Role Of Quality Assurance Expanded With Creation Of 3 Units  

Recognizing the need for the Quality Assurance Office of the Tarlac State University (TSU) to exercise “an expanded and enhanced role in the University,” President Myrna Q. Mallari has created three units under QAO that will focus exclusively on accreditation standards.

In an administrative order dated January 22, 2019, the president established units that will be responsible for the following: (1) accreditation of the university by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP); (2) university accreditation by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and other government entities; and (3) maintenance of the university’s Integrated Management System (IMS) certification.

In another AO, also dated January 22, 2019, Dr. Elizabeth A. Amurao, QAO director, is tasked to concurrently head the AACCUP Accreditation Unit, “which will be in charge of AACCUP matters pertaining to programs and institutional accreditation matters.”

The CHED and Government-Entity Accreditation Unit, to be headed by Dr. Ma. Socorro D. Valdez, a senior faculty member and former dean of the College of Science, is mandated to take care of accreditation and qualification requirements for several standards, such as CHED’s Center of Excellence/Center of Development program, Institutional Accreditation, and State University and Colleges (SUC) Levelling. It is also in charge of TSU’s International Accreditation, identified in the AO as “Washington (Engineering), Dublin (Technology), Canberra (Architecture), Seoul (Information Technology).”

The third unit, called the IMS Certification and Maintenance Unit and led by Engr. Maricar N. Banting, “will be responsible for the (IMS), which include(s) ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management System), and OHSAS 14001:2007 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System).”

Mallari said the roles of these new units are not limited to the “implementation and monitoring of quality and standards in the performance of functions.”

They are also expected to contribute to the “attainment of the University’s vision of becoming a Premier University in the Asia Pacific Region,” the president added. [OPAI]