Editing UP College of Engineering (section)

=== Curricular Revisions ===

About this time, the curricula in Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering were revised chiefly in the apportionment of the units of study per semester for all the four years. The summer surveying course for Civil Engineering students was abolished, instead the students were required to obtain a pre-arranged temporary employment at the Bureau of Public Works during the summer vacation after the junior year. The curriculum in Mining Engineering was omitted from the engineering prospectus.

These changes took effect in 1922-1923. And since industrial development was in focus that time, the Board of Regents authorized in optional course in Industrial Engineering leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. These new courses were optional for Mechanical Engineering students who were interested in the commercial side of engineering or who were interested in industrial organization and administration. The courses took up such topics as cost accounting, business, law, financing, time and motion studies and factory operation. The courses in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanical-Industrial Engineering were identical except in the fourth year.

The faculty staff of the College in 1923 were as follows: President of the University - Guy Potter Benton; Dean of Engineering - H.W. Reynolds (on leave); Acting Dean - Edward R. Hyde; Department of Civil Engineering - Head & Professor - Edward R. Hyde; Professor - Alex R. Webb; Associate Professor - Teofilo Reyes; Assistant Professor - Mariano F. Manguerra; Instructor - Justo Arrastia Department of Mechanical Engineering - Head & Professor - H.W. Reynolds (on leave); Acting Head & Professor - Leon S. Eaton; Associate Professor - Ramon Mariano; Assistant Professor - Lloyd Miller & Felipe R. Roman; Instructor - Estanislao P. Angeles; Department of Electrical Engineering - Head & Professor - H.W. Reynolds (on leave); Acting Head & Asst. Prof. - Hermenegildo B. Reyes; Associate Professor - Henry L. Reich; Instructor - Juan L. Tiongson.

The enrollment in engineering reached 475 in 1923-1924. The need for more shop facilities were satisfied with the addition to the south wing of the engineering shops. Also, the Board of Regents decided to charge, as in other colleges, a tuition of P25.00 per semester. The office of the secretary of the College was created on January 1, 1925 and Professor H.B. Reyes was appointed to the position.

When the school year 1925-1926 opened, the enrollment rose to 561 students. There was the inauguration of new laboratories, the acquisition of more equipment, and the appointment of new faculty members. Also, the School of Surveying of the Bureau of Lands was incorporated as a unit of the College.

Under the arrangement, surveying students of the Bureau of Lands took courses in the University, on the other hand, instructors in surveying courses in the College were provided by the Bureau of Lands. Students who completed the two-year surveying course were granted the title of Associate in Surveying. Heretofore, the surveying school was incorporated with the Trade School. In the engineering shops, there was a new boiler house, a current meter rating tank, and newly installed wood, machine and forge shops. Mr. Alejandro Melchor was appointed instructor in the department of civil engineering; Messrs. Meneleo G. Carlos and Cornelio German, instructors in electrical engineering. Messrs. Numeriano Montes and Casimiro Panajon were detailed in the College by their Bureau as instructors in surveying. It was starting in 1925 that Social Science was substituted for the Spanish course required in the first year, pursuant to the recommendation of the Monroe Commission which made an assessment of the Philippine Educational System.

In 1926-1927 saw the resignation of Dean H.W. Reynolds due to continued ill health. Reynolds joined the engineering faculty in 1913 and was dean since 1919. During his incumbency, the College grew from a small unit to one of the largest in the University. Professor Edward R. Hyde was designated Acting Dean to succeed Reynolds.

The enrollment for the 1926-1927 dropped to 406 due to the institution of a rigid entrance requirements. Applicants for admission had to pass the entrance tests for mathematics and physics. The policy was adopted in order to partly reduce the number of students which was getting too large for the College to efficiently accommodate and partly to prevent weaker students from enrollment who would at any rate drop out before they reached the junior year. It has been observed that out of the enrollees in a given year, only 12% graduated within four years and only 25% were able to finish the engineering course.

In 1926, professor Justo Arrastia resigned from the faculty and Prof. Ambrosio Magsaysay was reappointed as Professor of Civil Engineering. Mr. Crisosotomo A. Ortigas joined the faculty as an assistant professor in mechanical engineering. Also, that year, Professor L. Tiongson was appointed university fellow to study in the United States. In 1927-1928, Mr. Cornelio German of the electrical engineering department resigned and his position was filled in by Mr. Francisco T. Sunico who had been special lecturer since 1926. A proposal to establish a school of architecture as part of the College of Engineering was disapproved by the Board of Regents on Jan. 14, 1928. Later that year, the College learned of the death of Dean H.W. Reynolds; the University and the College passed resolutions of condolence; the College held a necrological service.