Chancellor faces dialogues with USC, while expresses his support for ending the semester

BY IAN RAPHAEL LOPEZ, ARON MITCHELL SIERVA AND TAJ SAMUEL LAGULAO

UPLB PERSPECTIVE STAFF WRITERS

Amid recent typhoons that have battered weary students even more, newly-selected Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr. and his administration’s stance on a more compassionate UPLB administration was put into a test.

Recent dialogues with the UPLB University Student Council (USC) centered on the dire state of 1,732 UPLB students in typhoon-ravaged areas.

The question of whether to continue studying was raised by student leaders when discontent with the Duterte administration’s response to the pandemic intensified and reliability on the online set-up of learning dwindled day-by-day.

Camacho’s vocality on one of the most prominent issues in the university is a far different stance from his predecessor Fernando Sanchez, Jr., who closed his term amid a perception of being “tone-deaf” with the studentry.

But with several groups calling for the end of the semester, and the recent declaration of an academic strike supported by more than 2,000 students, Camacho is continually challenged to uphold his promise of compassion in the university.

Online assessments ‘banned’

On November 20, Memorandum No. 173 was issued by the Office of the Chancellor stating that “giving online assessments are strictly prohibited” from that day on. This was followed by a clarification from Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jean Loyola, saying that online assessments meant “online quizzes and exams”.

“Even if some of our students were not directly or seriously hit by any of the typhoons ... they are still affected and distracted by the difficulties which more than 1,732 of our students have continued to experience,” the memorandum said.

But reports received by the Perspective since the release of the memorandum shows that some members of the faculty are still giving out online quizzes, papers and examinations. A memorandum for clarification is yet to be issued by the UPLB admin.

One freshman who requested confidentiality said that major adjustments in entering college was worsened by the pandemic and recent calamities.

“The pandemic itself is bringing so much hardships not just academically pero in our life as a whole na. Dagdag pa ang recent typhoons na tumama sa’tin specifically sa’min sa Catanduanes,” she said.

Notwithstanding the confusion, Camacho had expressed his support on calls to end the semester but saying that the overall stand of the UP System relied on the higher-ups.

“It is still the president who will give the official stand of the university,” Camacho said in a dialogue with USC last November 19.

These include a “no-fail policy” that prohibits grades equivalent to 4.0 or 5.0, and continues the semester as scheduled, despite system-wide calls to end the sem early and pass all students.

Also included was a provision wherein students who would not be able to comply with requirements before this semester ends will be given an “INC” grade and a year to fulfill the backlog.

Before the BOR meeting, Camacho noted in the November 19 dialogue that faculty members have been giving varying opinions on the question of ending the semester. “Personally, there are already faculty who called to end the sem… it’s the faculty who would know well the situation of the students,” he said. On the other side, Camacho also said that faculty members were also concerned that remote learning materials will be unused once the semester ends early.

Juan Raphael Evangelista, convenor of the UPLB Alliance of Varsitarian Organizations (AVO), expressed that students would have liked to continue submitting their outputs but “not to the point na baggage na siya”.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Janette Silva said that there should be a consultative relationship between the students and faculty on these issues. “Ang concept ng academic freedom ay problematic as of this moment. P’wede niyong ipanawagan sa mga teachers ‘yun.”

When Evangelista said that the power relations between students and teachers are unequal, Camacho vowed to reiterate his call for compassion. “I will cite specific instances ng mga ‘di makataong requiements ng mga faculty. Differentiated ang appreciation ng faculty. Ito uli ang ating magiging panawagan. Narecognize ko na you are powerless to negotiate.” In the same vein, Silva encouraged students to “haggle” with their professors on their demands.

When Camacho was selected by the Board of Regents as UPLB’s tenth chancellor last September 24, students with pending MRR and readmission cases hailed the decision, after he vowed a swift resolution of these cases.

In a Perspective Live interview, Camacho explained that the administration would need to gather essential pieces of information from the students, including the circumstances surrounding their cases. He also said it will only take two to three weeks to resolve all cases.

“Mahalaga [ang pagresolba ng MRR/readmission cases] sa atin sapagkat kailangang maihanda ang ating mga estudyante para sa second sem, so kailangan nilang malaman ang resulta ng review nito.”

The Perspective received reports that some students’ cases have already been resolved. However, some students were reported to still be waiting for updates regarding the progress of their MRR and readmission cases.

“Wala pang update [sa amin] kung may approved na or wala pa,” wrote Cyril Chan, who belongs to the group of students processing the said cases. The Perspective will reach out to the OVCAA to request for data and developments on the process for MRR and readmission cases.