THE ACCREDITING Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP) on its 20th Annual National Conference at the Manila Hotel recognized MMSU for having been one of the first six SUCs in the country to submit for accreditation in 1992 and for being the first state university in the country to have attained Level III Re-accredited Status for its programs in agricultural engineering and forestry.

The award was received by Dr. Nancy GB. Balantac, vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Josephine R. Domingo, dean for instruction, and Dr. Cristina B. Coloma, AACCUP accreditor from MMSU, during ceremonies held in celebration of AACCUP’s 20th anniversary.

The university’s agriculture and teacher education programs were earlier accredited as Level III but were not the first in their respective program categories.

Meanwhile, Dr. Maria D. Manuel, retired MMSU vice president for academic affairs (VPAA), was, likewise, recognized by AACCUP for having served as member of the first board of trustees from 1987 to 1989; as member of the first technical committee, 1987-1988; as incorporator and board member; and as pioneer accreditor, 1982.  Dr. Manuel retired in 1997 holding the SUC Vice President IV position and the College Professor rank.  When MMSU was founded in 1978, she was already holding a teaching position at the then College of Education (CE), now College of Teacher Education, where she later became dean of the college.  She was appointed VPAA in 1986, a position she held until her retirement. For a time, when she was VPAA, she was also concurrent dean of CE.

The 20th Annual National AACCUP Conference with the theme, “20 Years of Accreditation: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs” aimed to review, reward, and re-invigorate the pursuit of quality in education in the country. Specifically, it aimed to let the participants gain appreciation of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of accreditation in the last 20 years; consolidate the “good practices” that contributed to the development of the accreditation program; celebrate the landmark triumph of accreditation and recognize the key personalities responsible for it; and define the major direction of accreditation in the next five years and secure the participants’ commitment to it.

Convention participants included those from SUCs, from the National Network of Quality Assurance Agencies, Association of Local Colleges and Universities-Commission on Accreditation, CHED central and regional offices, CHED Technical Working Group on Accreditation, House of Representatives Committee on Higher and Technical Education, Senate Committee on Education, Professional Regulation Commission, DepEd’s Teacher Education Council, Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs), and accrediting agencies for PHEIs.