VSU implements new vision, mission, organizational structures

VSU officially implements its newly crafted vision, mission, guiding principles (core values), and the revamped organizational structures starting this year. 

The VSU Board of Regents approved the four-year Strategic Plan Execution Continuum and the new organizational structures that mark an important milestone in the university’s pursuit of excellence and societal transformation. 

Strategic Plan Execution Continuum 2025-2028

The Strategic Plan Execution Continuum provides a clear roadmap for the next four years. This focuses on key areas such as academic excellence, research and innovation, community engagement, student affairs and services, financial management, resource generation, and infrastructure development. This also outlines specific milestones that VSU aims to achieve to stay on track and remain responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities. 

This framework is the result of the collaborative effort from all faculty, administrative staff, students, alumni, and other stakeholders during the two-week Strategic Foresight-Scenario Building and Strategic Planning Workshop on July 15-26, 2024. 

VSU’s new vision is to become “a global green university providing progressive leadership in agriculture, science and technology, education, and allied fields for societal transformation.”

The new mission of VSU is “to produce graduates equipped with advanced knowledge and lifelong learning skills with ethical standards through high-quality instruction, innovative research, and impactful community engagement.”

From RITE (Relevance, Integrity, Truth and Excellence), VSU implements its new guiding principles following the STRIDES framework: Service, Truth, Resilience, Integrity, Discipline, Excellence, and Social Justice. 

As VSU strides for excellence and impact, the revised guiding principles serve as a call to action to uphold the highest standards across all university functions and endeavors. 

New Organizational Structures

The revamping of the organizational structures aims to streamline and rationalize the roles and processes, and align the resources more effectively to better respond to the evolving needs of the university.

University President Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes said that there is no dissolution of offices in the revision of the organizational structures, but only adjustments for the roles and offices that may be redundant. 

One of the notable changes under the newly implemented organizational structures is the renaming of what was previously referred to as a College, which is now officially renamed as Faculty. 

VSU has expanded from eight colleges to 12 faculties, along with the introduction of one newly implemented college. 

• The College of Agriculture and Food Science is now called the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Science (FAFS). Under FAFS are the following departments: 

• • Department of Agronomy
  • Department of Soil Science
  • Department of Horticulture
  • Department of Animal Science
  • Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics
  • Department of Pest Management
  • Department of Food Science and Technology
  • Department of Agricultural Education and Extension
  • Department of Development Communication
  • Department of Animal Science (VSU Villaba)
  • Department of Crop Science (VSU Villaba)
  • Department of Agricultural Science (VSU Alangalang) 

• The College of Nursing is now called the Faculty of Nursing (FON).
• The College of Veterinary Medicine is now called the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM). Under FVM are the following departments: 

• • Department of Veterinary Paraclinical Sciences
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
  • Department of Veterinary Basic Sciences

• The College of Forestry and Environmental Science is now called the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Science (FFES). Under FFES are the following departments: 

• • Department of Forest Science 
  • Institute of Tropical Ecology and Environmental Science
  • Department of Environmental Science (VSU Alangalang)

• The College of Management and Economics is now called the Faculty of Management and Economics (FME). Under FME are the following departments: 

• • Department of Business Management
  • Department of Economics
  • Department of Hospitality Management
  • Department of Tourism Management
  • Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • Department of Business and Management (VSU Isabel)
  • Visayas Socio-Economic Research and Data Analytics Center

The College of Education has been renamed the Faculty of Teacher Education (FTE) under the revised organizational structures. Under FTE are the Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Department of Secondary Education, Institute of Human Kinetics, and VSU Laboratory High School. All campuses with Teacher Education departments will also be under FTE. 

The now defunct College of Arts and Sciences are now divided into faculties: the Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (FNMS) and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS).

Under FNMS are the following departments: Department of Statistics, Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Physics, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Department of Mathematics, Department of Biotechnology, and Department of Natural and Mathematical Sciences (VSU Tolosa).

FNMS now includes the Department of Meteorology, which was previously part of the College of Engineering and Technology. 

The departments under FHSS are the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences, Department of Arts, Languages, and Literature, Department of Arts and Sciences (VSU Isabel and VSU Alangalang), Department of Social Science and Humanities (VSU Tolosa), and the Institute of Strategic Research and Development Studies. 

The College of Engineering and Technology is now officially the Faculty of Engineering (FE) following the organizational restructuring. Under FE are the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering (VSU Main and VSU Isabel), Department of Civil Engineering (VSU Main and VSU Isabel), Department of Geodetic Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering (VSU Isabel).

The Department of Computer Science and Technology, previously under the College of Engineering and Technology, now operates as its own entity under the newly established Faculty of Computing (FOC). Under FOC is also the Department of Information Technology from VSU Isabel and VSU Alangalang. 

Moreover, among the four component campuses, only VSU Tolosa has university-recognized faculties because of the organic programs it offers: the Faculty of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (FFAS) and the Faculty of Criminal Justice Education (FCJE).

Under FFAS are the Department of Fisheries and the Department of Aquatic Sciences. Likewise, the departments under FCJE are the Department of Criminology and the Department of Industrial Security Management. 

Retaining its designation as a college is the soon-to-be-established VSU College of Medicine (VSU-COM) due to its legal implications and regulatory requirements specific to medical education and professional licensure standards. 

On January 2, 2025, an agreement was formalized between VSU and Dr. Roxanne J. Bongon, who will serve as the consultant for the establishment of VSU-COM. Essential preparations are also underway for the Doctor of Medicine program to meet its the highest standards of medical education and training in the region and beyond. 

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For the graduate programs, they are now integrated into their respective faculties and departments to align them with the undergraduate programs offered in the same discipline or field of specialization. 

This change ensures a more cohesive and streamlined approach to allow faculties and departments manage the offering and delivery of both undergraduate and graduate programs. 

The office of Graduate Education, formerly the Graduate School, will primarily handle administrative functions and focus on coordination, policy implementation, and supervision. It will also serve a liaison between the academic units and graduate students.

Another significant development under the new organizational structures is the establishment of the new research centers.

The Geospatial and GIS Research and Services Center serves as a hub for advancing geospatial technologies and geographic information system (GIS) applications to support research and development. 

To enhance livestock and poultry productivity and sustainability in the region and beyond, the Livestock and Poultry Research and Development Center focuses on innovative research and development in genetics, nutrition, and management practices. 

Another new research center is the Center for Socio-Cultural Research and Heritage Studies aiming to preserve and promote cultural heritage through interdisciplinary research on traditions, arts, and social practices. 

The Strategic Plan Execution Continuum and the new organizational structures are two initiatives under the administration of President Yepes that provides VSU and its stakeholders a clear framework for their respective roles, responsibilities, and targets, to promote a sense of ownership and accountability. 

This article is aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure),  and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

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