College education for the people in Pangasinan required a tedious trip and temporary migration to Manila or Baguio until the first half of the 20th century when a new beginning made possible by the virtue of a young man from Pangapisan, Lingayen, Pangasinan dawned in the province.
On October 21, 1925, Blas Fernandez Rayos, together with Dr. Mariano V. delos Santos, Dean Francisco Benitez, Dr. Apolinario G. de los Santos, Dr. Silvestre Pascual, Andres Jacinto, Amado Llamas Ayson (who became a Councilor and Mayor of Dagupan), and Miss Isabel Alisangco pooled their efforts and resources to found the Dagupan Institute which is now known as the University of Pangasinan.
Constituting the Board of Trustees of the institution were Dr. Francisco Benitez (the first Dean of the College of Education/ Director of the School of Education of the University of the Philippines) as chairman of the Board of Directors, Dean Blas F. Rayos (Dean of the College of Education of the University of Manila and co-founder of the National Collegiate Athletic Association) as secretary-treasurer, and Dean Mariano V. de los Santos (Dean of Faculty of the University of Manila and co-founder of Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities), Dr. Apolinario G. de los Santos (President of the University of Manila) and Dr. Silvestre Pascual as members.
Blas F. Rayos became the President of the school and headed it for 45 years until 1975 when he passed away and was succeeded by his son, George O. Rayos, who sat as president of the institution until 1987.
In the words of Blas F. Rayos was founded on a trinity of ideals; Love for service to country, Devotion to the cause of truth and science and Love of God and adherence to the traits and virtues that make a nation or people great. Hence, the school motto: “Patria, Scientia et Virtus.” Further, the school was envisioned to be the agent through which the following core values of the “Old Man” was perpetuated: frugality and simplicity; integrity; unconditional assistance for the uplift of the plight of the poor; persistent pursuit of excellence in academics, sustainable development, and life based on sound principles; and deep reverence for one’s ancestors.
The Dagupan Institute started its regular class in June 1926 with the elementary, high school and vocational departments and with 340 enrolled students. The program offerings were granted recognition in 1927 by the Department of Public Instruction.
In 1933, the school opened a commercial secondary course followed by the opening of the courses in Liberal Arts -Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts- in 1937 with President Blas F. Rayos as its first dean.
The name Dagupan Junior Colleges superseded the old name Dagupan Institute in 1941. It was also in this year, just before the outbreak of the Pacific War when the school established the Junior Normal and Education departments in 1941. Twenty nine (29) students were enrolled in the programs in the first years of implementation. President Blas F. Rayos assumed the deanship for seven years; he later turned the position over to Mr. Fortunato de Veyra, a former Division Superintendent of Schools for Pangasinan, then to Mr. Rufino F. Fernandez in 1949.
The growth and smooth operation of the institution were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II in December 1941. Like many schools in the country, it closed it was forced to suspend operations. The days of liberation did not spare any of the buildings of the Dagupan Colleges. However, undaunted by these adverse war effects, President Blas Rayos and Amado Ll. Ayson, the Registrar, who later became the Executive Secretary, rebuilt the school from the ashes and opened its doors once more in 1945.
New programs- secretarial science and business administration - were offered with the resumption of the school’s operation. Two years later, in 1947, the College of Engineering made its maiden bow.
It was also in 1947 – June 25 – when the College of Law started operation with Judge Anatolio C. Manalac as dean and Atty. Porfirio V. Sison as secretary. Atty. Sison, who was the President of the Pangasinan Bar Association, was appointed dean after a year.
In 1950, the school opened the School of Graduate Studies with President Blas Rayos as dean. It was the same year when the school assumed the name Dagupan Colleges (DC). Soon after, new programs were added to the offerings of the school:
- - New major in Commerce in 1951;
- - New major in Engineering in 1952;
- - Review classes in Nursing (GN) in 1954;
- - Industrial Education, Journalism, Food and Nutrition, Elementary Education, Master of Arts in Philosophy and Master of Science in Business Administration in 1959;
- - Master of Arts in Education major in general education and in guidance in 1960;
- - Sanitary Engineering in 1965;
- - CPA Review class in 1966;
- - Civil Engineering Review Class in 1967;
- - Geodetic Engineering, BSN supplemental and Elementary Education in 1968.
The field of educational activities of the institution was not confined within the limits of Dagupan alone. The school through Dr. Blas F. Rayos, has also established or helped established schools in Mangatarem, San Carlos (San Carlos College), Basista, Mapandan (Mapandan Academy in 1948), Bonuan (Bonuan High School), San Jacinto, Anda (Anda Institute of Vocational Education in 1950) and Alaminos (Pangasinan School of Fisheries).
During the economic depression that hit many countries of the globe as an aftermath of the war, the Dagupan Colleges, heeding the invitation of prominent residents in many municipalities in Pangasinan, opened extension schools to accommodate several thousands of students and pupils who could not be admitted in public schools for lack of government funds.
It was July 3, 1968 when the school eventually earned the much coveted university status and assumed the name University of Pangasinan. Other programs were offered thereafter, namely;
- MBA 1969;
- Doctor of Education, 1973;
- Master of Science in Management Engineering, 1975;
- MA in Business Education, 1969;
- BS Architecture and Associate in Secretarial Administration in 1969;
- MAEd major in Teaching English as a Second Language in 1972;
- Special courses in Government Accounting and Auditing in 1976;
- Medical Technology, 1977 and
- MAEd major in Nursing Education in 1977.
The four-year course in Bachelor of Science in Nursing was opened in 1976 to supersede the BSN supplemental course.
The year 1987 witnessed a change of administration of the University. The Board of Trustees was reconstituted with Mr. Cesar T. Duque as Chairman. It was TO Dean Manuel R. Poco then dean of the College of Commerce that the administration of the university was entrusted; he remained Managing Director for one year.
Mr. Cesar T. Duque assumed the presidency in 1988. With him at the helm, the university continued to adhere to its commitment to academic excellence and leadership in different professions. To attain relevance and responsiveness to the changes in the needs of the times, it opened in the '90s the following curricular programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Information Management. 1992;
- Associate in Computer Technology, 1994;
- Medical Assistant Course, 1994
- Midwifery Course, 1996
- Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, 1998;
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, 1999;
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, 1999;
- Bachelor of Science in Management Accounting, 1999; and
- Associate in Computer Office Administration, 1999;
Four new programs were added to the list with the coming of the third millennium, Caregiver Course, 2004; Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Electronics & Communications Engineering, and Bachelor Science in Hotel & Restaurant Management all in 2005.
The University has, likewise, updated its old programs to include other majors like Mass Communications in Bachelor of Arts. All curricular programs in the University now carry at least three (3) units in computer education to prepare the school's graduates to surf the waves of the computer-driven world.
In 2005, Dr. Catalino P. Rivera was appointed president of the University. He and the Chairman, Mr. Cesar T. Duque, are jointly steering the University towards the realization of its transformative mission. Linkages have been established with various professional and service organizations such as the National Network of Quality Assurance Agencies (NNQAA) for which the University serves as identified as center for Research, Training and Consultancy, and the Synergeia for which the University has provided a poll of teacher trainors in English and Mathematics.
The University is one of the seven HEIs in Region I deputized by the Commission on Higher Education in 1999 to offer the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program (ETEEAP). Courses offered through the program are BS Nursing, BS Commerce, BS Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Arts, Teacher Education and Midwifery.
As a fitting response to CHED’s thrust on access, the University of Pangasinan officially launched in February 2007 the Alternative Learning Stream (ALS). The program is the University’s way of making “available to all learners broader and expanded access to opportunities to responsive, relevant learning and outcomes…” Aside from the ETEEAP, the University through the Alternative Learning Stream (ALS) also offers Equivalent Credits for Professional Learning Experiences (EC-PLEX), Technology-Based Education Program (TBEP) and Competent Performance Recognition (CPR).
To maintain its place in academic circles, the University has taken an active role in the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU). It is also a member of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) which has recognized its excellence in the following programs: Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Bachelor of Elementary Education; Bachelor of Secondary Education; Bachelor of Science in Commerce major in Management, Banking & Finance and Economics; and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Mass Communications.
ot a few graduates of the university have brought home great honor to their Alma Mater. The University has a record in licensure examination – particularly in Nursing, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Teacher Education, Medical Technology, Accountancy and Physical Therapy – which is not easy to equal. The Professional Regulation Commission adjudged it to be the 4th Best Performing School in Midwifery in 1988, 5th Best Performing School in Architecture in 2000 and 4th Best Performing School in Architecture in 2006. In the study of Arceo, it was named as the 6th Best Performing School in Teacher Education in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
Now on its 83rd year of existence, the University is exploring novel ways of furthering its services to the nation through the realignment of its vision towards the transformation of people and communities and the strengthening of its commitment to the carrying out of ideas: PATRIA, SCIENCTIA et VIRTUS.
