PRESS STATEMENT on Requirement of Master's for Faculty

Silliman University is implementing the requirement of at least a master’s degree for all faculty teaching college courses in the University effective this school year 2014-2015. This is deemed requisite by pertinent government regulations and recent decisions of the Supreme Court. 

(This is except for those teaching Architecture, which is allowed by law to be taught by licensed architects who may or may not have a master’s degree, for its initial 5 years of offering.)

The University had given due notice of this requirement of a master’s degree for college faculty and had been offering assistance to those without this degree to obtain and complete the same since four school years ago. 

Since school year 2010-2011, Silliman had been offering scholarships and grants for graduate schooling and thesis writing for its college faculty without a master’s degree. Regular notices were also issued to monitor progress. 

Most of the affected Silliman faculty successfully completed their graduate degrees before the end of May 2014.

Higher education institutions in the Philippines are mandated either by its own exercise of academic freedom or by law and regulations to observe certain standards with respect to the qualifications of their faculty. The requirement of a master’s degree is consistent with the Manual of Regulations for Private Schools and the Manual of Regulations for Private Higher Education of 2008 of the Commission on Higher Education, recently affirmed by the Supreme Court in the case UE vs Pepanio et al. in January 2013. 

Silliman offers non-teaching loads and other work assignments to college faculty still not having a master’s degree at this time.