Silliman University

Silliman University, sometimes simply called Silliman or SU, is a private Christian university in Dumaguete City, Philippines. The school first started in 1901 when American Presbyterian missionaries came to the Philippines after the war between America and Spain ended. Because of this, Silliman became the first Protestant and American private school in the country. It is also the oldest university founded by Americans in Asia. At first, they started it as an elementary school for boys. But later on, it became a college, and then into a university. The man who was first sent by the Presbyterians to start the school was David Sutherland Hibbard, a pastor from Lyndon, Kansas. On the other hand, the one who gave the money to start it was Horace Brinsmade Silliman, a businessman from Cohoes, New York. Thankful for what Silliman did, the Presbyterians named the school after him. Today, Silliman has ten colleges, four schools, and two institutes. Its students come from different parts of the Philippines, as well as from other parts of the world (more than 20 different countries). Silliman offers early childhood, elementary, high school, and college education. In college, Silliman teaches many things such as Accountancy, Business Administration, Engineering, Information Technology, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Biology, Chemistry, Education, Marine Sciences, Physics, Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and Public Administration among others. Those who want to take up masters and doctorate courses can also find these in Silliman. Aside from teaching, Silliman is also involved in activities called "extension projects" that help people and different communities. Campus Silliman is in Dumaguete City, beside the sea. It has 116,392 people. Silliman has two campuses. One is along Hibbard Avenue, called the main campus, and the other is beside the Silliman Beach, two kilometers from the main campus, known as the College of Agriculture and Marine Lab campus. The main campus has a land area of 33 hectares (330,000 m²) and contains most of Silliman's colleges, schools and institutes. The College of Agriculture and Marine Lab Campus on the other hand has a land area of 29 hectares (290,000 m²). It has a farm, a place for students to live in called dormitories, and other buildings of the College of Agriculture. Located beside the College is the Marine Laboratory and the Silliman Beach. Silliman also has facilities in other places. One of these is in Valencia, Negros Oriental (East Negros) and is presently called the Camp Lookout Facility. It is on top of a hill. Silliman "Writers' Village" is there. The village has a main building called a function hall and five small apartments called cottages which are all designed to host the annual Silliman National Writers Workshop. The other facility not on campus is the Ticao Island facility. This facility has a land area of 465 hectares and is on another island (Ticao Island) in a province called Masbate. This facility is basically a ranch and a farm, with some areas being covered by forests. Silliman has many plans for this facility, and because it wants to let the people around the area know what these plans are, the university has shown it to them to see if they like it or not. Administration The people who run the University are called the Board of Trustees. Sometimes, they are simply called the Board. They represent different sectors of the university. These sectors are the alumni, the Silliman University Foundation Incorporated (SUFI), and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP). Each of these sectors are represented by five members. All in all, the Board has fifteen members. The Board can't work alone, and so they are assisted by many persons. These persons are the University President, the Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Vice-President for Finance, the University Registrar, Treasurer and Auditor as well as the Manager for Human Resource (HRD). Since these persons also have a lot of things to do and think about, they are also assisted by other people called Deans, Directors, Department Chairpersons, Coordinators and Unit Heads of the different colleges, schools, institutes, units, research centers, programs and extension projects of the University. Academic Units Silliman is divided or organized into academic units called colleges, schools and institutes. These units teach different things. These units are: Footnotes References Carson, Arthur, L. (1965), Silliman University, 1901-1959, United Board for Higher Christian Education in Asia.: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Tiempo, Edilberto K.; Maslog, Crispin C.; Sitoy, T. Valentino, Jr. (1977), Silliman University, 1901-1976, Silliman University Press.: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Other websites Silliman University's website Archived 2008-06-16 at the Wayback Machine