Editing UP College of Engineering (section)

=== Further Curricular Revisions ===

In 1966, the curricula in the various engineering disciplines were updated; also the graduate program in industrial engineering was started which attracted many enrollees. The graduate programs in engineering, which used to be conducted at the NSBD building on Herran St. in Manila, and transferred later to the dentistry building in Padre Faura St. were now conducted in Diliman and a graduate division was created with Dr. Ibarra E Cruz as Director. Along with the Master of engineering curriculum, a parallel curriculum for master of science was also established. The Ford Foundation Grant was implemented with the sending, initially, of eight senior faculty members for doctorate studies abroad. The grant also provided for visiting professorships, books and equipment and local graduate student fellowships. Model studies of the Angat Dam leakage problem was undertaken by the UPIRC at the hydraulics laboratory. Early in the year, the UP Alumni Engineers Building was completed, was turned over to the University of the Philippines in appropriate ceremonies for housing the University Computer installation. That year, Professor Francisco T. Sunico retired from government service. Also Professor Alfredo L. Juinio was tapped to be the administrator of the National Irrigation Administration concurrently with his U.P. position.

Six more faculty fellows were sent abroad for doctorate studies under the Ford Foundation Grant. Fourteen local graduate fellowships were also awarded under the same program, mostly for engineering teachers from local schools. A central air conditioning system was installed for the engineering library and faculty offices. That year, Roman B. Ramos of the mining engineering department retired from the service.

In order to catch up with the modern trends in engineering education and technology, computer programming courses were instituted in the College starting the first semester of 1968-1969. It was an optional subject at first. Later on, it was incorporated in most engineering curricula. The University Computer of which Professor Jose MA. de Castro was the first director has been availed of by the students. On the problem of student non-attendance in lecture classes which became rampant with the advent of campus activism, the College adopted the optional attendance on experimental basis for one year. The policy was applicable only to the lectures; examinations and laboratory work were not optional. The year saw three retirement of Professors Enrique Ostrea of mining and metallurgical engineering, and Delfin R. Zapanta of civil engineering, and Mr. Serafin Justo of the industrial services department. Mr. Justo had served as shop instructor since 1925. In 1969, three more faculty fellows were sent abroad for doctorates, seven of those later had returned with the degrees. The mezzanine floor of the engineering library was constructed to provide more reading room space. At the hydraulics laboratory, model studies of the Maria Cristina Spillway No. 2 was undertaken for the National Power Corporation.

In 1970, Professor Alfredo L. Juinio assumed the deanship of the College following the expiration of the term of Dean Oscar Baguio. The Board of Regents approved the formation of the Board of Trustees for the administration of the Engineering Endowment Fund which had been renamed U.P. Engineering Research and Development Foundation, Inc. (UPERDFI). Dean Juinio was elected Chairman of the Board. The initial trust funds of the foundation were donated by Hydro Resources Contractors Corporation whose incorporators were all U.P. Engineering alumni. The Ford Foundation also gave financial aid for this. Subsequent donations came from UP engineering alumni and from private engineering firms with engineering alumni in their management. Earnings of the funds of UPERDFI has been used for establishing professorial chairs, funding of graduate student fellowships, undergraduate scholarships and general development of the college.

Typhoon Yoling passed Manila and immediate vicinities of the storm season during this year and caused destruction of campus residences and buildings. In the College, the new east wing and the engineering theater were partially unroofed. Many acacia trees around the building were uprooted. But the most visible evidence of the force of the typhoon winds was the dislocation of the steel engineering sundial on the west front of the building. The heavy gnomon was wrenched from its foundations and carried some distance away toward the street.Â