by Michelle Jeanne Caracut, OC/OPI
WASTING no time since her appointment, the new dean of the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS), Prof. Rohane M. Derogongan, Ph.D., led faculty and staff in planning out the college’s future in a mobilizing and motivating activity held off campus on September 5, 2019.
Derogongan gathered her constituents at the College Direction Setting activity held at the Go Hotels at Robinsons Place in Iligan to identify future directions of the college and to plan actions to ensure the accomplishment of goals.
The activity also served to strengthen the camaraderie among CASS faculty and staff members.
During the direction setting, a brief ceremony was held where Derogongan’s predecessor, Dr. Marie Joy D. Banawa, formally turned over her duties and responsibilities.
In her acceptance speech, Derogongan shared the important values that she felt would help her as dean of CASS. She emphasized the values of time, trust, ties, teamwork, and triumph.
Derogongan also underscored the importance of cooperation among departments, encouraging everyone to do more for CASS and for MSU-IIT.
She presented the college’s current profile and highlighted the need for the college to contribute more to the realization of the Institute’s goal to become a research university.
The new dean enjoined the departments to strengthen their faculty and staff force, undergraduate and graduate programs, linkages, as well as laying down framework and policies of the various centers established which will be supervised and managed by CASS.
The Institute’s Chancellor, Sukarno D. Tanggol, who spoke at the activity, said that he was grateful that CASS was there to represent the social sciences and the humanities in MSU-IIT’s attempt to produce graduates who are holistic individuals and responsible members of society.
“While we are focusing on goals or targets or objectives, there is a higher principle there, and that is to be committed to change — positive change, to continually improve, and that is why we are here as a college. Not only do you want specific targets to be met next year in terms of the number of COEs and CODs and AACCUP Level 4s…but there is that inherent passion in you, the desire in you, to continue on improving individually, as a department,” Tanggol added.
“You will always go back to the general vision of the Institute. Because our attempt to improve our own vision and work towards our own college goals should be contributory to the attainment of our institute goals. I am happy that in the case of decision-making, you really implement fully well the collegiality that is inherent in a university,” the Chancellor said.
During the activity, the faculty and staff members revisited the CASS mission, goals, and vision.
Following the revisit, the various departments of the college presented reports on the different undertakings currently being pursued, as well as re-accreditation plans and future activities in areas of research, extension, faculty development programs, and curricular programs.
Photos by: Romel Sencio, Bulkhia Panolondong, Rafael Romero