The College of Engineering has a new College Secretary for the new year. Last January 3, 2005, Professor Evangel P. Quiwa of the Department of Computer Science (DCS) took the office of College Secretary, replacing Dr. Norbert Que of the ES Department. Professor Quiwa was offered the position last December 2004 as Dr. Que left the post to become the new Associate Dean. According to Professor Quiwa, one of the most respected figures in the DCS, he accepted the offer because it is a call to service one should not refuse. By protocol, the College Dean offers the position to a faculty member when appointing a new College Secretary. Should that person accept, the Dean then recommends him/her to the Central Administration, who has the power to approve the appointment. Professor Quiwa has been teaching in UP Diliman since the late 1960's. He holds an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering and a Master of Engineering in Computer Science. He is currently teaching three sections of CS 32 for this semester.

The 20th CS Week this February 28 to March 4 promises to be unlike any other of its predecessors, for the CS Network is already up and running. The CS Network,a ground-breaking alliance of CS-related organizations,undertakes its first major project in thening days of our Department:the CS Week. The constituents of these organizations have been coordinating for the past weeks,itching and ready to hold the events that will determine the success or failure of this year 's festivities.

Students from UP Diliman's Department of Computer Science (DCS )took part in the CyberPress Third Annual Forum entitled Plug & Play: A Forum on the Philippine Gaming Industry,held last January 28, 2005 at the Hotel Intercontinental Makati. The DCS and UP CURSOR representatives,including staffers of The UP Parser were treated to a wealth of information on the local gaming industry, the pioneers responsible for its inception, and the companies behind its impressive rise.

The first ever Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Student Chapter in the Philippines held its first General Assembly last January 15, 2005 at the Engineering Theater, Melchor Hall. Hosted by the Chapter's ex-Chair Ben-hur Viray, ex-Vice Chair Joyce Avestro, and Chapter Sponsor Rommel Feria, the Assembly discussed among its approximately 60 members the purpose of the ACM Student Chapter, its mission, vision, and benefits of being a member of the said association.

Computer Science Symposium in March. DCS Offers Java, Linux Short Courses. PARSER Exhibit in CS Week. CS 192 Projects Exhibit in the CS Week. ESC, USC Elections.

Moving Ahead...Taking the Lead...Overtaking the Rest. This was the theme of the 2005 UP College of Engineering Job Fair, held last last January 10-14, 2005 and organized by the Career Assistance Program for Engineering Students (CAPES). Engineering students, some of them from the Department of Computer Science, trooped to Melchor Hall and seized the rare opportunities provided by the companies present, such as ABS-CBN, Accenture, ADTX Systems, Canon, Convergys, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Lexmark, Procter & Gamble, Soluziona, and Unilever.

The University Student Council (USC) and the University of the Philippines Linux Users' Group (UnPLUG) formally announced the computerization of the upcoming USC elections, through the use of the Halalan Software, in a press conference held last January 27 at the Palma Hall Lobby. Halalan is an open-source web-based voting system designed by members of UnPLUG, approved by the Office of Student Activities (OSA), Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA), and the Office of the Chancellor (OC). Waldemar Bautista, its president, said the idea was conceived when they learned that OSA found difficulty managing the USC elections.