Community Outreach Programs and Extension Services of the Pangasinan State University

Abstract

According to Presidential Decree (PD) Number 1497, one of the main roles of Pangasinan State University (PSU) was expansion, along with teaching, study, and income generation programs. PSU's extension services offer ongoing guidance and assistance to growers, out-of-school teens, unemployed parents, mothers, women's groups, and others, indigenous communities, fisherfolk, entrepreneurs, students, and other sectoral classes contribute to socio-economic growth and mobilization at the grass-roots levels for long-term development. The following are the general sectors of the University Extension Services Agenda on which each department on campus can focus their extension-related activities: Poverty alleviation; quality education; gender equality and empowerment; sustainable agriculture; engineering, communications, and technology; health care; climate change and environmental protection; food security; and human resources; Policy and Governance; Business and Finance; and Technology Promotion this research aimed to establish PSU's community outreach projects and extension services for the 2019-2020 academic year. A cross-sectional sample analysis method was used for the quantitative descriptive report. The origins included 20 Extension Services Coordinators from various departments and 100 faculty-implementers from PSU. The questionnaire was the primary research tool. The Average Weighted Mean (AWM) and z-test were used as statistical instruments in the analysis. Based on the results, the following conclusions are reached: The coordinators and faculty-implementers of PSU refer to the demand for social transition to effect reform and improve community life. The views of the initiated and applied variety of extension programs and facilities differ between coordinators and faculty-implementers. Because of the perceived relatively severe crisis, the university decided to implement a tracking and assessment tool for community outreach activities and extension resources. Coordinators and faculty-implementers face similar challenges when implementing community outreach projects and extension facilities. The community outreach program strategy is useful in putting community outreach projects and extension resources into action. Based on the findings, the following recommendations are made: PSU coordinators and faculty implementers can continue to implement community outreach activities and extension facilities on a large scale. To have a broader effect on the communities, the university's core community outreach projects and extension facilities should be strengthened and intensified. The University should form a monitoring and assessment committee to develop a method of evaluation and recommendations for community outreach projects and extension resources. The neighborhood outreach initiative plan should be strictly monitored when it is applied.