After complying and meeting the requirements in the five areas and criteria in ascertaining the readiness and capability to operate a new program, the Aurora State College of Technology (ASCOT) Casiguran Campus is now eligible to offer the Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology, effective this Academic Year 2021-2022 based on the result of the Preliminary Assessment conducted by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED RO III) Region III.
The College was able to complete all the necessary documents and minimum requirements in the said criteria for the offering of the above-mentioned bachelor’s degree in accordance with the CMO No. 14, s. 2019. The criteria that ASCOT was able to successfully complied include the following:
- Feasibility of offering the program/s including, among others, cost-benefit analysis, and data on HEI area/locality offering the same
- Availability of qualified program head and adequate faculty members
- Presence of adequate library resources
- Presence of adequate laboratory facilities/equipment
- Alignment of program/s to be offered with the institution’s mandate
Having complied with the minimum standards of the first and second-year levels in offering the course, the College was given two years to secure a Certificate of Program Compiance (COPC).
In a Facebook post, the College President – Dr. Eutiquio L. Rotaquio, Jr. said that the release of this result was indeed a good start for the year 2022, especially to all ASCOTians. He also expressed his thanks and gratitude to the former Vice President for Academic Affairs – Dr. Evi Q. Fontanos, Sir Edeniel Jerome Valete, Sir Mark Joseph Rafael, Mam Mancy Lota, Vice President for Planning and Finance – Forester Michelle Resueño, College Librarian – Mardelyn Barrogo, Quality Assurance Director Annie Capin, Vice President for Academic Affairs – RB Gallego and to all the members of the ASCOT Board of Trustees.
President Rotaquio also said that the offering of BS Marine Biology is one of the banners and timely academic programs in the College making it contribute to the overall betterment of the province of Aurora.