A Voice for the Faculty: Dr. Daisy P. Acoritay takes her seat at the VSU Board of Regents

For many faculty members, leadership is about representing colleagues and helping address their concerns, but for Dr. Daisy P. Acoritay, the newly appointed Faculty Regent of Visayas State University (VSU), this opportunity is about service and responsibility.

As the newest member of the VSU Board of Regents (BOR), Dr. Acoritay will sit as the faculty regent, succeeding Assoc. Prof. Ernesto F. Bulayog, with whom she had worked before assuming the position.

She officially took oath on April 29, 2026, during the First BOR meeting, with Dr. Myrna Q. Mallari, Commissioner of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Chairperson of the VSU BOR, administering her oath.

When she learned that she had been appointed Faculty Regent and elected President of the VSU System Faculty Union, Dr. Acoritay immediately thought about the responsibility that came with the role.

“This opportunity means true leadership,” she said in an interview.

Having witnessed the work of the previous Faculty Regent, she understood that the position is not simply about representing faculty concerns. It also means helping maintain harmony within the university and ensuring that issues are addressed through proper channels.

“As Faculty Regent, I want to mediate things and work for what is best for the faculty,” she said. “We want to be heard through the proper process.”

For her, one of the guiding principles of her leadership is fairness, particularly in promoting equal work and equal pay among faculty members.

A life dedicated to education

Long before becoming Faculty Regent, Dr. Acoritay had already built a career centered on education, communication, and service.

She earned her Doctor of Education major in English Language Teaching from Cebu Normal University from 2019 to 2024. Her dissertation, Modular Instruction Beyond the Classroom: English Professors’ and Students’ Experiences, received the Best Dissertation Award.

She was also a recipient of the CHED K–12 Transition Program Scholarship Grant.

Prior to earning her doctorate, she completed the academic requirements for a Doctor of Arts in Language Teaching at Leyte Normal University. She also holds a Master in English and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the same institution.

Today, Dr. Acoritay serves as an Assistant Professor III in the Department of Arts, Languages and Literature (DALL) within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science (FHSS).

Before she found her love for teaching, she also worked in other fields.

Before entering VSU, she worked as a journalist, broadcaster, radio disc jockey, and research staff, then ventured into being a school supervisor, department head, and college instructor.

These experiences allowed her to engage with people from different backgrounds and shaped the leadership style she carries today.

Serving beyond self

For Dr. Acoritay, accepting the position of Faculty Regent was never about prestige.

“Being a Faculty Regent is not about fame,” she said. “It is not about earning respect. You earn respect because you know you are doing something good, not for personal gain but for the benefit of everyone.”

She believes that leadership requires courage, especially when representing others' concerns.

According to her, a Faculty Regent must be mature enough to work with professionals from different disciplines and perspectives while remaining focused on the greater good.

One piece of advice that continues to guide her came from former Faculty Regent Prof. Ernesto Bulayog: “When you serve, do not expect rewards. It is always service from the heart and always put your feet on the ground.”

She also describes her leadership philosophy through what she calls the “3Ws” — Wit, Wisdom, and We.

“It is not about ‘I’ anymore,” she explained. “Everything involves ‘We.’”

Championing faculty welfare

As she begins her term, Dr. Acoritay recognizes that faculty members face increasing responsibilities.

Beyond teaching, faculty members are expected to conduct research, implement extension projects, and perform administrative functions.

For many educators, balancing these responsibilities while maintaining family and personal commitments can be challenging.

“Faculty members are working in a quadruple way,” she explained. “We teach, we do research, we do extension, and we do administrative work.”

Because of this, she believes faculty members deserve an environment in which workloads are fairly distributed and concerns are openly discussed.

She also expressed appreciation for the university’s efforts to promote transparency and open communication.

“I am happy that the administration knows how to listen,” she said. “Faculty members are the backbone of the university, just like our students.”

Creating meaningful change

While Dr. Acoritay acknowledges that not all concerns can be solved immediately, she believes that meaningful change begins with proper communication and documentation.

She encourages faculty members to raise concerns through appropriate channels so these can be properly discussed and addressed.

“I always believe that there should be proper conversations. You cannot bring concerns without facts and documents,” Dr. Acoritay said.

During her three-year term, she hopes to advocate for a fair distribution of teaching loads, stronger support for research and extension activities, and better opportunities for faculty members to maintain work-life balance.

She also hopes that faculty members will continue to be heard and recognized not only as employees but also as individuals who need time to rest and be well.

To lead with humility

Like any leadership position, serving as a Faculty Regent comes with challenges.

Dr. Acoritay knows that faculty members often look to their representative to bring their concerns to the administration. At the same time, she understands the importance of maintaining credibility and objectivity.

“When you are the Faculty Regent, you become the person people go to,” she said. “You need to be prudent in everything you say.”

Amid these challenges, she remains committed to leading with humility.

For her, leadership means using authority responsibly, staying informed about university policies, and communicating effectively with all stakeholders.

“Use your power for the benefit of everyone. Do not forget that you are also human,” she said.

Throughout her years in education and public service, Dr. Acoritay has remained committed to the values of the university she now helps govern.

To her, VSU is more than a workplace. It is a community that continuously challenges people to grow and become better versions of themselves.

“VSU is a very good place,” she said. “It teaches you everything—from being a teacher, a researcher, an employee, and an individual.”

As Faculty Regent, Dr. Acoritay hopes to amplify faculty voices, serve as a bridge to the VSU administration, and advocate for fairness and transparency.

This article is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, and SDG 8; Decent Work and Economic Growth. 

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