History
A vision of “UP in Mindanao"
There were already stirrings for the establishment of a ''UP in Mindanao'' as early as the late 1950s or early 1960s. The UP Alumni Association-Davao Chapter, which was established on December 3, 1949, clamored for the creation of a “UP in Mindanao” for more than two decades; as early as 1961, the UP Summer School already offered extension courses in Law, Business Administration and Education, with the old location of the Davao Central Elementary School as venue. This was then replaced by the short-lived UP Extension Division Davao in 1970. However, in a feasibility study conducted by Hannah et al., it dismissed the idea of creating a permanent constituent campus of UP in Mindanao due to financial concerns. On November 24–25, 1989, the UPAA Davao Chapter hosted the 12th UP Alumni Institute with SenatorEstablishment
Republic Act 7889, entitled, "An Act Creating the University of the Philippines Mindanao," was finally enacted into law on February 20, 1995, by President Fidel V. Ramos. On March 22 of the same year, the Board of Regents passed a resolution officially creating the University of the Philippines Mindanao. To emphasize the importance of RA 7889 to the Mindanaoans, a re-enactment of the signing was held at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, with President Ramos himself in attendance. In that same year, Rogelio V. Cuyno was appointed as UP Mindanao's first dean. The Lee Business Center in Juan Luna Street corner J. de la Cruz Street, and the Casa Mercado Building in Matina served as UP Mindanao's home from March to September 1995 and from September 1995 to January 1996 respectively, until it finally found its home at Ladislawa Avenue. Because the university then had no disposable land where to construct its facilities, President Ramos signed Proclamation No. 822 reserving 204 hectares of government-sequestered land in Mintal for UP Mindanao. This land was originally owned by the Japanese Ohta Development Corporation and was later returned to the Philippine Government as part of war reparations after World War II. In June 1996, the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Management were created. After a year, the CAS was split into the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Science and Mathematics; the School of Management was retained. In 1997, the Elias B. Lopez Residential Hall was constructed. It was initially envisioned to be a dormitory for female students, as the one of the existing structures used by UP Mindanao inside the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) building was a male-only dormitory.A period of changes (1998–2000)
On February 20, 1998, the UP Oblation was installed at the Bago Oshiro campus during the university's 3rd Foundation Anniversary. The statue was made by Napoleon Abueva, and is a replica of the original UP Oblation by Guillermo Tolentino. It was accompanied by the UP Madrigal Singers upon its arrival in Davao and was brought to Mintal after a citywide motorcade from Sasa Wharf. It was temporarily installed at the CSM grounds, then later moved to its permanent location at the Oblation Circle, in front of the Administration Building. The Board of Regents granted full autonomy to UP Mindanao on February 26, 1998, making it the sixth and latest constituent unit of theThe first decade (2000–2010)
The second University Chancellor of the university was Ricardo M. de Ungria, who was installed on September 21, 2001. Under his chancellorship, UP Mindanao co-founded the Davao Colleges and Universities Network (DACUN), Mindanao Science and Technology Park Consortium (MSTPC) and Mindanao Studies Consortium Foundation Inc. (MSCFI). In addition, the Board of Regents approved in 2002 the creation of two offices that delivered UP Mindanao's mandate, the Office of Extension and Community Services (OECS) and the Office of Research (OR). The construction of the Sitio Basak Road, which connects UP Mindanao, and neighboring Sitio Basak, to Mintal and Davao City, was completed in 2006. Initially, this unpaved road, known to the UP Mindanao community as the ''Abortion Road'', was one of the hindrances that students, teachers, and the community had to endure everyday especially during rainy days, when the road was impassable to almost all kinds of vehicles. The first edition of the university's refereed journal, ''Banwa'', was published in 2004. It was the first major academic journal to be printed in Mindanao. This was then followed by the awarding by the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) to the School of Management's Agribusiness Supply Chain as the "Best Higher Education Research Program" in 2006. The same program won the same award again in 2010. Gilda C. Rivero succeeded De Ungria as UP Mindanao's third chancellor on July 30, 2007. Her two vice chancellors are Emma Ruth V. Bayogan, Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Miguel D. Soledad, appointed as Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Administration starting June 2, 2008, with Soledad's appointment eventually approved by the Board of Regents on its 1233rd Meeting. It was during this year when CHED awarded UP Mindanao, specifically its Computer Science program, as a Center for Development in IT Education. The CHED Zonal Research Center was established in UP Mindanao in 2008, focusing on biodiversity and biotechnology research and development. However, during the first year of Chancellor Rivero's administration, the general tuition fee was increased due to the revision of tuition and other fees (TOFI), resulting in a PhP600-per-unit calculation of matriculation, which infuriated many regular, outgoing and incoming students due to the high fees coupled with miscellaneous fees like cultural and internet fees. Due to increased protests by students and some faculty members, the university was closely guarded by the Philippine National Police, the Army and ROTC corps during the visit of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the laying-down of the capsule for the Biotechnology Complex at CSM in 2009; many protesters, mostly from UPMin and some from other universities within the region, rallied at the Administration Building and barricaded Kanluran Road so as to block the passage of the Presidential convoy. Only former UP President Emerlinda R. Roman and DOST Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro were present during the event. The Centennial Year of the University of the Philippines was celebrated in 2008, with UP Mindanao holding a kick-off ceremony and testimonial dinner as part of its celebrations. In 2009, the Administration Building was completed and its right wing became the residence of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. In that year, ''Banwas journal issue on sago (''Twenty years and beyond (2010–present)
During the 1285th Board of Regents meeting on January 24, 2013, the UP Board of Regents selected Sylvia B. Concepcion as the fourth Chancellor of the UP Mindanao. Her term started on March 1, 2013, and ended on February 28, 2016. The turn-over ceremony (and also the testimonial ceremony for Chancellor Rivero) was held on February 22, 2013, and the Investiture Ceremony for the new chancellor was conducted on April 19, 2013, simultaneous with the 16th Commencement Exercises. During the 31st SR Selection of the General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC) at UP Visayas Miag-ao Campus, former UP Mindanao University Student Council (USC) Chairperson Krista Iris Melgarejo was chosen as the 31st Student Regent of the UP System. She is the first SR to hail from the university. Her term formally started during the June 20 UP Board of Regents meeting. The construction of the University Main Library began in August 2013, after a prolonged dispute between the university and settler associations living within the university on land ownership issues hampered efforts to immediately construct the building earlier that year. The Main Library was finished in the late quarter of 2014. UP Mindanao was awarded as the "Best Implementing Agency" during the 25th Founding Anniversary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Research and Development Consortium (SMARRDEC) in 2013. In addition, it also hosted its first international research conference, entitled the International Conference on Agribusiness Economics and Management (ICAEM). The university celebrated its 20th Foundation Anniversary throughout the month of February 2015 under the theme, "''Ika-baynte saulugon, UPMin padayon''!" (Celebrate the twentieth, onward UPMin!). One of the main highlights during the month-long celebrations is the ''bayanihan'' construction of the Oblation Plaza on February 28 entitled "''Isang Libong Alumni Para Kay Oble''" (''A Thousand UP Alumni for the Oblation''), led by the UP Alumni Association-Davao Chapter and various alumni from all UP constituent universities together with members of the UPMin administration, staff, faculty, and students. During this event, the ceremonial lighting of the UP Mindanao Oblation (which was inspired from UP Mindanao's own ''Torch Night'') featured alumni from UP Manila,Organization
Administration
UP Mindanao is governed by the 11-member Board of Regents composed of the UP President, the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the chairpersons of the Committee of Higher Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives, four regents representing the student, faculty, alumni and staff sectors, and three regents who are appointed by theColleges and degree-granting Units
UP Mindanao is divided into two colleges and one school: the College of the Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), focusing on the cultural diversity of Mindanao through the study of humanities and social sciences; the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM), studying the endemic flora and pioneering scientific development in the fields of biology, food science, applied mathematics, and computer science; and the School of Management (SOM), which undertakes research on supply chain management and agribusiness economics.Degree-granting units
College of Humanities and Social Sciences * Department of Architecture ** Architecture ** Urban and Regional Planning * Department of Humanities ** Communication and Media Arts *** Communication theory *** Communication research *** Media Arts *** Speech and Corporate Communication ** Creative Writing *** English literature *** American literature *** Filipino literature ** Foreign languages *** Japanese * Department of Human Kinetics ** Physical Education *** Exercise and Sports Science *** UP Mindanao Varsity Teams **** Football **** Basketball **** Volleyball **** Chess *** UP Mindanao Dance Ensemble ** National Service Training Program * Department of Social Sciences ** Anthropology ** Linguistics ** Psychology ** Social Sciences College of Science and Mathematics * Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies ** Animal Science ** Biology ** Crop Science ** Ecology ** Microbiology ** Wildlife ** Zoology * Department of Food Science and Chemistry ** Chemistry ** Food Science and Technology * Department of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science ** Applied Mathematics ** Data Analytics and Data Studies ** Computer Science ** Applied Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence ** Physics School of Management * Agribusiness Economics * Supply Chain ManagementCampus
Even before the establishment of UPMin, Barangay Mintal and Barangay Bago Oshiro, are known for its agriculture research centers. TheExisting
Office structures * Administration Building (''Admin'') – houses most administrative offices, as well as housing the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) and School of Management (SOM) classrooms and offices. Designed by Francisco C. Santos, Jr. after the Quezon Hall (Administration Building) ofUnder development
* Davao City-UP Sports Complex – the DC-UP Sports Complex has been envisioned by the City Government of Davao and UP as a regional sports facility based on international standards. It contains a training and athletic gymnasium, football stadium with oval track, an aquatic center for swimming events, training rooms and facilities, and offices and classrooms for the Department of Human Kinetics, later to be handed to the College of Human Kinetics. It is found on a 20-hectare site two kilometers away from the Administration Building. * UP Mindanao Health Center ** Davao City Public Hospital ** Mindanao Research and Innovation Center for One Health ** Center for Infectious Diseases ** Philippine Genome Center–Mindanao Building * UP Mindanao Botanical Garden ** Cultural parks *** Central Park – greenery behind the Administration Building and Main Library *** Mindanawon, Islamic, Chinese, Japanese ** Convergence Park *** Carillion Plaza – proposed roundabout *** Religious buildings (Roman Catholic, Islam, interfaith) *** Open-air amplitheater * Academic Core ** College of Humanities and Social Sciences Complex *** CHSS Academic Building ** College of Science and Mathematics Complex *** Philippine Genome Center – Mindanao (PGC–Mindanao) Center ** School of Management Complex *** SOM Building Phase 2 ** Future College of Human Kinetics *** College of Human Kinetics Building * Mindanao Research and Development Center ** CARIM Building Phase 2 * Knolwedge, Innovation, Science, and Technology Park (KIST Park) – future complex for science, technology, and engineering activities; jointly sponsored by UP Mindanao and the Kitakyushu Science and Knowledge Park. * Road and pedestrian network ** Mindanao Ring – circumferential pedestrian road connecting all academic complexes, the Administration Building, and Main Library ** Cultural Walk – concrete-paved pathwalks featuring textile patterns from selected Mindanawon ethnolinguistic groups ** protected walkways ** bikeways * Executive Housing facilities * Commercial facilitiesRetired
* Ladislawa Campus – located inside Ladislawa Village, it housed the first administrative offices of UP Mindanao. * Lee Business Corner – housed the first administrative offices and classrooms of UP Mindanao. * Casa Mercado Building – located in Matina, this was used as an extension building for the administration. * Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Dormitory – located in Bago Oshiro, a few structures within the area were used by UP Mindanao as male-only dormitory and educational center, where the first lecture classes were held. * Old SOM Building (UP Mindanao City Campus, ''UP Anda'') – located in F. Iñigo Street (formerly Anda Street) in downtown Davao City, This building was an old hotel rented by the former UPMin Administration for their offices and an extension campus while they moved from the old Ladislawa campus. It was used to hold classes for the School of Management (SOM) major subjects and master's degrees courses, and the UP Open University Davao office was also located there. Upon the completion of the SOM Building at the main campus, the remaining facilities were moved into the new SOM Building at Mintal. The UPOU Davao Office moved to a nearby building where the UP Alumni Association-Davao Chapter office is located. * Old Main Library Building (''Main Lib'') – formerly the UP Mindanao Cultural Center. This small building was the old "convenience center" by the 66th Engineering Brigade, given to UPMin when the former left Mintal for deployment. It houses the main book collections of the university and the School of Management (SOM) library. In 2011, due to the construction of the Mindanao Avenue, the structure was demolished and its contents moved to the Interactive Learning Center-Learning Resource Center building (ILC-LRC), Elias B. Lopez Residential Hall, and Kalimudan Student Center while the new University Library was being constructed.Student life
As with the other UP units, the university is home to many student organizations that sponsor many activities, most notably during the month of August, September, December and February. These organizations also foster camaraderie and excitement in a major university that is quite distant from downtown Davao. Like inSpecial events
Due to the efforts made by the students and academe, and due in part to its isolation to urban Davao, UP Mindanao's youth as a constituent unit has been offset by its efforts to become a cultural melting pot in the whole Mindanao region. Most of the traditions practiced were borrowed from other constituent units, but were given Mindanaoan elements. Because of these, such events draw an enormous crowd not only from the student and employee body, but also from other schools and universities as well. Most of the events are organized by the UP Mindanao University Student Council (USC) and student organizations through the coordination and support of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA); other events are also hosted by program-based student organizations, fraternities, and sororities.University convocation
During the first day of classes for every academic year, the whole community gathers at the Atrium to welcome the freshmen with an acquaintance ceremony, in which members of the administration, faculty, heads of the colleges, staff and students are introduced. An invited guest speaker will then give an inspirational message for the new members of the student body. The freshman with the highest University-predicted Grade (UPG) will then give his/her message on behalf of the batch and lead them during the oath-taking. The elected University Student Council officials are also inaugurated during the program after they were elected during the previous academic year.Torch Night
Usually done weeks after the formal opening of classes, the Torch Night involves the symbolic passing of the lit torch, symbolizing responsibility and privilege as "Iskolar ng Bayan", by the upperclassmen, represented by the bloc leaders of the earlier freshmen batch, to the current bloc leaders of the freshmen batch of each degree program. They then pledge their oath of loyalty and responsibility to the university and to their fellow schoolmates. A competition of group presentations between freshmen is also part of the event.Freshmen Night
One of the highlights during the academic year, the Freshmen Night is held a month after the Torch Night, where all freshmen, with the help of their upperclassmen, compete in a pageant (''Search for UPMin Isko and Iska'') and a dance competition. In 2011, it was celebrated together with the Torch Night but was reinstated as a separate activity in 2013.Freshmen Torch Night
In an effort to make the experience of welcoming the new students better, the Freshmen Torch Night has been organized in 2011 until the following year. This event combined the fanfare of welcoming the freshmen during Torch Night and the pageantry of the Freshmen Night. The event's highlights include the passing and lighting of the degree program torches and group presentations from the freshmen (taken from the Torch Night) and the ''Search for the Ultimate Isko and Iska of UP Mindanao'' (Freshmen Night).Dula
Dula, a Cebuano word meaning "play", is the university-wide sportsfest, preceded by the college-based sportsfests ''Dula-dula'' for CSM and SOM, and ''Hampang'' for CHSS (both words mean "play" in the Cebuano and Hiligaynon/Ilonggo languages). Done usually in the middle of the first semester of the academic year two weeks before the moratorium, students get together with their teachers in the spirit of enjoyment, sportsmanship and camaraderie. The highlight of the competitions is the Cheerdance Competition, the climax of intercollegiate rivalry between CHSS, CSM and SOM, drawing huge crowds from other universities and is commonly featured in the local media.Deviance Day
Deviance Day is organized by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) under the Department of Social Sciences (DSS) and the Dalub-aral na may Ugnayan, Galing at Organisadong Ningas na Ginagabayan ng Antropolohiya (DUGONG-ANTRO) student organization. It is an adaptation of UP Cebu's "Crazy Day" and was originally a free concert hosted by the BA Social Sciences and BA Anthropology programs. Throughout the day, participating students, faculty and staff would dress up with their "not-so-everyday" attires. Many would copy the look of their favorite movie/cartoon/book characters, some would dress up in formal attire, others try to cross-dress, some do cosplay, and a brave few would enter classes with little clothing at all. In the evening, a program is held which consists of talent shows, a presentation of the best-dressed people during the day, and a free concert, participated by musical bands within the university.Kasadya
A Cebuano word meaning "joy or happiness," Kasadya is the highlight of the university-wide Christmas celebration that starts during December and continues through the month. It features a lantern parade made by the university constituents and other sectors in UP Mindanao, and Pasiklaban, a skit contest for students and alumni sponsored by the UP Alumni Association-Davao. In 2010, the Christmas celebrations were officially opened with the lighting of the University Christmas Tree, constructed with lanterns from the different student organizations, at the Kalimudan Student Center, and the culminating program and lantern parade was held at Peoples' Park in Davao City. Since 2011, the celebrations for Kasadya were held inside the campus.UP Mindanao anniversary celebrations
A month-long event, this commemorates the foundation of UP in Mindanao as a constituent university with the UP System on February 20. Cultural and civic events are conducted during this time, spearheaded by the administration. The colleges also celebrate their foundation weeks during this period (namely CHSS Week and CSM Week). The respective degree programs also hold their own events within their college's week, such as ''BACA Night'' by the BA Communication Arts program and Communicators' Guild, and ''CSM Night'', organized by the CSM Student Council. Residents of the Elias B. Lopez Hall also celebrate their Dorm Week during this period, with events such as workshops, talkshows, quiz bees, the ''Open House'' (where students not living inside the dormitory can enter the rooms of dormers throughout the day), competitions for the cleanest and best-decorated rooms, and the much-awaited ''Mistress of the Dorm'', a beauty pageant of cross-dressing male dormers. UP Fiesta is the umbrella event organized by the University Student Council, held on the first week of the anniversary. It includes guided tours throughout the university for invited high school students, talent shows, and a market fair participated by several student organizations which lasts until the following week's Orgs Fair, which is also another event where student organizations get to promote their activities to other students and organizations. Other activities include foundation celebrations by several student organizations, and the Tatak UPMin, which consists of a beauty pageant (''Mistress and Master of UPMin'') of male and female students from the different student organizations cross-dressing into their alter-egos, and a musical competition of bands (''Battle of the Bands''). Honorable students, faculty and staff are given recognition during Recognition Day, held on February 20, the exact date when UP Mindanao was founded in 1995. The annual alumni homecoming held during this period has been named Panagtagbo, which means "gathering" in the Cebuano language. This event aims to gather the former students, faculty, and staff of UP Mindanao since its institution in 1995, and offers an avenue for them to reunite with their former classmates, schoolmates, professors, and the university. It also includes musical presentations by ''Alagad ni Oble'', one of the first musical bands established in the university, and dance concerts by invited party DJs. It was only in 2013 when the event was formally included in the formal lineup of activities throughout the month, and was given a name by the alumni.Housing
The Elias B. Lopez Hall (EBL Hall) serves as the student residence center of the university, administered by the Student Housing Section (SHS) under the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). Most residents are freshmen and upperclassmen with home residences outside Davao City. In addition, the Science and Technology Dormitory (the Dorm Annex) caters to students from the College of Science and Mathematics, especially those conducting their undergraduate theses, research works, and other related activities. Several dormitories, apartments, and shared residences are also near the campus, located mostly at Sitio Basak and Mintal.See also
*References
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