Dr. Puno chairs BSU Board of Regents
 by: GTBengwayan: 04.03.06

          Dr. Carlito S. Puno, Chair of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) selected BSU to be one of the regional universities that he will chair.

      During his first meeting with the members of the Governing Board on December 6, 2005, he mentioned the programs lined-up for CHED under his leadership, which include: a) a paradigm shift from conceptual to practical application of knowledge like research results; b) corporational; c) transfer of technology; d) strengthening research; and e) SUC development fund for Commissioners.

      With regard to the latter, Chair Puno said this program will be a big help to state universities and colleges (SUCs). He cited some schools which have been given seed fund for their projects like the Ifugao State College of Agriculture and Forestry (ISCAF) and the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) among others.

      On Income Generating Projects (IGP), he stressed that an important strategy is industry and academic tie-up. He said partnerships with the private sector along IGPs must be explored. Related to this, he said that at BSU there is a big potential to generate income through non-traditional schemes.

      To strengthen ties with the industries sector, he mentioned that early this year, there will be an Industry Academic Summit. The members of the technical working group (TWG) in the academe and the industry sector will be conduction a consultation dialogue to respond to the graduates being produced at present are not what they need. Chair Puno said the consultation hopes to bridge this gap and eventually help solve underemployment.

      The present thrust among SUCs and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), he said, is on finance and administration, "Kwentahan, di kwentuhan." He added that long-range plans cannot be made if the University is not able to make long-range cash flow. He related the importance of fund generation to academic excellence. He said that academic excellence has a cost and without resources, this goal remains merely a dream. "This will be our managerial thinking while I am your Chair," he stressed.

      Chair Puno took over Fr. Rolando de la Rosa who went back to Ateneo de Manila. Prior to his appointment as Chair of CHED, Chair Puno was Acting Chair and Commissioner of CHED. He was formerly President of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Christian Schools; President of Philippine Christian University (PCU); Executive Director and Corporate Secretary of Lingap Pangkabataan, Inc.; and Dean, PCU Graduate School of Management.

     Being an active mover in the field of education, Puno was received several international and regional positions and awards. Among these include: Fellow, Royal Institute of Educators, Singapore; Award of Honor, National Institute of Business and Management, Pakistan; Award of Merit, Commission on Education, State of Israel; and Roving Ambassador of Peace Award, World Peace Corps.

      His educational attainment include: Doctor of Public Administration, UP; Master in Business Administration, UP; and Doctor of Optometry De Ocampo Memorial College, where he graduated Cum Laude and Class Valedictorian.