JLB charts plans and challenges before his presidency ends to VSU alumni

Dr. Bacusmo also said that the University is facing a lot of challenges. And these are: massive retirement of faculty members with PhDs, low publication rate (Asia and World standards), low faculty research participation, low enrollment in graduate school, inconsistent performance in licensure examinations, eroding values of students, outdated and decaying buildings and equipment, high utilization and high cost of electricity, remoteness from major airport, and inadequacy in facilities (dormitories, laboratories, classrooms, etc.)

The VSU President, however, takes the different challenges as great advantages for these will become the guiding principles as to where VSU shall be going.

Dr. Bacusmo pointed out that within a three –year period, VSU shall strengthen engineering and education as core offerings other than agriculture and natural resource management, attain the status as "Doctoral/Research University" in the CHED typology of HEIs, become the 'flagship university' of the "Eastern Visayas University System" based on the merit of its qualifications, attain full sustainability, gain recognition as a destination for conventions and agro-eco tourism, become the premier science and technology university in the Visayas, and produce competent graduates with desirable attitude.

The VSU President discussed categorically to the alumni his 2013-2015 Plans:

For Instruction, Dr. Bacusmo said that his administration will invest more on faculty and staff development, continuously improve curricula, accredit programs and campuses, strengthen graduate programs and recruitment of students, and improve access through on-line offerings;

In Research and Extension, it will maintain regional and national leadership in research, increase publication and IP protection rates, bring research results from laboratories to users or market, and converge and scale-up extension projects aside from replicating; In Resource Generation, the University will improve the managerial capabilities of its faculty and staff, and establish more profitable businesses; and

In Facilities, he will push for the completion of construction of the new VSU Library, construct an Olympic-size swimming pool, establish surface water treatment facility for the campus, construct covered walks, renovate the last of "core value" cottages, renovate the science lecture hall and faculty offices in various departments, construct studio apartments and additional dormitories, establish fish hatchery and floating restaurant, fence and establish VSU agri-eco tourism loop, complete the construction of sea wall and river control dikes, maintain and renovate the academic buildings and facilities, and purchase additional trucks and service vehicles.

The presentation was made to inform the VSU alumni how his administration has been doing and what he plans to do in the next two years of his presidency.

The host batches '86 and '87 presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Dr. Bacusmo as one of the resource persons in the symposium on "VSU Alumni in the ASEAN Community: Building a Future through Modern Agriculture."