The governance and administration of VSU as set forth in Republic Act (RA) No. 9437 and duly constituted by RA 8292 are vested in the Board of Regents (BOR) and the President of the University as authorized by the Board.

The Board of Regents is composed of the following:

• Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Chairman
• VSU President, Vice Chairman
• Chairman of the Committee on Education of the Philippine Senate, Member
• Chairman of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education of the Philippine House of Representatives, Member
• Regional Director of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Member
• Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Member
• President of the VSU Faculty Association, Member
• President of the VSU Alumni Association, Member
• President of the VSU Supreme Student Council, Member
• Two (2) Prominent Citizens in the Region, Members

Past Administrators

The following served as administrators of the University:

1924 - Washington Wiren, Principal (Baybay Agricultural School)
1933 - Robert Kilbourne, Principal (Baybay Agricultural High School-BAHS)
1935 - Fred Warner, Principal (BAHS)
1938 - Fred Warner, Superintendent (Baybay National Agricultural School-BNAS)
1949 - Pedro Montellano, Superintendent (BNAS)
1949 - Dominador D. Clemente, Superintendent (BNAS)
1958 - Amado C. Tolentino, Superintendent (BNAS)
1960 - Julian Mamaril, Superintendent (Visayas Agricultural College-VAC)
1963 - Napoleon D. Dignadice, Superintendent (VAC)
1971 - Rafael G. Macahilig, Superintendent (VAC)
1974 - Dr. Fernando A. Bernardo, President (Visayas State College of Agriculture-ViSCA)
1986 - Dr. Marianito R. Villanueva, President (ViSCA)
1993 - Dr. Samuel S. Go, President (ViSCA)
1999 - Dr. Paciencia P. Milan, President (ViSCA)
2001 - Dr. Paciencia P. Milan, President (Leyte State University-LSU)
2007 - Dr. Paciencia P. Milan, President (Visayas State University-VSU)
2007 - Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, President (VSU-Effective November 1, 2007)
2011 - Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo, President (Visayas State University)
2015 to date - Dr. Edgardo E. Tulin (Effective November 2015)

Vision

A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.

Mission

Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment.

Core Values

that will serve as guide for excellence in instruction, research, extension, and production:

• Relevance. It emphasizes pertinence and applicability of the University to the social well-being of its stakeholders. The University should continually pursue to contribute to society's intellectual, cultural and economic progress. Its scientific and technological endeavours should be shaped by the demands of society, either in the form of knowledge in basic sciences or technology derived from applied and developmental researches;
• Integrity. The firm adherence to an upright moral code and ethical standards is vital in the University's search for truth. An institution engaged in producing quality human capital and scientific innovation must remain incorruptible in a morally challenging environment. Integrity is crucial in forging synergistic partnerships between the University and its stakeholders. Partnerships founded upon integrity practice transparency and mutual trust;
• Truth. It is in accord with facts and reality and connotes sincerity in action, character and utterance. The character of an institution is shaped by its ability to stand by the truth and make use of it. The search for truth, the very essence of the academic institution, is the backbone of the scientific process where certainty of results is tested against all known facts. The University is an institution that stands by the truth, reasons in accordance with facts and manifests sincerity in utterance, action and character; and
• Excellence. A value that centers on the imminent goodness of the quality of services, systems, and outputs of the University. An institution that consistently lives by excellent standards in anything that it does is effective in its search for truth and delivery of socially-relevant, scientific and technological contributions. The stakeholders of the University that includes its students, producers and industries deserve nothing but the best that the institution can offer.

Goals

• WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION. Visayas State University (VSU) will be recognized as one of the premier universities in Asia, offering affordable world-class education to produce highly competent human resources in science and technology (S&T), especially for agriculture, environmental management and industries.

• GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE S&T. Research is the engine of innovation. Technologies and the information generated by research improve the socio-economic status and build the resilience of vulnerable groups.

• EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES. The instruction and research programs of VSU contribute to societal progress, but it is through its extension programs that the university brings about a direct and immediate effect on society. In the next 10 years, VSU will strengthen its community engagement for community empowerment.

• SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE GENERATION. The university is endowed with vast natural resources and pool of experts vital for creating income-generating projects that will help augment the resources provided by the government. The challenge is to strike a balance between continuing the pursuit of excellence while maintaining environmental conditions that will support present and future generations.

• CLIENT-CENTERED GOVERNANCE. More exciting opportunities in exchange of information in science and technology come in positioning VSU in the arena of ASEAN integration. We embrace the responsibility as a research university to build up experts engaged in effectively serving our clients – parents, students, farmers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and technologists by making our science and technology products more accessible.

• VERSATILE SPACES FOR INNOVATION. Spaces are important for innovation. We would like to build upon the lessons of VSU’s visionary leaders: versatile spaces are conducive for deliberate and serendipitous encounters where great ideas brew and flow.

• STRONG ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT. VSU alumni are college graduates of BNAS, VAC, ViSCA, and VSU as well as secondary school graduates of ERHS, VLHS, and VSULHS, all organized into the VSU Alumni Association. Students who did not finish their college education at VSU will be considered associate members if they desire to apply as such.

Objectives

• To strive for excellence in agriculture education for regional and rural development.
• To sharpen its focus on impact programs and projects in instruction, research, and the application of new knowledge for the well-being of the small Visayan farmers and rural families.
• To build enduring linkages with national and international institutions and agencies for the promotion of relevant instruction, meaningful research, and effective transmission of useful knowledge in the rural communities in the Visayas.

Vision

A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.

Mission

Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment.

Core Values

that will serve as guide for excellence in instruction, research, extension, and production:

• Relevance.It emphasizes pertinence and applicability of the University to the social well-being of its stakeholders. The University should continually pursue to contribute to society’s intellectual, cultural and economic progress. Its scientific and technological endeavors should be shaped by the demands of society, either in the form of knowledge in basic sciences or technology derived from applied and developmental researches;
• Integrity.The firm adherence to an upright moral code and ethical standards is vital in the University’s search for truth. An institution engaged in producing quality human capital and scientific innovation must remain incorruptible in a morally challenging environment. Integrity is crucial in forging synergistic partnerships between the University and its stakeholders. Partnerships founded upon integrity practice transparency and mutual trust;
• Truth.It is in accord with facts and reality and connotes sincerity in action, character and utterance. The character of an institution is shaped by its ability to stand by the truth and make use of it. The search for truth, the very essence of the academic institution, is the backbone of the scientific process where certainty of results is tested against all known facts. The University is an institution that stands by the truth, reasons in accordance with facts and manifests sincerity in utterances, action and character; and
• Excellence.A value that centers on the imminent goodness of the quality of services, systems, and outputs of the University. An institution that consistently lives by excellent standards in anything that it does is effective in its search for truth and delivery of socially-relevant, scientific and technological contributions. The stakeholders of the University that includes its students, producers and industries deserve nothing but the best that the institution can offer. 

Goals and Objectives

• WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION. Visayas State University (VSU) will be recognized as one of the premier universities in Asia, offering affordable world-class education to produce
  highly competent manpower in science and technology (S&T), especially for agriculture, environmental management and industries.
  
  
• GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE S&T. Research is the engine of innovation. Technologies and the information generated by research improve the socio-economic status and build
  the resilience of vulnerable groups.
  
  
• EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES. The instruction and research programs of VSU contribute to societal progress, but it is through its extension programs that the university brings about a direct and immediate effect on society. In the next 10 years, VSU will strengthen its community engagement for community empowerment.

• SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE GENERATION. The university is endowed with vast natural resources and pool of experts vital for creating income-generating projects that will help augment the resources provided by the government. The challenge is to strike a balance between continuing the pursuit of excellence while maintaining environmental conditions that will support present and future generations.
  
  
• CLIENT-CENTERED GOVERNANCE. More exciting opportunities in exchange of information in science and technology come in positioning VSU in the arena of ASEAN integration. We embrace the responsibility as a research university to build up experts engaged in effectively serving our clients – parents, students, farmers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and technologists by making our science and technology products more accessible.
  
  
• VERSATILE SPACES FOR INNOVATION. Spaces are important for innovation. We would like to build upon the lessons of VSU’s visionary leaders: versatile spaces are conducive for deliberate and serendipitous encounters where great ideas brew and flow.
  
  
• STRONG ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT. VSU alumni are college graduates of BNAS, VAC, ViSCA, and VSU as well as secondary school graduates of ERHS, VLHS, and VSULHS, all organized into the VSU Alumni Association. Students who did not finish their college education at VSU will be considered associate members if they desire to apply as such.

Quality Policy Statement 

The Visayas State University (VSU), a globally competitive university of science and technology and environmental conservation, is created by law to develop highly competitive human resource, cutting- edge scientific knowledge and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment.

Towards this end, we, at the Visayas State University, commit to:

• Produce highly competent, quality and world-class manpower in science and technology, especially for agriculture, environmental management and industry who are proficient in communication skills, critical thinking and analytical abilities;

• Generate and disseminate relevant knowledge and technologies that lead to improved productivity, profitability and sustainability in agriculture, environment and industry; and

• Satisfy the needs and applicable requirements of the industry, the community and government sectors who are in need of quality graduates and technology ready for commercialization through the establishment, operation, maintenance and continual improvement of a Quality Management System (QMS) which is aligned with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

It shall be the policy of the university that the quality policies and procedures are communicated to and understood by all faculty, staff, students and other stakeholders and that the system be continually improved for its relevance and effectiveness.

History

From BAS. To BNAS. To VAC. To ViSCA. To LSU. Now VSU.

The institution was established on June 2, 1924 as the Baybay Agricultural School (BAS) through a Provincial Board Resolution.

In 1934, it was renamed Baybay Agricultural High School (BAHS) and was later converted into the Baybay National Agricultural School (BNAS) with the approval of Commonwealth Act No. 313 in 1938.

BNAS was converted into the Visayas Agricultural College (VAC) by virtue of Republic Act (RA) No. 2831 issued on June 19, 1960.

The institution attained rapid growth and development following its conversion into Visayas State College of Agriculture (ViSCA) on May 24, 1974 through Presidential Decree (PD) No. 470 and amended by PD No. 700 on May 12, 1975. In 1999, four institutions of higher education in the province of Leyte were integrated into the College to create a five-campus ViSCA system.

ViSCA became Leyte State University (LSU) through RA No. 9158 issued on August 11, 2001. LSU became Visayas State University (VSU) on April 27, 2007 by virtue of RA No. 9437.

VSU’s mandate is the Visayas. The establishment of VSU realized the thrust of the Philippine government to develop three Zonal Agricultural Universities (ZAU’s) – to serve major regions of the country: for the Visayas, Visayas State University (VSU); for Mindanao, the Central Mindanao University (CMU); and for Luzon, the Central Luzon State University (CLSU).

Awards & Achievements

• Identified by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as Center of Excellence in Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, and Forestry (2000) and Zonal Research Center in Region 8 (2000-2003)
• Accredited by the Bureau of Immigration to accept international students into its degree programs (2000)
• Professional Graduates from SY 1953-1954 to SY 2000-2001 totaled 8,522
• Accredited Level II (Enhanced Accredited Status) in Agriculture and Graduate Education Programs by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines Inc. (AACCUP) (1999)
• Chosen by CHED as Learning Center for the Massive Upgrading of College Instructors Program for the western part of Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Biliran Provinces since 1998
• Accredited by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to act on the approval of appointments of personnel and employees since 1994
• Gintong Ani Awardee of the Department of Agriculture (1988)
• Granted a New Zealand Government Technical/Fund Support for the Extramural Program for Rural Development (EPRD) (1985)
• Tanglaw Awardee from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) (1977 and 1980)
• Lead Institution of the Visayas Consortium of Agricultural Resources Program (VICARP) since 1978
• Granted a World Bank (WB) Agricultural Support Fund (1976)
• Multi-commodity research center in the Visayas since 1975
• Zonal Agricultural University in the Visayas since 1975

Location & Facilities

Physical Features

The VSU-Main Campus has a total land area of 1,099.4 hectares that extends from the shore of Camotes Sea to the top of Mt. Pangasugan. It comprises the following:

Buildings

The University main campus has 188 buildings: 21 student dormitories, 75 staff houses, 17 academic buildings, 2 Administration buildings, and 63 others which include the Main Library, Student Union, Convention Center, Center for Continuing Education, Infirmary, Guesthouse, Hostel, Pavilion, Cebu and Manila offices, market, cafeteria, high school, elementary, workshop, DA auxiliary, gymnatorium, marine laboratory, fuel depot, power house, motor pool, garage, nurseries, barns, and 9 research/training centers as follows:

• Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops)
• National Abaca Research Center (NARC)
• National Coconut Research Center (NCRC) - Visayas
• Farm and Resource Management Institute (FARMI)
• Institute for Strategic Research and Development Studies(ISRDS)
• Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) - Leyte
• Agricultural Training Institute-National Training Center (ATI-NTC) - Visayas
• Multi-Media Development Center (MMDC)
• Institute of Tropical Ecology (ITE)
• Advanced Research and Innovation Center (ARIC)