College of Engineering & Architecture: Standing on the Test of Time

The College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) is where I belong. I am taking up Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (Can't relate to photography? Yeah, but that's another story). During my free time, I took this picture of our building at a side angle. I wanted to let someone have the nostalgic feeling while looking at this picture so I made a little enhancement using Adobe Photoshop CS3- so there you have it! If you are having a nostalgic feeling while looking at this picture then I succeed. Anyway, to give you some information about my college I posted here the History of the College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA).

History of the College of Engineering and Architecture

The enactment of Batas Pambansa Bilang 401 on June 10, 1983 converted East Visayan School of Arts and Trades (EVSAT) to the Central Visayas Polytechnic College (CVPC). The State College was the result of the merger of three (3) government institutions in the province of Negros Oriental, namely; the East Visayan School of Arts and Trades in Dumaguete City, the Bais School of Fisheries (BSF) in Okiot, Bais City, and the Guihulngan Vocational School (GVS) in the Municipality of Guihulngan. CVPC's mandate included the offering of engineering courses. However, it took quite awhile for CVPC to comply with the mandate and it was only during the presidency of Hon. Henry A. Sojor, Ph.D., the second CVPC president, that this was realized. Upon the assumption into office on August 1, 1991, the president prioritized and initiated ways and means to offer engineering courses in the institution.

By virtue of CVPC Board of Trustees (BOT) Resolution No. 43, series of 1991, the president was given the legal mandate to offer the following programs; Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering, and the Associate in Architecture. The Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering was offered in June 1992 under the Engineering Department of the Technician Education and Engineering Institute (TEEI), the forerunner of the College of Technician Education which was then headed by Dean Ramses Santos. The Department was chaired by Engr. Gonzalo A. Bulaclac, Jr. The following year, the Bachelor of Science in Architecture was offered by the Department.

In 1994, the BOT issued Resolution No. 7 allowing the president to offer the following programs; Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE), Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE), Bachelor of Science in Geothermal Engineering (BSGE), and the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME). This essentially paved the way for the establishment of the College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) in CVPC.

The College was officially instituted in June 1994 with 10 faculty members headed by Engr. Gonzalo A. Bulaclac, Jr., its first dean. Six (6) programs were offered for school year 1994-1995 that included the BSECE and BSArch programs which were transferred from TEEI. A total of 228 students of which 17.5 percent of the total student population or 40 students were female, enrolled in the various degree programs. The total CEA student population included 31 third-year and 22 second-year students in Electronics and Communications Engineering as well as eight (8) second year students in Architecture.

In June 1995, the Bachelor of Science in Geodetic Engineering (BSGdE) was offered as authorized by BOT Resolution No. 14-a, series of 1995. BOT Resolution No.7, series of 1994 authorized the operation of the Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering (BSCoE) program but was offered only in June 1997. With the addition of these two (2) degree programs, the College has offered (8) degree programs in Architecture and Engineering since the start of the school year 1997-1998. Initially the College was situated and instructions were held at the third floor of what is presently known as the College of Technician Education building, located at the institution's main campus at Kagawasan Avenue, Capitol Area, Dumaguete City. With the development of a new campus at Bajumpandan, officially known as Main Campus II, Dumaguete City, the College is now permanently housed at the College of Engineering and Architecture Building since 1998.

THe first batch of engineering graduates of the college consisted of 18 students, 17 males and a lone female who have earned and received their Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering in March 1997. THe following year, four (4) of the pioneering group of Architecture students graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Architecture. As of March 2006, the total graduates from the various degree program s of CEA numbered 470. On June 25, 2004, the Central Visayas Polytechnic College was converted into a state university known as the Negros Oriental State University (NORSU), by virtue of Republic Act No. 9299. The same Act integrated the Genaro Goni Memorial College in the City of Bais, the Siaton Community College in the municipality of Siaton and the Mabinay Institute of Technology in the municipality of MAbinay, all located in the Province of Negros Oriental.

Over the years, the student population has increased markedly. This increase necessitated the hiring of additional qualified teachers as members of the CEA faculty that has since tripled in number. The College caters to graduates from public and private high schools not only in the province of Negros Oriental but also in the neighboring provinces of Cebu, Negros Occidental as well as provinces in northern Mindanao.

The dedication and commitment of the faculty and staff of the College is clearly manifested in the performance of its graduates not only in government licensure examinations but also in their respective workplaces. Such is likewise evident from the satisfaction and approval of partner entities and communities in its research and extension activities and linkages.

The average passing percentage of graduates of the college who took the board examination for their respective fields are better than the national passing percentages, to wit: for the Mechanical Engineering licensure examination, CEA-NORSU averaged 95.65% compared to the 44.52% national average; for the Geodetic Engineering licensure examination, CEA-NORSU's average is 87.5% compared to the national average of 40.26%; for the Electrical Engineering licensure examination, the average passing percentage for CEA-NORSU is 75.00% while the national passing percentage is 41.58%. In addition the institution has been recipient of certificates of recognition from the Professional Regulation Commission and the relevant Board for having obtained 1st place with a passing performance of 100% in the Mechanical Engineer and Geodetic Engineer Licensure Examinations. For one reason or another, not all graduates of the College that requires licensing took the board exam but it is interesting to note that more than 60% of the Total number of graduates are licensed.

A number of board passers placed among the top in the various licensure examinations given by the Professional Regulation Commission. Most notable is Engr. Joyeth A. Bolongaita the first lady No.1 topnotcher in the Licensure Examinations for Mechanical Engineers (April 2003). The other board examination topnotchers are: Engr. Regin E. Melon, 15th in Civil Engineering (November 1999); Engr. Rilt Renart G. Dorado, 2nd in Geodetic Engineering (July 2001); Engr. Elias C. Bayking Jr., 8th in Mechanical Engineering (October 2003); Arch't. Neil Arvin Tia, 9th in Architecture (January 2004); Engr. Charles D. Ausejo, 10th in Mechanical Engineering (April 2004); Engr. Hadjim P. Pinero, 3rd in Geodetic Engineering (June 2004); Engr. Isier B. Armas, 4th in Geodetic Engineering (September 2005); and Engr. Mark Harold T. Gustilo, 10th in Mechanical Engineering (October 2005).

The College of Engineering and Architecture continues to uphold the standard of the State University and is deeply committed to its mission of preparing and transforming students to become highly trained engineers and architects dedicated to the ideals of their profession for the benefit of the community to which they serve or lead. The College remains steadfast to its Vision of being the center of excellence in engineering and architecture in the Visayas and Mindanao
(Source: www.norsu-cea.extremecomments.com)