^[38]

As a research extension and teaching facility, SUML works with other departments of the university, namely, the biology, chemistry, physics, and social work departments, the College of Law, and the Silliman University Extension Program.^[6] Currently, the facility is involved in numerous projects such as the Giant Clam Project, Grouper Culture, Crocodylus mindorensis (Philippine crocodile) Breeding Project, and the Bais Bay and Apo Island Continuing Support Program.^[39]

[edit] Student Life

[edit] Athletics

Silliman has several athletic facilities. The University Gymnasium is a multipurpose facility used for basketball, volleyball, badminton, rock-climbing, table-tennis, cheering, and other indoor activities. The Silliman Ballfield is primarily used for soccer, and for track and field events. Other athletic facilities include a swimming pool, three tennis courts, two pelota courts, and an archery range. ^[28]

Silliman has varsity teams for almost every major sport. A regular participant of the Philippine University Games (UniGames) and the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA), Silliman is represented by a red and white Stallion or Mare.^[40][41] In the recent Beijing Olympics, Mark Javier,a Sillimanian, represented the Philippines in the field of Archery. He was the lone male archer that represented the country. ^[42] Other notable Philippine Olympians that came from Silliman include archers Jennifer Chan and Lisa Ygnalaga, and long jumper Simeon Toribio. ^[1][43]

[edit] Student Government

The coordination and initiation of student activities and organizations are handled by the Silliman University Student Government (SUSG). The Student Government consists of the SG President, a vice-president, and the various representatives from the different academic units (schools, colleges, and High School) of the University. General elections are held in the month of February of every year with a campaign period usually starting a week before the elections. Aside from having representatives representing each school or college in the Student Assembly (the student legislature), each school and college also has its own local government or college council. These councils are headed by governors who in turn become members of the executive branch. The Student Government has three branches: the Executive, Legislative (Student Assembly) and the Judiciary. The SG president heads the Executive branch, the Speaker of the House the Legislative branch, and the Prime Justice for the Judiciary. The Student Government is under the supervision and oversight of the Student Organizations and Activities Division (SOAD).^[6]

[edit] Organizations

Numerous student organizations are registered in the University. Some are regional societies organized to promote fellowship among students from particular geographical areas. There are service clubs such as fraternities and sororities which carry out, as part of their activities, projects on campus and in the community. Others are identified with particular academic discipline such as chemistry and mathematics known as course-related organizations, and still others belong to the special or interest groups. The supervision and coordination of student organizations are undertaken by the Student Organizations and Activities Division (SOAD) together with the Silliman University Student Government (SUSG).^[6]

[edit] Student Publications

There are four student publications in the University namely, the Weekly Sillimanian, one of the first weekly student papers in the country, with its existence dating back to the University's founding; the Sands and Coral, a literary journal published in cooperation with the Department of Engish; the Junior Sillimanian, a publication of students from the High School Department; and the Portal, official yearbook of the University.

Key positions in these publications carry honoraria and are available to all students through competitive examinations. These publications are supported by the students through a publication fee. ^[6]

[edit] Dormitories and student housing

The University operates regular and cooperative dormitories which can provide space for approximately 800 students. These dormitories are named after flowers, Philippine trees, or significant historical figures of the university. There are six regular dormitories (four for women and two for men) and seven cooperative dormitories (four for women and three for men). The regular dormitories for women are Edith Carson, Ethel Chapman, Larena and the Woodward Hall. For men, the regular dormitories are the New Men's Dorm and Doltz Hall. Meals under these dormitories are supervised by the University Food Services. Housekeeping is generally maintained by a dorm staff.

The second type of dormitories are the cooperative dormitories. Under these dormitories, residents undertake the housekeeping and planning of the food. Named after flowers except one, the cooperative dormitories for women are the Azucena, Rosal, and Sampaguita Cottages, as well as Channon Hall. For men, the dormitories are named after trees. These are the Ipil, Molave, and Narra Cottages.

In addition to the aforementioned dormitories, the university maintains a number of cottages for some members of its faculty and staff as well as for guests and visiting alumni. ^[6]

[edit] Notable persons

Some notable persons of the university are Carlos P. Garcia, 4th President of the Philippines, Edith L. Tiempo, poet, fictionist, teacher and literary critic, Edilberto K. Tiempo, Filipino writer, professor and founder of the Silliman National Writers Workshop, Eddie S. Romero, an acclaimed and influential Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter, and César Ruiz Aquino, Filipino poet and fictionist.

[edit] Notes and references

[edit] External links

• Silliman University Official Website
• Silliman University Facebook
• The Weekly Sillimanian Official Student Publication

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