Official student publication of West Visayas State University
Forum-Dimensions (FD, Forum-Dimensions or Forum) is the official student publication of West Visayas State University (WVSU). It is one of the oldest student publications in Western Visayas and the Philippines.[citation needed]
History
Forum-Dimensions was established in March 1939 as The Normalite, founded by Vicente M. Perez who served as its first adviser. It is one of the oldest student publications in the Philippines. After three issues from 1939 to 1940, it closed with the outbreak of World War II and was dormant from 1941 to 1946. Shortly after the war, the old Iloilo Normal School building was burned including the publication's first print-outs. Its formal revival was met with gaiety and excitement and, in the reorganization of the editorial board in 1947, Mrs. Adelina A. Zerrudo was named editor.[citation needed]
The issues of the 1950s reflected in their pages a kind of hiatus before the mighty turmoil of the 1960s. The hippie cult, drug addiction, juvenile delinquency and progressive reform became the favorite topics. The anguish of youth culminated in student activism. Students’ articles questioned the government.[citation needed]
On May 4, 1965, Iloilo Normal School became West Visayas State College by virtue of R.A. 4189. In 1970, The Normalite was changed to WVSC Forum. With the imposition of martial law in 1972, and the establishment of the so-called "New Society", the philosophy and the concepts of development communication were adopted by the Forum and became an active partner of the Ministry of Public Information, now the Philippine Information Agency. In 1976, the Ministry of Public Information founded the Regional College Press Conference to acknowledge college and university publications in Western Visayas. This challenged the student publication to participate in thrusts toward changes in attitudes, beliefs, skills, and social norms as imperative in the developing society.
WVSC Dimensions was born to inspire the students of the demands of developmental communication in 1978. Ramon G. Zarceno was its first editor. WVSC Dimensions was first produced as a graduation issue at the end of the academic year to cover stories about graduates and the commencement exercises.[citation needed]
The 1980s chronicled changes that happened in society – reforms and the advent of clashing ideologies that led to a level of critical thinking. On January 27, 1986, the college became the West Visayas State University through decree PD. 2019 of President Ferdinand Marcos.[citation needed]
However, in the 1990s, WVSC Dimensions focused on significant societal issues of that era. Each publication included stories with a central theme. Among these were feminism and student life.[citation needed]
The 1990s kept the reading public attuned to the prevailing concepts, beliefs and concerns of the changing seasons of life. The student publication also ran stories in line with the Centennial of the Philippine Independence in 1998.[1]
The tradition of Dimensions continued in the first decade of the 21st century. New themes tackled included fear, superstitious beliefs, time and reality shows.[citation needed] In this era, The Forum highlighted student and institutional achievements while rarely publishing articles critical of the school administration and government.[citation needed] These schemes were well received in the annual College Press Conference of college student publications spearheaded by the Philippine Information Agency Western Visayas. It introduced innovations in layout and content that became trends.[citation needed]
The rise in the number of new media users in the early days of 2010s set a new tone for the student publication. It was confronted with a generation of non-readers and a declining appeal to the students. Social networking sites became its tools to counter the phenomena. A regularly updated Facebook page and blogspot were conceived to serve the student publication's purpose while awaiting for the release of its hard copy issues at the end of every semester.[citation needed]
The Forum is the official student newspaper of West Visayas State University. It is printed as a broadsheet or tabloid. It was first known as Normalite but was changed to WVSC Forum in 1969. In 1989, it was changed to The Forum as it is today. The newspaper has been an achiever in various competitions in Western Visayas. It has been a regular participant in the annual College Press Conference organized by the Philippine Information Agency VI.
Dimensions
Dimensions is the official student magazine of West Visayas State University. It was founded in 1978 to inspire the students of the demands of developmental communication. The first issue of Dimensions was published in the first semester of the 1978-1979 academic year and was recognized as the second best campus magazine in the College Press Conference that year. The second edition was the graduation issue in March 1979. The magazine has been a regular topnotcher in the annual College Press Conference organized by the Philippine Information Agency VI.
Handuraw
Handuraw is the official literary folio of Forum-Dimensions. It was founded in 1976, and has been one of the pioneer college literary supplements in Western Visayas.
Recess
Recess is the official creative folio of Forum-Dimensions. It features dainty and amusing creative articles that bring a menu of fun and excitement, and stories that are easy to nimble for the human brain. It was first published in 2001.
Taghol
Taghol is the official wall newspaper of Forum-Dimensions. It was first published in 2013.
James Bryan U. Almona Ashley Denise B. Feliciano Japheth Marie G. Fernandez De Leon Cybelle Rio Jhane B. Hembra Joanna Wayne S. Horneja Ryde Rendell B. Ponsaran John Lester T. Trafiero
Philippine Association of Campus Student Advisers (PACSA)
Inkblots (The Varsitarian-University of Santo Tomas)
References
^Batisla-on, Darren F. "The Forum: Perception Among College Students of the West Visayas State University" (2002). Unpublished thesis for the degree Bachelor in Journalism, College of Mass Communications of West Visayas State University.
