With a slim margin of 20 votes, former UP Open University (UPOU) Chancellor Felix Librero, who was reported to be the administration-favored candidate, was elected as the next Faculty Regent (FR).

In a systemwide election by UP faculty members, Librero sealed a total of 981 votes, while Erlinda Palaganas, former chair of the UP Baguio Institute of Management, garnered 961 votes. Voter turnout was pegged at 54 percent, or 1,942 out of the total 3,600 faculty population.

Librero dominated the elections in UPOU, Los Baños and Mindanao, while Palaganas led in  Diliman, Manila, Baguio and Visayas. The FR is the lone faculty representative in the Board of Regents, UP’s highest decision-making body.

In his general plan of action, Libero plans to spearhead a comprehensive review of reports of past FRs in an attempt to identify which faculty issues need immediate action. He also intends to standardize the compensation package of UP faculty and research, extension and personnel staff (REPS) in various campuses.

Administration intervention, however, hounds this year’s selection as former FR Roland Simbulan earlier disclosed that some UP administrators campaigned for Librero using the university’s funds and resources.

Conceding loss, Palaganas, however, called for a more transparent selection process in the future. “In this experience, we have seen the glaring weaknesses and inadequacies of the FR selection,” she stated in a letter.

After monitoring the FR selection, the All-UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU), the official union of the rank-and-file academic employees, asked President Emerlinda Roman to take corrective actions on the flaws in the process.

Ina letter to Roman, AUPAEU President Judy Taguiwalo recommended the inclusion of guidelines on the roles of chancellors and other UP administrators in the selection. Rules on monitoring the participation of the nominees’s representatives and organization in the solicitation, canvassing and reporting of votes in various units should also be crafted, she added.
 
Taguiwalo also asked the UP administration to create rules on the filing of protests and institute a standard election procedure.

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# Philippine Collegian