For the est ime in 60 years, the NU Bulldogs "were the champions SUScI= SM IN EDUCATION He asked each manager to prepare a five- year turnaround strategy: “I would tell them to present their budget, and I would also share with them on those budget. Once Thave agreed with their program, I let them handle the team on their own” 'SM's provineial malls became a recruitment sstound for potential student athletes. A few recruits tried to set conditions such as exemption from academic requirements. The school rejected ‘these demands, Asa student athlete himself while ‘at Xavier School and De La Salle University, Sy strictly observed academic discipline, “To pl ‘well, you have to be intelligent." he says, Sy's business-like approach to managing the school's teams paid off after the Bulldogs won the basketball championship in 2014. Their laggard- to-champions story sent social media abuzz. As other NU sports teams hugged the limelight ‘with their own victories, more alumni, including former president Fidel Ramos and other officials and celebrities, proudly announced they were NU graduates, Enrollment grew. More than 7700 studied at NU during school year 2014-2015 from about 11700 six years ago. Money earned from the inerease in enrollment was ploughed back to the school coffers to further improve facilities ‘Tuition fees remained affordable, “We would also like to be known for producing top caliber graduates.” ~ HANS SY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CHAIR “We were sudeenly on people's minds. The first weekend of exams forthe next school yea, about 300 came. Every weekend, more came. We had to ada examination rooms, les amazing” beams vice president for operations Nilo Ocampo, $y reflects on what made the turnaround possibe. Teal about planning and strategy Planning is understanding who will be able to contribute Strategy is geting the right people to dlo what is expected,” he says Sy isnot contented. e's lining up managers for the swimming, track and field, judo, fencing and other teams. "Tam about 405% behind those sports" he say. He is also building more facilities. The buildings, whieb were pat up in 2009, can secommodate up to 8,000 students. With current growth rates the school will need space for more than 8,200 students by school year 2015-2016, The school is considering buying property around the Sampaloc campus, which sis on 13,000-square-meter lot. The Sys ought the Nazareth Schoo! two blocks away and transferred the grade school and high school students there Sys preparing the nest stage of NU transformation: producing not only varsity champions but also top placer in the country’s various board examinations for lawyers, accountants, engineers and health professionals, ‘The school’s performance in several board examinations is already above average. Results of the civil engineering licensure exams announced in December 2014 showed that 63.2% of eakers from NU passed, above the average passing rate of 4948%, However, the school was not among the seven best performing schools “APCs also helping the university improve its information technology courses. APC is considered one ofthe best schools in the Feld and is recognized by the Commission on Higher Education asa center of excellence in information technology and computer engineering “We would also like to be known for producing top caliber graduates, says hhoping that his business-like approach to producing sports champions ean be applied to boosting NU’s academic standing. Given his recent record, he has more than a sporting chance of succeeding. ©