Through a board action on May 27, 2023, the trustees of Silliman University (SU) reappointed Dr. Betty Cernol McCann to be president for another term, allowing her to serve the University until 2027.
McCann made history on December 14, 2016 when the Board of Trustees (BOT) unanimously voted her to be the 13th and first woman president of SU after an extensive screening and selection process. She assumed office on June 1, 2018 after being installed in a formal turnover ceremony at the SU Church. Her original term ended on May 31, 2023.
Earth Advocacy
Under her leadership, SU positioned itself as a champion for the environment. At the start of her term, she institutionalized the University’s commitment to becoming an environment-friendly and sustainable campus by implementing the SU Environmental Principles, Policies, and Guidelines. She strongly pushed for the University to improve its waste management, following zero waste principles; engage in energy conservation, renewable energy utilization, and biodiversity conservation; and reduce its carbon footprint.
Her administration’s commitment to environmental sustainability led to SU’s declaration of a climate emergency. This highlighted SU’s initiatives to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, including the use of solar power and renewable energy on campus, among others. It also articulated SU’s long-term plan to help mitigate climate change. Among these initiatives were the identification of pathways to make the University carbon-neutral by 2030; the promotion of more action-oriented climate education and service learning; and the creation of a University Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Committee with cohorts to generate ideas and implement discussed actions.
When the Dumaguete “Smart City” reclamation project was proposed, McCann was among the academics and environmental scientists who signed a statement, warning about the dire effects of the project on the marine protected areas of the city as well as on the livelihood of fisherfolks. This position against reclamation was reaffirmed by SU’s BOT. In a statement, the BOT said that experts from SU have determined that reclamation projects, like the one proposed by the Dumaguete City government, will harm and disturb marine ecosystems not just in the city but also in other locations. The BOT statement also mentioned that reclaimed land is prone to being weakened by earthquakes, which makes it dangerous for its inhabitants, especially since there are active fault lines near Dumaguete.
Forging Alliances
Linkages with other universities were also strengthened during McCann’s presidency. She was elected president of the Association of Christian Universities and Colleges in Asia (ACUCA) from 2018-2021, which allowed her to lead 62 member institutions in eight countries. Established in 1976, ACUCA is a community of Christian higher education institutions in Asia committed to working together to strengthen their educational programs anchored in Christian tradition and to assess the relevance of their institutions’ offerings in the midst of a changing society.
In 2019, she assumed the presidency of the Asian University Digital Resource Network for Local Knowledge (AUDRN-LK) up until the present. AUDRN-LK is an educational network of academic institutions in the Philippines and other Asian countries that serves as a collaborative hub to promote the (re)discovery and use of local knowledge in higher education and expand 21st-century digital and critical literacy through capacity-building initiatives. This collaborative project was funded by the United Board for Christian Higher Education (UB) under the Local Knowledge Initiative program in 2009. Presently, it has evolved into an independent and sustainable network of colleges and universities in the Philippines and continuously expands its partnership with other academic institutions in Asia.
Digital Transformation
McCann strongly encouraged and supported SU’s design and implementation of innovative digital solutions, aligned with technological advancements and changes in the educational environment.
The SU Technology Business Incubation Program assists innovators, scientists, and aspiring entrepreneurs to develop, test, and vet ideas; and create a product prototype. It also acts as an “accelerator,” helping facilitate conversations with venture capital corporations. It will soon have its own building in San Antonio, Sibulan following the generous donation of U-Bix Corporation through its president, Atty. Edilberto Bravo.
The global pandemic in 2020 put on hold many activities around the world, affecting all sectors including education. However, SU thrived because of the Silliman University Online Learning (SOUL), a flagship program designed for online distance learning. With the resumption of face-to-face classes, SOUL continues to lead the integration of information and communications technology (ICT) in the SU teaching-learning environment by initiating the development of online programs; implementing eLearning strategies to optimize teaching and learning, research and development, and extension and community engagement; providing a training facility for technology-based processes in numerous avenues for learning; and evaluating both its hardware and software capacities for improvement and upgrading.
During McCann’s term, SU’s utilization of digital technology accelerated, resulting in initiatives such as the continuous retooling and upskilling of faculty and staff, SU Library’s digitization and modernization, digitization of university processes, and creation of the Dr. Mariano C. Lao Global Studies Center of Silliman University.
ACSCU Appointment
McCann has also been designated as acting president and vice president of the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges, and Universities (ACSCU) by its Board of Trustees on August 14, 2023. ACSCU is a network of Christian schools whose mission is to integrate Christian spirituality with academic excellence. It is one of the five major associations that compose the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines.