Thousands of students, faculty and alumni of Negros Oriental State University have rallied behind President Dr. Don Vicente C. Real amidst persistent rumors that some members of the Board of Regents are out to have him ousted in a series of activities held Thursday, a press release from the NORSU information office said.
From the main campus in Dumaguete City, to the external campuses in Bayawan-Sta. Catalina, Bais, Guihulngan, Mabinay, Pamplona, and Siaton, stakeholders, representing the tens of thousands of NORSU students, faculty, and alumni held simultaneous prayer and peace rallies to show the NORSU BOR their support for Dr. Real, the press release said.
The activities, spearheaded by leaders of student governments and organizations and the alumni was in response to reports that the BOR will be railroaded into voting to suspend Dr. Real during the July 4 BOR meeting, leading to his eventual ouster.
The press release cited a news item that appeared in the Thursday edition of a Bacolod newspaper which quoted a regent, NORSU Alumni Association President Nilo Sayson, as saying that he was “…surprised to hear reports that Real’s preventive suspension is expected within the week”.
The report further added that Sayson thinks “…that it is improper for the Board, as a policy-making body of NORSU, to investigate its president, since the complaining parties are members of the Board itself. Bias is expected in favor of the complainants”.
In the absence of a formal charge against Dr. Real as pointed out by Sayson, many NORSU stakeholders believe that the move to suspend Dr. Real is being carried out by those who are affected by his advocacy for transparency and accountability in NORSU, the press release said without naming its sources.
