On Sojor’s suspension

By Jick K. Iñgan
(Vol. XXVI No. 12, Editorial Cartoon)

On Sojor’s suspension

One hot issue discussed in the university for months now is the 90-day preventive suspension of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) President Henry A. Sojor.

The issue broke out earlier this school year after the Supreme Court (SC) upheld the disciplinary authority of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) over state university presidents.

Everything rooted from the three separate complaints lodged by some faculty members of the then Central Visayas Polytechnic College (now NORSU) against the university president in 2002. Complaints for dishonesty, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service; dishonesty, misconduct and falsification of public documents; and nepotism were the sets of complaints filed with CSC against Sojor.

While on the height of the celebration of the University Founder’s Week, the talk on the issue intensified again when CSC issued an order dated November 19, 2008, placing Sojor under preventive suspension for 90 days for the commission to proceed with the formal investigation of the charges against him. Despite the order, Sojor remained in his office attending his daily responsibilities as president of the NORSU system.

Questions from the Norsunian community started to flare. Was the university president really suspended? If so, why did he remain in his office? In an earlier interview with The NORSUnian (TN), Sojor also refrained to give official comment on the issue due to the sub judice rule, a principle in law which prohibits litigants from discussing the merits of a case in public because it may influence the result of the litigation.

The queries were finally answered when Sojor released a special memorandum circular on January 15 this year stating that “as an act of responsible leadership”, he “voluntarily submits to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Order of Preventive Suspension without prejudice to the outcome of the appeal therefrom.” Effective February 9, 2009, Sojor temporarily left his position and upon his recommendation, the NORSU Board of Regents (BOR) designated NORSU Vice President for Academic Affairs Victoria P. Dinopol as Officer-in-Charge of the university during his absence.

Looking at the issue, Sojor’s decision of submitting to CSC’s suspension order is the right action for a leader. It did not only answer all the questions thrown about his suspension and it did not only stop the various hearsays and perceptions, but it also gave him an avenue to clear his name with the allegations against him. For a leader, especially in a big university like NORSU, it is very important to continue enjoying the trust of most, if not all of the members of its community.

But of course, his submission to CSC does not make him instantly safe or cleared from the allegations against him. On the other hand, his action does not also mean that he is already guilty. Preventive suspension is not also a penalty or punishment. Let everyone be reminded that the university president is not yet proven guilty with the allegations and that the purpose of the 90-day preventive suspension is for the subject to be prevented from doing things that may influence the integrity of the probe.

For now, it’s too early to give judgment to Sojor. Let the CSC investigate first and rule over the case. If Sojor would be found guilty in the end, then let the axe of legal consequence fall on him. But if the accusers fail to prove their accusations, Sojor should continue his presidency of NORSU and the university’s journey with him until 2012 should go on.

Let us wait and let CSC do its work.

Hopefully

By Christian Edu Villegas

(Vol. XXVI No. 11, Editorial Cartoon)

Hopefully

It’s been more than a month now since every one of us in this planet welcomed the year 2009, the Year of the Earth Ox, with high hopes and positive expectations. It’s been already a while since we started the journey in making new pages to compile another chapter of the history. It’s been sometime since we closed that chapter filled with hues and colors – the year 2008.

Looking back, for Negros Oriental State University (NORSU), the year 2008 had been a healthy chapter of its history. The university had been through a lot of transformations. New teachers and faculty members had been added to the university’s teaching and working force; the dress code policy was implemented; the construction of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences building started; the university gate of Main Campus I was restructured; the blue guards took in-charge of the university’s security; the university started adapting the e-System – these were only some of the remarkable improvements embraced by the Norsunian community last year.

Along with these transformations are achievements that added significant pages to the history of NORSU. The year 2008 was a year of accomplishments for Norsunians, especially in topping national licensure examinations. It’s a year of adding laurels to the university and extending the long list of Norsunian achievers in the history.

To recall, on the May 2008 Civil Engineering Licensure Examination, Engr. Bernard Duran Jr. was named as the 5th top passer. Two months after Duran joined the list of topnotchers, another two Norsunians proved that the products of the university are of high calibers. The names of Engr. John Michael Villagonzalo and Engr. Christian George Pal-ing were placed on the 2nd and 5th spots, respectively, in the August 2008 Master Plumber Examination.

On September 2008, Catherine Capilla, a graduate of Bachelor of Elementary Education major in Special Education, ranked 10th in the Licensure Examination for Teachers. Capilla, who ranked first in the region and top ten nationwide, is the first Norsunian in history who was included in the top ten LET passers. The triumphs continued. On October 2008, two Norsunians made it to the top ten of the Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examination. Engr. Winston Gomez landed in the second top spot of the exam while Engr. Jephunneh Paalisbo was the 7th top passer.

These accomplishments, which were the highlights of 2008, are pages of the history that each Norsunian should be proud of. Despite the fact that there is an evident lack of facilities and equipment in the university, it is very inspiring to know that Norsunians excel as one of the bests and the finest in the nation.

That chapter had ended and here goes the university and the whole NORSU family paving pages of another chapter to NORSU’s history. As we look back to last year and continue journeying, it is not bad to hope for this year to have an increase in the record of achievers. It is not bad to cross our fingers that this year, like last year, would be another chapter of remarkable achievements for Norsunians – of showing what really a true-blue Norsunian can be.

More than that, it is not bad to hope that somehow, some longings of the students for equipment and facilities would finally be realized. It is not bad to pray that hopefully, the students’ concerns would be the main priority this year because if Norsunians did more with less, they could do more with adequate facilities and equipment.

Have a happy journey to 2009 everyone!