QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 11859)
RA 11859 converts NONESCOST into a state university known as the State University of Northern Negros (SUNN), including its Laga-an Campus (Calatrava) and Escalante Campus (Escalante City), with the main campus in Sagay City.
The main campus is located in Sagay City, Negros Occidental.
The SUNN may offer short-term technical-vocational, undergraduate, and graduate programs within its areas of competency and specialization, and it must also undertake research and extension services.
RA 11859 states that the SUNN shall have the general powers of a corporation set forth in Republic Act No. 11232, the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines.
Administration and corporate powers are vested exclusively in the Board and the President.
The Board is chaired and co-chaired by the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the President of the SUNN, respectively.
Members include: (1) Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education chair; (2) House Committee on Higher and Technical Education chair; (3) NEDA Regional Director; (4) DOST Regional Director; (5) Department of Agriculture Regional Director; (6) presidents of faculty, student councils, and alumni federations of SUNN; and (7) two prominent private-sector citizens (plus provisions on how these are appointed).
They are appointed by the Board from a list of at least five qualified persons recommended by a search committee constituted by the SUNN President, in consultation with the CHED Chair and other Board members, based on Board-set qualifications; they serve a two-year term.
The Board must regularly convene once every three (3) months.
Quorum consists of a majority of all Board members holding office at the time of the meeting, with the condition that the Chairperson of the Board or the President of the SUNN is among those present.
A CHED Commissioner duly designated by the CHED Chairperson may attend and shall have all rights and responsibilities of a regular member during the meeting.
The President is appointed by the Board subject to its guidelines, based on the recommendation of a duly constituted search committee. The President serves full-time for a four-year term and may be reappointed for another term. If qualified, the incumbent NONESCOST President becomes the first SUNN President.
Administrative Council: chaired by the SUNN President and composed of vice presidents, deans, directors and equal-rank officials; it reviews and recommends policies governing administration, management and development planning. Academic Council: chaired by the SUNN President and composed of all academic staff with at least assistant professor rank; it formulates academic policies, reviews/recommends curricula and student discipline rules (subject to Board approval), and recommends admissions/graduation requirements and discipline rules (subject to Board approval).
It provides that the SUNN enjoys academic freedom and institutional autonomy pursuant to paragraph 2, Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution.
RA 11859 prohibits inquiry into political belief, gender preference, cultural/community affiliation, ethnic origin, or religious opinion/affiliation in faculty appointment. It also provides that no faculty member shall teach for or against any particular church or religious sect.
Conversion is effective only upon CHED’s determination and declaration—based on a panel of experts—that the institution complied with the CHED requirements for university status under CHED Memorandum Order No. 46, series of 2012; the panel may recommend after substantial compliance.
Government parcels occupied by NONESCOST and its campuses are declared SUNN property and shall be titled under SUNN’s name; if the SUNN ceases to exist/ceases operation or lands are no longer needed, the parcels revert to the concerned LGU or to the Republic of the Philippines, as the case may be.
Importation of eligible books/publications is exempt from customs duties upon CHED certification. Grants, bequests, endowments, donations and contributions used actually, directly and exclusively for educational purposes are exempt from donor’s tax and treated as allowable deductions from the donor’s gross income under the NIRC.