"AN EMERGING LEADER"?

The following line is found in the website of Trinity University of Asia (http://www.tua.edu.ph/abouttua.php):

"Now an emerging leader in the education of the country's top artists, computer scientists, bankers, business managers and entrepreneurs."

The important question now is: WHERE?

TRANSCENDING EXCELLENCE WITH WHAT?

It's really hilarious to find out that one of the battle cries now of Trinity University of Asia (TUA) is "TRANCENDING (sic) EXCELLENCE". How dare it aims to (or does the battle cry want to say it is already in the process to?)transcend (this is the correct spelling) excellence when in fact, it still needs to eat tons of rice to reach the acceptable level of academic excellence achieved by the prestigious universities in the Philippines.

Besides, my sanity and rationality just cannot figure out how excellence could ever be transcended.

DELUSION OF GRANDEUR THAT HAS INTENSIFIED TO ABSOLUTE HUBRIS OF COSMIC MAGNITUDE!! (BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!)

Contra-Academia: Quotes from the late Ka Doroy Valencia's "Over a Cup of Coffee"

6 Feb '75
"Our universities graduate students and arm them with diplomas. They often forget to arm them with wisdom. The graduates go into the world unarmed for battles they must face."

20 Feb '75
"You'll end up better if, instead of studying, you tried to learn."

23 Nov '78
"A college diploma attests that one has learned to teach himself to do better. The trouble is that we mistake the diploma to mean that the holder became learned."

13 March '83
"We're wasting time and effort to educate people in school. If we were to teach them only logic for themselves we will have a more pleasant world."

20 March '83
"Self-study is the antidote to incompetent teachers."

20 March '83
"Our problem is that we have too many college graduates who failed to get an education."

10 April '83
"A college diploma is a useless crutch. You'll still be judged by what you can do, not by what you think you can do."

24 July '83
"Having an education and being an educated man are two different things."

23 June '85
"The best teacher is not one who tells you about what it is but one who tells you how to find it out for yourself."

ARE THERE SCHOLARS IN TRINITY UNIVERSITY OF ASIA?

Well, the truth is, Trinity University of Asia (TUA) doesn't even have a single refereed scholarly journal recognized by the Philippines Journals OnLine (PhilJOL)--"a service to provide access to Philippine published research, and increase worldwide knowledge of indigenous scholarship." (http://philjol.org/index.php/index/index). How dare a university boasts to be world-class when its supposed scholarly journals are not even among the respected refereed ones in the PhilJOL listing?

Again, its claims are all preposterous and illusory.

LET’S GET SOBER, FACE REALITY AND CAST AWAY THE HUBRIS

“The rituals performed during three rigorous days [of the Hajj season in the Islamic religion] force pilgrims to cast away their hubris and embrace humility before God and recognition of their roles as active members of the human race.”

http://www.worldinanutshell.com/Islam-Hajj.htm

Now, let me review some interesting (and to some degrees, also amusing) matters about Trinity University of Asia (TUA), a Protestant university in the Philippines located at Cathedral Heights, E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave., Quezon City.

The home page of the university’s website (http://www.tua.edu.ph/colleges.php) banners the following line:

“A premier Christian University in Asia and the Pacific transforming a community of learners as leaders towards a humane society.”

Then on Wikipedia we find these introductory remarks:

“Trinity University of Asia is the ONLY college or university in the Philippines which has current institutional accreditation granted by a FAAP (Federation of Accrediting Agencies in the Philippines) certified accrediting agency. The Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities Accrediting Association Inc. (ACSCU), granted Trinity University of Asia institutional accreditation "effective August 2009 up to April 2014".
Trinity University of Asia was granted autonomous status by CHED "from 6 October 2009 to 5 October 2012". This is THE HIGHEST FORM OF CERTIFICATION that can be granted to a Higher Education Institution. As at end of October 2009, only 44 (2.5%) out of 1,726 higher educational institutions in the Philippines has been granted autonomous status by CHED.” (Emphasis in capitalized and bold words is mine.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_University_of_Asia

However, though the university’s name has “of Asia” in it, TUA is nowhere to be found among the top 200 universities in Asia (http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/asian-university-rankings/overall). In the most recent ranking list release (2010) only four (4) Philippines universities are found:
1. Ateneo de Manila University (ranked # 58)
2. University of the Philippines (ranked # 78)
3. University of Sto. Tomas (ranked # 101)
4. De La Salle University (ranked # 106)

Going local, among the listed 192 Philippine universities and colleges based on the 2010 University Web Ranking (http://www.4icu.org/ph/), TUA is ranked # 81 very much lower than private provincial universities like Xavier U in Cagayan de Oro (# 14), St. Louis in Baguio (#15), Silliman in Dumaguete (# 20), Ateneo de Naga (# 26), Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) in Silang, Cavite (# 27), Central Philippines University in Iloilo (# 31), University of Baguio (# 34) and 18 more universities in various provinces.

In the same list, Silliman University (ranked #20) is the highest among the Protestant universities. Next in line is the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) which is ranked # 27. The third is Philippine Christian University (PCU) which is # 29. Next is Central Philippines University (CPU) which is # 31. Afterwards, we have the Adventist University of the Philippines (AUP) which is # 74. Then, comes TUA.

Now, look at the more authoritative list of top 20 universities in the Philippines released by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Professioanl Regulation Commission (PRC). (http://www.prcboardexams.com/2009/08/top-philippine-universities-2009/)

The Top Universities in the Philippines for 2009 ranked according to the study they conducted once every 10 years:

1. University of the Philippines (Diliman Campus / Luzon)
2. University of the Philippines (Los Banos Campus/ Luzon)
3. University of the Philippines (Manila Campus / Luzon)
4. Silliman University (Dumaguete City / Visayas)
5. Ateneo de Davao University (Davao / Mindanao)
6. Ateneo de Manila University (Manila / Luzon)
7. University of Sto. Tomas (Manila /Luzon)
8. Mindanao State University (Iligan Institute of Tech/ Mindanao)
9. Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (Manila/Luzon)
10. Saint Louis University (Baguio City / Luzon)
11. University of San Carlos (Cebu City / Visayas)
12. Xavier University (Cagayan de Oro / Mindanao)
13. Mindanao State University (Main / Mindanao)
14. Urios College (Butuan City / Mindanao)
15. Polytechnic University of the Philippines (Manila / Luzon)
16. De La Salle University (Manila / Luzon)
17. Mapua Institute of Technology (Manila / Luzon)
18. Adamson University (Manila / Luzon)
19. Central Mindanao University (Bukidnon/Mindanao)
20. University of Southern Philippines (Davao /Mindanao)

Obviously, we don’t find Trinity University of Asia in the above list.

But, don’t lose heart friends, because TUA has nevertheless an important place under the sun, so to speak. Look at the following from

http://animotivation.blogspot.com/2010/01/top-20-performing-nursing-schools-and.html


List of Top 20 Nursing schools and Universities:

1. Silliman University 96.57
2. Saint Louis University, 95.42
3. Trinity University of Asia 95.06
4. University of Sto. Tomas 95.06
5. Cebu Doctors’ University 91.89
6. Saint Paul University 89.79
7. Central Philippine University 86.72
8. De La Salle University-Health Sciences campus 85.26
9. Saint Mary’s University 84.10
10. San Pedro College 83. 10
11. Manila Doctors College 82.56
12. Centro Escolar University-Manila 81.50
13. Angeles University Foundation 76.37
14. Mariano Marcos University 75.55
15. University of San Agustin 73.25
16. University of Cebu 70.99
17. Metropolitan Hospital College of Nursing 70.54
18. Ateneo de Davao Universit 70.20
19. San Juan De Dios Education Foundation 69. 91
20. University of St. La Salle 67.55.

The one single intent of this article is to impart an unsolicited advice to Trinity University of Asia to be realistically sober in its assessment of its own strengths and weaknesses. As far as strengths are concerned, one obvious proof is in the area of Nursing education. I think the rest are yet on the side of weaknesses despite all the accreditation assets.

So, Trinity University of Asia, you are not yet prestigious, celebrated, prominent or highly esteemed. Be humble enough to reflect on the Socratice dictum: “I know nothing and I know that I know nothing.” Reflecting on this will lead you to better things and will surely open the gates of greatness. But not yet now. . . .

THREE TUA GRADUATE SCHOOL FACULTY MEMBERS FOUND ON GOOGLE SCHOLAR SEARCH ENGINE

I have here the roster of faculty members of Trinity University of Asia’s Graduate School taken from the university website (http://www.tua.edu.ph/gsstaff.php). I checked the names of these faculty members on the archived list of scholars gathered through the Google Scholar Search Engine http://scholar.google.com.ph. The results are as follows:

(Note: POSITIVE if found; NEGATIVE if not found)

Dr. Aurea V. Badillo NEGATIVE
Dr. Rodelio L. Bathan NEGATIVE
Dr. Annabelle R. Borromeo POSITIVE
Dr. Benjamin C. Dayrit NEGATIVE
Dr. Lydia A. Cabigao POSITIVE
Dr. lIuminada F. Castigador NEGATIVE
Prof. Erlinda E. Domingo NEGATIVE
Dr. Proceso T. Domingo NEGATIVE
Dr. Marlon J. Gomez NEGATIVE
Dr. Guillermo F. Juan, Jr. NEGATIVE
Dr. Epitacio S. Palispis POSITIVE
Dr. Criselda C. Mapa NEGATIVE
Dr. Ramon Benedicto N. Marcelino NEGATIVE
Dr. Norma G. Nunez NEGATIVE
Dr. Eufemia F. Octaviano NEGATIVE
Dr. Eduardo G. Ong NEGATIVE
Dr. Jovita R. Pilar NEGATIVE
Dr. Herculano V. Sabas NEGATIVE
Dr. Pedro A. Ramos NEGATIVE
Prof. Romulo P. Soriao NEGATIVE
Dr. Benjamin R. Yngente NEGATIVE
Prof. Ferdinand M. Lopez NEGATIVE
Dr. Cesar D. Orsal NEGATIVE
Prof. Rosauro E. Manuel NEGATIVE

Of the total of twenty-four (24) TUA Graduate School faculty members, only three (3)—i.e., only 12.5%--are found on Google Scholar Search Engine.

WILL THE TRUE SCHOLARS PLEASE STAND UP

There is one effective--though of course not the only and most effective--way to find out who the real scholars in an academic community are. We are talking here of genuine scholars in contrast with those academics who enjoy immensely the aura of authority attached to the titles they are proud to be addressed with and they brazenly place before their names--Professor and Doctor. This may be done online through Google Scholar http://scholar.google.com.ph/schhp?hl=en&tab=ws. Spell out the name of the academic on the search slot, click "Search" and Voila! the name you are looking for either appears or is not in the directory.

There is however a caveat:

(1) Check thoroughly if the name that appears on the directory is really the one you are looking for; it may be that of a different person.

(2) Make sure the name that appears there is acknowledged for scholarly work(s)

(a) being the author of a scholarly volume(s)and/or paper(s); or

(b)being quoted/cited in a scholarly volume or journal article(s)both of local and/or international importance.

Myself being an academic with Trinity University of Asia (TUA), let me initially pose this challenge to her "Doctors" and "Professors". If TUA is truly a prestigious university, many names of its "distinguished" faculty members would surely appear on Google Scholar.

By the way, don't mind UP, Ateneo, De La Salle, UA&P, UST, or Silliman academics; you'll surely get tired later opening a myriad sites for you'll find so many of them listed on Google Scholar

As of present records, only four names of TUA academics appear on Google Scholar: Epitacio Palispis, Juliet Bucoy, Annabelle R. Borromeo and Lydia A. Cabigao.

To the rest, GOOD LUCK!