Central Luzon State University (CLSU; ) is a state university on a 658-hectare campus in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. It is the lead agency of the Muñoz Science Community and the seat of the Regional Research and Development Center in Central Luzon. To date, CLSU is one of the premiere institutions for agriculture in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia known for its research in aquaculture, ruminants, crops, orchard, and water management. It has also been placed between the sixth and the twenty-first spot for the most academically-excellent university in the country for various years, surpassing most schools in Metro Manila. It has been placed in the 100 most significant schools in Asia multiple times as well.
CLSU is the first comprehensive state university to undergo institutional accreditation. It is a declared Cultural Property of the Philippines with the code of PH-03-0027 due to its high historical, cultural, academical, and agricultural importance to the nation. It is one of the four prominent universities in Nueva Ecija and the most academically-excellent in all of Central Luzon. It is also listed as one of the most beautiful school campuses in the Philippines due to its expansive and rural-inspired forest and rice field landscapes and architectures, which focus on sustainability and ecological balance with rural and modern architectures.
History
Central Luzon State University is in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. It started as a farm school and in 1907 became Central Luzon Agricultural School (CLAS) with the intention of promoting agriculture and mechanics arts. Later, it included the promotion of homemaking arts among its commitments.
In 1954, CLAS was converted into Central Luzon Agricultural College (CLAC) with the mission of promoting agricultural education. In 1964, it was elevated to a university—the Central Luzon State University—to provide advance instruction and technical and professional training in agriculture and mechanics arts, and promote research, literature, philosophy, sciences, technology and arts. Over the years, CLSU has been known as an agriculture-oriented institution.
1989 protests
In 1989, groups of students and teachers protested the dismissal of 17 staff members and the delayed corruption cases against CLSU President Eliseo L. Ruiz at the Sandiganbayan, calling for Ruiz's dismissal, with some of the teachers committing to a hunger strike that lasted at least 40 days.
Contemporary period
In April 2007, CLSU celebrated its centenary.
Today, it has transformed into a comprehensive university offering undergraduate and graduate courses. Lately, it has been designated as a zonal university in Luzon as one of the more respected institutions of higher learning in the Philippines.
The university is the lead agency of the Muñoz Science Community and the seat of the Regional Research and Development Center in the Central Luzon. To date, CLSU is one of the premier institutions of agriculture in Southeast Asia known for its breakthrough research in aquatic culture (especially of tilapia), ruminant, crops, orchard, and water management research.
Campus
CLSU is on a sprawling main campus in the Science City of Muñoz, north of Manila. It has a more than site for ranch-type buffalo production and forestry development up the hills of Carranglan town, in northern Nueva Ecija, from the main campus.
The Main Gate
Showing a farmer with his carabao and plow. School officials and students readily consider CLSU the biggest landmark in Muñoz. In the early 1900s, CLSU made a name by pioneering scientific farming, adopting the half-day academic work and half-day practicum, and promoting citizenship training.
Up to the time it became a university in 1964, the student government ran the affairs of what was then known as "Little Republic." Its governance was patterned after the setup of the national government and the yearly elections were a much anticipated event.
The Reimer's Hall
Built during the time of superintendent William Wade Head (1935–1936), was designed to show talking films, then a first in the province.
Made of wood, steel frame and concrete, with a galvanized iron roof, the building was later fitted with acoustics for cinema functions and bowling alleys. It was named Concordia Hall during the time of superintendent Christian Reimer and later renamed Reimer's Hall.