Dr. Felino P. Lansigan received a fresh mandate as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, as the UP Board of Regents (BOR) renewed his appointment during its January 26 (1332nd) meeting. This renewal marks his second three-year term as Dean. His first appointment to the office was in August 2014.
Dean Lansigan says he looks forward to re-invigorate the revised CAS degree programs with the new general education courses. At home, the CAS has launched the Quality Assurance for Quality Education Initiative. Also in the pipeline are various construction projects: the CINTERLABS at the Physical Sciences Building rooftop, the UPRHS Building for Senior High School Students, the Makiling Film Theater at ICOPED, the Animation Studio at CAS Bldg. Basement, and additional comfort rooms at the CAS Annex second floor and Physical Sciences Bldg.
For the last three years, the College under the helm of Dean Lansigan has experienced significant progress in the areas of instruction, research and extension, internationalization, infrastructure, faculty, staff, and student’s development. The General Education Program, in particular, and a number of curricular programs (e.g. graduate degree programs in Math, Applied Math, Physics, and Applied Physics) have been developed, revised or instituted. The CAS also forwarded research project proposals with funding from UPLB Basic Research, UP EIRDG, DOST- PCAARRD, PCIEERD, DA-BAR, etc.
The annual CAS Student-Faculty Research Conference provides a boost for continued research undertakings. The advances in extension programs include: funding of attendance to conferences thru the CAS World Class Fund (WCF) and Global Competitiveness Fund (GCF); launching the Fusion of Arts and Sciences Program of the Digital Humanities; and collaborating with the UPLB Graduate School for the LITE program. These LITE Training courses with foreign universities such as Tokyo NODAI, Kobe University, Hankyong National University, Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University, and with other schools from countries in Asia align with the college’s direction towards internationalization.
The College has undertaken repairs of the CAS-DO building, addition of meeting room and receiving windows in the CAS-OCS, renovation of toilets and multipurpose training room in the CAS building, installation of new aircon units and a fix of the fire hydrant to the CAS Annex 1 and 2 buildings, respectively, and completion of the construction of the Wing B and two lawn tennis courts at the Department of Human Kinetics.
CAS prioritizes harnessing its faculty, staff, and students. For the faculty members, it availed of the DOST ASTHRPD Scholarships and instituted fellowships from the CHED K to 12 Transition as well as from the University of Texas, University of Budapest, University of Bonn, and National Sun Yat Sen Univerity. Several professorial chairs and faculty grants were issued. For the administrative staff, it conducted several activities such as the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Workshop, e-UP Refresher Training (HRIS-SPMS), e-UP Hands-on Training (SPCMIS), CAS-SARAI Team Building, and Capability Building Seminar-Workshop (skills training and sustainable livelihood) for CAS Administrative Personnel. Collaborative projects with the CAS Student Council continued, with projects like the UPLB Parolan, UPLB Palaro, GE Forum, Student Awards during the CAS Foundation Week, and the launch of Hagdan ng Malayang Kamalayan.
Since 2014, various units of the college have been recognized as Centers of Excellence –notably IBS, ICS, and INSTAT– as significantly as it received international accreditation for BS Biology and awarded the UP Scientist and NAST OYS honors to some of its exemplary constituents.
Dr. Lansigan is Professor 12 at the Institute of Statistics. His educational background consists of been a blend of agriculture, statistics, hydrology and water resources. He serves both as a member and project leader of various local and international working groups which concerns mostly on topics about Climate Change and Adaptation. He is an author and editor in numerous publications, and also a recipient of several awards and distinctions for his valuable research works, notable teaching profession, and public service.
Dr. Lansigan serves as the 8th dean of the college since its first establishment in 1972 as the College of Sciences and Humanities then. ∎
— Christian P. Umali
