THE COLLEGE  of Law of the University of the Philippines has a new dean — Edgardo Carlo Vistan II.

Vistan, the 16th law dean, will serve until 2024.

The university said that the search for a new dean was extensive to “ensure inclusivity and transparency in the selection process.”

The search committee organized public and sectoral forums; made available to the public copies of the nomination letters, curricula vitae of the candidates, and their mission and vision statements.

“The nominees were evaluated based on their commitment to academic freedom and values and ideals of the University, distinction or outstanding academic credentials in their field of expertise aligned with the College of Law’s disciplines, leadership qualities and administrative or managerial capabilities, as well as consideration of resource generation, among others,” UP Law said.

In his vision and mission statement, Vistan vowed to build a mindset of building on the “gains of the past years while adjusting to the challenging demands of the present and future.”

Vistan obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology in UP, where he graduated cum laude in 1998.  He took up law in UP and graduated cum laude in 2003.

He joined the UP Law faculty in January 2015. Prior to his appointment, he was the Director of the UP Office of Legal Aid.

The other nominees to the post were Elizabeth Pangalangan-Aguiling, Jay Batongbacal, and Sandra Marie Olaso-Coronel.