The College of Arts and Sciences is one of the eleven degree-granting units of the University of the Philippines Los Baños. It is the largest college in University of the Philippines System which offers most of the general education subjects required of UPLB students, as well as the highest number of degree programs in the University. The Philippines' Commission on Higher Education has recognized CAS as a Center of Excellence in Biology, Chemistry, Information Technology and Mathematics, as well as a Center of Development in Physics and Statistics.HistoryThe Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines at its 828th meeting on 21 December 1972 adopted Presidential Decree No. 58 issued on November 20, 1972 establishing the College of Science and Humanities. The Board appointed Edelwina C. Legaspi as the first dean of the new college, and a month later, Dolores A. Ramirez as secretary.The College's first seven departments were Humanities, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, Botany, Zoology, Life Sciences and Social Sciences.