A meeting of the minds among the university administration, faculty union leaders, and student movers firmed up UPLB’s commitment to keep the campus a safe haven for its constituents.

By signing the “Resolution to Make UPLB a Safe Haven of Free and Critical Thinking” on March 22, the UPLB administration, the All UP Academic Employees Union-Los Baños (AUPAEU-LB), the University Student Council (USC), and the Youth Advocates for Peace with Justice (YAPJUST) articulated their commitment to keep the campus a free and democratic zone of peace.

In a matter of one week after its signing, the UPLB University Council (UC) adopted the resolution at its 145th meeting on March 29.

Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. called this milestone “historic” because of the cooperation and collaboration that the parties exhibited in their common pursuit of maintaining and preserving freedom, human rights, critical thinking, and public service in the university.

Chancellor Camacho, together with Vice Chancellor (VC) for Administration Rolando Bello, VC for Community Affairs Roberto Cereno, VC for Student Affairs Janette Malata-Silva, Assistant to the Chancellor and Alumni Relations Director Eileen Lorena Mamino, Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Roselle Collado, and College of Economics and Management

Dean Agham Cuevas signed the resolution on the side of the university administration.

AUPAEU-LB was represented by Vice President for Faculty Liberty Notarte-Balanquit and Director-at- Large Emmanuel V. Dumlao. Both are faculty members at the Department

of Humanities-College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

USC had Chairperson Siegfred R. Severino and former chairperson Jainno C. Bongon sign the resolution, while YAPJUST was represented by John Peter Angelo B. Garcia and Seth Alfred D. Pagulayan.

After UC’s adoption of the resolution, the signatories conducted another set of meetings to chart the next steps toward realizing the ideals of the safe haven resolution. This led them

to propose the creation of the UC Committee on National Issues (CNI).

The UC CNI is tasked to advise the UC on national issues and to propose policies that will ensure the university’s continued exercise of academic freedom and uphold UPLB as a safe haven for freedom, human rights, critical thinking, and public service.

The signatories in the safe haven resolution shall serve as the committee’s consultative body.

The UC CNI members were presented at the 145th UC Meeting on July 26, each representing the university’s 11 colleges and schools.

They are Dr. Celia DR. Medina of the College of Agriculture and Food Science; Dr. Gilbert E. Macarandang of CAS; Asst. Prof. Romel A. Daya of the College of Development Communication; Asst. Prof. Luisito C. Abueg of the College of Economics and Management; Dr. Arthur L. Fajardo of the College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology; and Dr. Diomedes A. Racelis of the College of Forestry and Natural Resources.

Completing the UC CNI membership are Assoc. Prof. Maria Emilinda T. Mendoza of the College of Human Ecology; Dr. Aileen V. Lapitan of the College of Public Affairs and Development; Dr. Joseph F. dela Cruz of the College of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. Hildie Maria E. Nacorda of the School of Environmental Science and Management; and Dr. Ronilo Jose D. Flores of the Graduate School.

A series of meetings that AUPAEULB, USC, and YAPJUST initiated with the UPLB administration paved the way to making the resolution and to finalize the terms of reference of the UC CNI. (Mark Jayson E. Gloria)