Cebu Normal University ( ceb, Unibersidad Normal sa Sugbo), also referred to by its acronym CNU, is a
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
research university
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...
in
Cebu City
Cebu City, officially the City of Cebu ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Sugbo; fil, Lungsod ng Cebu; hil, Dakbanwa sang Sugbo), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas Regions of the P ...
, Cebu, Philippines established in 1902.
CNU is designated by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as Center of Excellence (COE) in both Nursing Education and Teacher Education.
History
Early history
CNU was established in 1902 by ''Act No. 74'' of the
Philippine Commission
The Philippine Commission was the name of two bodies, both appointed by the president of the United States, to assist with governing the Philippines.
The first Philippine Commission, also known as the Schurman Commission, was appointed by Preside ...
as a summer institute of the
Philippine Normal University
The Philippine Normal University (PNU; fil, Pamantasang Normal ng Pilipinas) is a public coeducational teacher education and research university in the Philippines. It was established in 1901 through Act No. 74 of the Philippine Commission '' ...
(PNS, then a normal school). It was then called "Cebu Normal School" and was the located at Colegio Logarta building (later Hijos del Pueblo) at the
Colon Street
Colon Street ( Cebuano: ''Dalan Colon''; ; ) is a historical street in downtown Cebu City that is often called the oldest and the shortest national road in the Philippines. It is named after Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus). It traces it ...
by which the Cebu provincial government pays the amount of ₱200 monthly.
In 1906, the school became an adjunct to the then
Cebu Provincial High School (now Abellana National School) and transferred to the new site. In 1924, the school became independent of PNS, obtained the normal school status and moved to its current site in
Osmeña Boulevard
Osmeña Boulevard is a major arterial thoroughfare in Cebu City, Philippines. It is the city's "main street" which travels in a generally northwest–southeast orientation linking the old downtown district of San Roque near the harbor with the mod ...
, Cebu City. In 1926, it produced its first batch of graduates as a new educational institution.
CNU during World War II
The CNU campus was used as headquarters of the
Kempetai
The , also known as Kempeitai, was the military police arm of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1881 to 1945 that also served as a secret police force. In addition, in Japanese-occupied territories, the Kenpeitai arrested or killed those suspecte ...
or Military Police of the
Japanese Imperial Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
during the second World War.
On March 26, 1945,
Allied forces landed on Cansojong Beach in
Talisay, starting the liberation of Cebu. The
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
made CNS their base.
Conversion into college
In 1952, the two-year general curriculum adopted in 1946 was changed to the four-year Elementary Education Curriculum, which was later changed to Bachelor of Science in education (BSE – Elementary Education) in 1954. This led CNS to become a
tertiary institution
Tertiary education, also referred to as third-level, third-stage or post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank, for example, defines tertiary education as including univers ...
. In 1959, BSE was changed into Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. The Graduate School was opened in 1960 and produced its first M.A. graduate in 1966 – Rosemary P. Gellor. The
Liberal Arts
Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the ...
department (now College of Arts and Sciences) was established in 1977 and the department of
Nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
(now College of Nursing) was created in 1982.
The school was then renamed as "Cebu Normal College" in 1966, then to "Cebu State College" in 1976 in accordance to P.D. 944. In the 1980s and 1990s the school's population increased rapidly and new buildings were constructed which now house the three colleges of the school: College of Teacher Education (CTE), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), and the College of Nursing (CN), as well as the University Museum, the Integrated Laboratory School (ILS), the Graduate School (GS) and Balay Alumni.
University status
On June 27, 1998, Cebu State College attained university status and was named Cebu Normal University (CNU) under Republic Act No. 8688 signed by President
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel Valdez Ramos (, ; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR and Eddie Ramos, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military ...
. Under the Republic Act. 7104, CNU was designated as ''Panrehiyong Sentro ng Wikang Filipino'' for Region VII.
In 2005 and 2008, CNU had opened two extension campuses in
Balamban
Balamban, officially the Municipality of Balamban ( ceb, Lungsod sa Balamban; tgl, Bayan ng Balamban), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 95,136 people.
Mount ...
and
Medellin in Cebu. The university is Region 7's Center of Teacher Development and in August 2009 it became
Region 7's sole
Center of Excellence
A center of excellence (COE or CoE ), also called excellence center, is a team, a shared facility or an entity that provides leadership, best practices, research, support or training for a focus area.
Due to its broad usage and vague legal prec ...
in Nursing.
Centennial celebration
On June 13, 2011, CNU celebrated its 100th Centennial celebration, delayed by nine years. The
National Historical Commission
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyong Pangkasaysayan ng Pilipinas, abbreviated NHCP) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of Philippine history and cultural herita ...
confirmed its creation in 1902 with Samuel MacClintock as the first principal which was not known by the previous university administration. A strict review of MacClintock's annual report and upon the approval of the
Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace ( fil, Palasyo ng Malakanyang, ; es, Palacio de Malacañán), officially known as Malacañan Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila distric ...
of the university logo, the administration was convinced that the university was indeed founded in 1902.
Organization and administration
Governance
CNU is governed by a Board of Regents composed of the Chairman of the
Commission on Higher Education, University President, Chairman of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education of the
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
, Chairman of the Committee on Higher and Technical Education of the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
, Regional Director of the
National Economic and Development Authority
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA; fil, Pambansang Pangasiwaan sa Kabuhayan at Pagpapaunlad) is an independent cabinet-level agency of the Philippine government responsible for economic development and planning. It is headed ...
, President of the Federation of Faculty Associations of the university, President of the Federation of Student Councils of the university, President of the Federation of Alumni Associations of the university and two representatives from the private and public sectors. The Board of Regents is the highest decision-making body of the university and the regents appoints the University President, confer degrees upon successful candidates for graduation and performs other administrative functions.
Organization
CNU is headed by a university president, appointed by the Board of Regents. The president is assisted by three vice presidents— for Academic Affairs, Administration and Research, Extension and Publication. The extension campuses are headed by a Campus Director appointed by the Board of Regents upon the recommendations of the University President. Dr. Joselito B. Gutierrez is the current CNU President.
Academics
Programs
CNU offers academic programs at the nursery, kindergarten, elementary, junior high, undergraduate, and graduate levels.
In early 2020, the university announced of its upcoming offering of a College of Medicine which will offer a five-year degree of Doctor of Medicine with a master's degree in Public Health Governance.
As is the norm in the Philippine education system, instruction is primarily delivered in the English language with the exception of Philippine and foreign language subjects.
Undergraduate
The CNU undergraduate schools comprise the following:
College of Nursing
The College of Nursing of Cebu Normal University was created through CSC Board Resolution No. 35 s. 1982. Through this board, Cebu Normal University entered into a consortium with Southern Islands Hospital (now known as Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center). Since then, the college has offered Bachelor of Science in Nursing with only one section for each level. The college had its first graduates in 1986. CNU's College of Nursing has been recognized by the
Commission on Higher Education as Center of Excellence since 2009.
College of Teacher Education
The College of Teacher Education of Cebu Normal University covers within its umbrella the flagship programs of the university. The undergraduate programs include Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) and Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd) with varying fields of concentration and specialization. CNU's College of Teacher Education has been recognized by the
Commission on Higher Education as Center of Excellence (COE).
Under the College of Teacher Education is the Integrated Laboratory School wherein fourth-year BEEd & BSEd students perform their practicum. The umbrella department is composed of programs from nursery to junior high school with most grade levels having one section, and some having two.
College of Arts & Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences of Cebu Normal University is the recent programs of the university and was established in 1977. The undergraduate programs include Bachelor of Arts (BA), and Bachelor of Science (BS) with varying fields of concentration and specialization. The School of the Arts offers the Bachelor of Arts in communication, English Language, Literature, Filipino, Political Science and Public Administration and the School of the Sciences offers the Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Psychology.
Graduate studies
The CNU Graduate School offers Masters-level and Doctorate programs across the disciplines covered by the three colleges. It was opened in 1960 with Dr. Tecla P. Revilla, another alumna, as its first dean. It produces its first M.A. graduate in 1966 – Rosemary P. Gellor.
CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine
CNU and
VSMMC administrators conducted a meeting in 2018 to establish the first state-run College of Medicine in Central Visayas. The program was granted permit under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in early May, 2021. It will offer a five-year degree program in Doctor of Medicine with Masters in Public Health Governance. An official press release from the
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Senado ng Pilipinas'', also ''Mataas na Kapulungan ng Pilipinas'' or "upper chamber") is the upper house of Congress of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines with the House of Representatives as ...
on November 30, 2019, expressed the support from the Senate President
Tito Sotto
Vicente Castelo Sotto III (; born August 24, 1948), professionally known as Tito Sotto, is a Filipino politician, entertainer and athlete who served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022. Before that, had two stints each as Senate Majority Lea ...
and Secretary Michael Diño, Presidential Assistant for Visayas. The program was expected to admit 50 students in August 2020 but due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the admission was moved to the Academic Year 2021–2022. The College of Medicine will be located at VSMMC where the operations will be done, while CNU is considered to be the degree granting body to govern the academic operations.
Admissions
The university adopted a bi-semestral system wherein students enroll twice each year. Starting A.Y. 2018–2019, CNU opened the school year on August following the mandate of
CHED. CNU operates with a selective admissions policy. All of the units of the university require, among other things, passing an entrance examination and past education records are also required for examination along with a final admissions interview. Application for Undergraduate admissions starts on October and ends on December with the college entrance examinations scheduled from January to March the following year. Results are posted on May along with the schedule of the final admissions interview. Only the successful applicants are allowed to enroll for the next academic year.
Accreditation
As a state university, CNU is a member of Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP). In February 2011, The College of Nursing and The College of Teacher Education were awarded the Level 4 Accreditation by the
AACCUP (The Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines), being the first programs in the country to have been awarded such honors.
The university has also been declared by the
Commission on Higher Education as a Center of Excellence (CoE) in Teacher Education and in Nursing. CNU is certified with International Standards Organization (ISO) 9001:2015 Quality Management System for Administration and Management of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Board of Regents (BOR) approved programs including the essential support to operations services and facilities as of August 2018 by Globalgroup.
University image
Seal
The seal of the university, as approved by the Board of Regents, is as follows: At the center of the circular field is the lamp of knowledge; leaning against it is a “
kuryapi” which was the musical instrument played by Visayan men during the pre-Hispanic era. At the top are the three letters in the old Visayan alphabet that represents the initials of Cebu Normal University. This design incorporates both Western and indigenous symbols to reflect the spirit of CNU. At the bottom is the year 1902, the year when the Cebu Normal School was established. On the outer edge of the circle are the words Cebu Normal University, and at the bottom center, Cebu City, Philippines.
Name
Cebu Normal University is a
normal institution which started as a teacher-training college thus remaining to be a training ground for teachers with it evolving as a comprehensive university. CNU was established and operated as normal school before it expanded its faculties and was organized as a state research university. It retained the word "Normal" in its name to recognize its historical purpose.
CNU hymn
''Cebu Normal University''
''We hail your name with pride''
''To you we give our loyalty''
''Your light will be our guide''
''Cebu Normal University''
''We hail your name with pride''
''To you we give our loyalty''
''Your light will be our guide''
''Your nurtured dreams of crimson and gold''
''Through generations we will uphold''
''Your might and fame throughout will reign''
''Oh CNU, of thee we sing''
''In glory, in adversity''
''With vision, we move on''
''Cebu Normal, beloved University''
''Alma Mater, Carry on!''
Student life
The student organizations in Cebu Normal University comprises a network that cater to a wide variety of preferences ranging from academic, varsity, student government, publication, religious and special interest groups that is accredited annually by the Office of Student Affairs (OSA).
Student government
The ''Cebu Normal University - Supreme Student Council'' (CNU-SSC) is the highest student governing body in the university. An annually elected representative from the Federation of Supreme Student Councils in the university serves as the
Student Regent, seating with CNU's governing body, the
Board of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs institutions of higher education, including private universities, state universities, and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual col ...
. The three undergraduate colleges are also governed by their respective student councils that are under the CNU-SSC but are operating as autonomous units: ''Nightingale Student Council'', ''Educators' Council'' and the ''Council of Liberal Arts and Sciences Students''. All academic student organizations are under their respective college-level student councils.
The student government in Cebu Normal University is structured in a way that only the highest position in the Supreme Student Council bears the position of President while the highest position in college-level student councils bear the position of Governor, the degree program-level bear the position of Mayor and the class block-level highest position bear the position of chairman.
Student publication
''Ang Suga'' is the official student publication of the university. It publishes periodicals and other printed materials funded, managed, and written by the students. ''Ang Suga'' publishes at least two issues annually with the option of supplements, a monthly newspaper called ''The Normal Lights'', and a literary folio, called ''Iridescence''.
''Ang Suga'' also holds activities, contests, and events, such as the annual Art and Journ Festival which act as an outlet for the expression of the ideas, opinions and creative attempts of the university's undergraduate and graduate students.
Ang Suga paper was the first campus publication to have a permanent Cebuano section, Tudling Sugbuanon, when most of the academe scoffed at the vernacular as being unworthy of an institution of higher learning.
Athletics
The college varsity teams compete in the annual
State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association
The State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) is an association of 93 institutions, conferences, organizations, and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of different state colleges and universities in the Philippin ...
(SCUAA). Every year, CNU organizes the university-wide annual sportsfest, the
University Intramurals which is participated by five teams: the three colleges and the two external campuses.
Campuses
Cebu City
![CNU Administration Building](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/CNU_Administration_Building.jpg)
The main campus of Cebu Normal University is located at the Osmeña Boulevard, Barangay San Antonio, Cebu City. The university's administration building is one of the most distinct structures in the city in the 1920s. A World War II Memorial is also located inside the campus in remembrance of the Filipinos who were imprisoned, tortured and executed by the Japanese inside the campus during the second world war.
Balamban campus
The CNU Balamban Extension Campus was opened in 2005 at Barangay Nangka, Balamban, Cebu.
Medellin campus
The CNU Medellin Extension Campus was opened in 2008 and is located at Barangay Poblacion, Medellin, Cebu.
Research
The CNU Center for Research and Development is concerned with supervising the research activities of the university. The Center for Research and Development is under the Vice President for Research, Extension and Publication and is supervised by the Director for the Center of Research and Development.
CNU's official research publication is the CNU Journal of Higher Education, a multidisciplinary, and peer-reviewed journal. It aims to disseminate relevant and significant researches across discipline as written by leading scientists and researchers. It calls for original articles (research studies, reviews, theoretical and methodological principles and analyses) on issues concerning the different professions from a multidisciplinary perspective. The journal publishes once a year.
The following are the research institutes of the university:
* Institute for Research in Innovative Instructional Delivery (IRIID)
* Research Institute in Computational Mathematics and Physics (RICMP)
* Research Institute for Ageing and Health (RIAH)
* Research Institute for Public Governance (RIPG)
* Research Institute for Tropical Biology and Pharmacological Biotechnology (RITBPB)
Notable alumni
* Narciso Albarracin, former Undersecretary of Education
*
Marcelo Fernan
Marcelo "Celing" Briones Fernan (October 24, 1927 – July 11, 1999) was a Filipino lawyer and political figure. He is the only Filipino to have served as both Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and as Senate President. He is also the thi ...
, former Senate President and Supreme Court Chief Justice
*
Winefreda Geonzon
Winefreda Amit Geonzon (also Winefreda Estanero-Geonzon; October 8, 1941 – July 25, 1990) was a Filipina lawyer and social justice activist. She was the founder and executive director of the Free Legal Assistance Volunteers Association (Free LAV ...
,founder and former executive director of the Free Legal Assistance Volunteers Association
* Reena Elena Malinao,
Miss Cebu
Miss Cebu (formerly Miss Cebu Tourism in 1984 to 1999 and Binibining Cebu in 2018 to 2021) is the oldest running beauty pageant in Cebu, Philippines.
The reigning Binibining Cebu is Beatrice Luigi Gomez from San Fernando.
History
The bea ...
2010
*
Sheryn Regis, actress and singer
*
Sulpicio Osorio, Cebuano Writer
Jerika Teodorico Award-winning
VisPop Singer
References
External links
*
CNU College of NursingCNU LibraryCNU Journal of Higher EducationAng Suga PublicationCNU Supreme Student Council Official Facebook Page
{{authority control
1902 establishments in the Philippines
State universities and colleges in the Philippines
Nursing schools in the Philippines
Universities and colleges in Cebu City
Educational institutions established in 1902
Research universities in the Philippines