It’s official.
The Board of Directors has named, constituted, appointed, and designated Br. Ricardo Laguda FSC as the President and Chancellor of De La Salle University in the Investiture Ceremony held last, September 14, 2012 at the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
The ceremony started with an investiture mass led by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle, followed by the investiture ceremony proper after Holy Communion. DLSU Board of Trustees Chairman Jose T. Pardo’s led the rites with the declaration of Br. Ricky’s designation and the reading of the resolution of the Board of Trustees. Br. Bernard Oca FSC guided the ceremony as investiture marshall.
During the reading of the citation for the outgoing President, Br. Jose Mari Jimenez FSC credited former DLSU President and Chancellor Br. Narciso Erguiza FSC for the latter’s accomplishment in creating new scholarship programs, the successful re-accreditation of the courses in the Gokongwei College of Engineering and the establishment of the integration of the Leandro V. Canlubang Campus with the Taft campus, among other things.
Br. Ricky was also given a chance to deliver the inaugural address before the dinner and program at the North Conservatory. In his speech, the President and Chancellor talked about the challenges his administration would have to address.
These include, as part of his agenda, issues on tuition fee increases and the quality of education, accreditation and recruitment of quality faculty, student programs and job placement, graduate integrity and performance in licensure exams, scholarships and opportunities for the best and brightest in marginalized sectors, the state of facilities and infrastructure, administrative and human resource programs of the University, as well as integrating the community in Faith, Service, and Communion.
More than a hundred people attended the ceremony, which include members of the academe, representatives of the student body and DLSU alumni. University Student Government (USG) President Jana Cabuhat explained that the event was one of a few events that bring the entire Lasallian community together. She furthers, “I hope that this means that the entire community will support the President in his new endeavors in fulfilling our new mission and vision.”
Former USG President Cabe Aquino expounds on her expectations. She explains, “I expect that Br. Ricky will be able to unite the entire Lasallian community, in moving towards the new vision-mission of DLSU after the Centennial. He will face many challenges, especially with the expansion of DLSU to Canlubang and the expenses of the Centennial building, but I’m confident that he is the right leader.”
Br. Ricky is the University’s 22nd President and its 4th Chancellor.
