Empowered Woman, Empowers Academia: Dr. Acedo leads as new VP for Academic Affairs
Academic AffairsA resilient woman
and a dedicated leader - these are the words that perfectly describe the newly
designated Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) of Catanduanes State
University (CatSU), Dr. Gemma G. Acedo.
Having devoted 20
years of her life to the university - leading the launch of some of the most
important programs and projects in CatSU today, there is no question why CatSU
President, Dr. Patrick Alain T. Azanza designated her to be the next VPAA.
The Path Toward
Success
Doc Gem, as many
commonly call her, started her career at CatSU in 2003. She became the Dean of
the Department of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) from 2005
until 2009. Doc Gem also provided expert services and leadership as an IT
officer and CATNET Administrator at the University from 2009-2014.
With her expertise,
Dr. Acedo spearheaded the creation of the Bachelor of Science in Information
Systems (BSIS) where she also served as the Program Chairperson from 2014-2017.
She was also one of the people behind the revision of CatSU's enrollment system
and the current cashiering system.
Prior to her
designation as the VPAA, she was the Dean of the College of Information and
Communications Technology (CICT) and the Assistant Vice President for Research,
Extension, and Production Affairs (VPREPA). Thanks to her exceptional
leadership and the zealous efforts of the entire CICT faculty and staff, they
were able to push through the creation of the program, Bachelor of Science in
Library and Information Systems (BLIS), which will open in the next academic
year.
The new VPAA is a
proud alumna of CatSU from elementary to college, where she earned a degree in
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. After graduating, she decided to get
another degree in Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering at Adamson
University. Apart from that, she is also a holder of a Diploma in Public
Administration.
Doc Gem later
pursued a Master's Degree in Information Systems at the University of the
Philippines, Los Baños. With her commitment to learning, she continued to
pursue the highest level of education and is now a Ph.D. holder in Educational
Management after graduating from CatSU. She is also a Doctor in Information
Technology, which she completed at the University of Cordilleras as a K-12 CHED
scholar. Currently, Doc Gem has published four research articles and is an
Associate Professor V at CatSU.
Resiliency Amidst
Adversity
In addition to
being an exceptional leader, Doc Gem is also a supermom who withstood the
challenges of being a solo parent. Her unconditional love for her family drives
her to become a better person each day and overcome any adversity.
During her time as
the Dean of CICT, she experienced a loss that any mother would not want to go
through. She shared in an interview for National Women's Month that she came to
a point where she felt the need to choose between her work and family.
"I even talked
to the President, sabi ko Sir, I think I have to concentrate more on my family.
Pero sabi ni Sir, dae ngaya, kaya mo ngaya an," Dr. Acedo said.
With her faith and
the support of her family, Dr. Azanza, and the people around her, Doc Gem was able
to stand back on her feet and move forward in life. She remained strong and
stood committed to her roles as a mother and one of the leaders of the
University.
“Permi kong piga
isip na God has always a plan for me. Dae ako pakusugon ning Mahal na Diyos
kung dae ko ini kaya ang gabos na biga agihan ko. And, pasalamat ako dahil sa
gabos na mga nightmares na biga agihan ko, ang pamilya ko, special mention, dae
ako biga bayaan ever since.”
“I’m a strong
woman, babayi kita, ipaglalaban ‘ta an bilang salong ina. Gabos na problemang
biga agihan, with the help of the Lord, alam ko makakaya ko an,” she added.
Leading the
Academia
As the new VPAA,
Dr. Acedo will take charge and assume overall responsibility for the planning,
implementation, monitoring, and supervision of instruction, underscoring, among
others, the requirements of ISO and AACUP accreditations, SUC leveling, and
OBE. She will also be responsible for the supervision of academic programs,
projects, and activities, as well as the preparation of class programs,
teaching schedules, and the summary of faculty workload.
Additionally, she
will be the one to review and evaluate the Individual Performance Commitment
and Review (IPCR) of faculty and non-teaching staff of the advanced and higher
education units and the academic support services, as well as rate the
performance of Deans and Directors under the academic affairs.
Furthermore, Dr.
Acedo will also serve as the Chairperson of various committees such as the
Curriculum Committee, Staff Development Committee, Faculty Selection Board, PER
Committee for Academic Division, Accreditation Committee, and Library Advisory
Committee. Apart from this, she will also act as a member of the Administrative
and Academic Councils.
Despite everything
that she has achieved and overcome, Doc Gem remains a humble and down-to-earth
person. However, her modest outlook on life contrasts with her visionary
aspirations for the future of CatSU under the leadership of President Azanza.
She revealed in the same interview that years from now, she envisions CatSU as
a metaversity, dealing with Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, and the
like.
"With the
legacy of the President, siguro may mga AI na tayo, working with the
metaversity, marami… Hopefully, with the leadership of the President, Dr.
Patrick Alain T. Azanza, siguro ganun na tayo after 5 years," Dr. Acedo
said.
The resilience and
dedication of Dr. Acedo as a mother and a leader are indescribable beyond
words. Her journey exemplifies how tenacious a woman, mother, and leader can be
in the face of adversity. How she can rise above and beyond life's greatest
challenges serves as an inspiration for everyone to remain unyielding in
whatever life may throw at us. Her outpouring passion to serve, visionary
outlook, and compassionate and resilient heart are indeed the qualities of a
leader that will lead CatSU's academia to the global forefront. #RJI
