Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Dialogue with U.P. Cebu Dean Avila on Student Representation Issue

(Editor's note: The following is from the Facebook page of Kristian Jacob Abad Lora and illustrates the continuing problem of some career bureaucrat-academicians in the University of the Philippines who seek to whittle down student representation in various U.P. campuses and units; relegating the students to mere adornments on the wall and only to be trotted out for display whenever it is convenient to do so. On the other hand, the Student Council of U.P. Cebu has a different take on the matter, as is illustrated in the following dialogue that took place with Dean Enrique Avila and Associate Dean Ritchelita Galapate pertaining the Student Representation issue under UP Cebu's autonomy.)


By Kristian Jacob Abad Lora on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at 7:33pm

Around 4pm today, February 8, the Student Council had just a dialogue with Dean Enrique Avila and Associate Dean Ritchelita Galapate pertaining the Student Representation issue under UP Cebu's autonomy. With UP Cebu's autonomy, there will no longer be a student representative in the Executive Committee. The following are few important points raised by the Student Council and the Administration. PLEASE NOTE that most of the lines here are not exact. The recorded video of the dialogue will be posted afterwards.

Dean: The Executive Committee is only concerned of academic issues. For administrative issues/policies, there is another body for that. In UPV's and in other constituent units, there is what we call Advisory Council composed of the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, etc.

Dr. Galapate: Most of the issuess tackled in the Executive Committee are usually academic.


SC: Sir, our new UP Charter states in Sec. 3 (h), "The University shall provide democratic governance in the University based on collegiality, REPRESENTATION, accountability, transparency and ACTIVE PARTICIPATION of its constituents, and promote the holding of fora for students, faculty, research, extension and professional staff (FtEPS), staff, and alumni to discuss nonacademic issues affecting the University.

Dean: But I think not at all levels that's why you have Student Regent,...


SC: Sir, we think we can just negotiate on this. Why can't we just retain student representative in the Executive Committee total we have it naman while we are not yet autonomous.

Me: Or should there be an Advisory council na, will you recognize student representation just like the case of UP Mindanao's Management Committee (which may be equivalent to the Advisory Council because it is also composed of the Chancellor, V-Chancellor, etc.)?


Dean: We have to follow the mandate of the UP Diliman manual wherein they do not have student representative in their ExeCom. It is not negotiable... We are the ExeCom.


SC: Oowwh/Wow.. O.O [silence]


SC: So,  maybe we can be a model among other constituent universities - that we fully promote student's right to representation. Or if that's the case, can we make our own manual? If UP Mindanao and UP Diliman can, why can't we.

Dean: Well, it's our least priority. We have still lot of problems to fix for the autonomy. What will we address first, problems in the faculty or the manual?


Me: [I am confused. Shouldn't the manual be the top priority in the process of autonomy? I believe it is very essential as it is the framework of UP Cebu's autonomy.]


Dean: Having no student representative in the ExeCom does not mean we are no longer after you. Of course, we will sill listen to you but you must address it to the proper office. In your case, the Office of the Student Affairs.


SC: But sir, not that we are saying the OSA is incompetent, but the OSA does not really know the very  objective-conditions of the students because the director is not a student, though he/she is a student before. Another thing, there is no assurance that our grievances will reach the ExeComm or whatever the body is, there might be filtering of our grievances.

Dean: Do not prejudge. Give OSA a chance.


SC: Sir, will student representation in ExeCom affect UP Cebu's autonomy?

Dean: No.

SC: If so, why are you hesitant to retain student representative in the ExeCom?

Dean: Because it is mandated in the UP Diliman manual.



SC: Sir, may we ask for a copy of the manual?

Dean: Yes, but not now, of course.



SC: Given that we still have to read the UP Diliman manual, can we set a time for another dialogue?

Dean: I don't think so (considering his very hectic schedule. At the start of the dialogue, Dean Avila said that he is busy; he did not even expect he would be in Manila yesterday.)



These are just the few points raised between the two parties but are significant to the inquiry of student representation. Offshoot issues/concern were the state of UP Cebu High School, Prof. Basadre's tenure (where he said he will never grant Prof. Basadre's tenure because his tenure is for being a teacher in UP Cebu High School), and the Soccer Field situation. We will keep everyone updated on this pressing issue.
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  • 9 people like this.

    • James Ian Andamon Generale wa ko kagets sa manual.. unsa nah?
      10 hours ago

    • Kirby Palang Taghoy manual sa Diliman ang ilang g serve as basis sa pag autonomous sa UPC. the manual in UP Dil doesn't include student representation inside the EXECOMM, mao iyang g.ingon. When we asked him(Dean) if He recognizes student representation in UP, he said, "In EXECOMM NO but in others, YES" he even said that having no student representation in the EXECOMM is non-negotiable.
      10 hours ago

    • Nikey Balonga tsk3. so narrow minded. wala man lang time para makinig sa atin.
      10 hours ago · 5 peopleLoading...

    • James Ian Andamon Generale unsa man gud na nga manual bah? guide na sa tnang autonomous units? bcin sa diliman ra nah nya trip2 ra nah c dean mga mangopya.. haha
      10 hours ago

    • Nikey Balonga mujud. iyang mata manual. hahaha
      10 hours ago

    • Kirby Palang Taghoy it's a mandate daw from UP Dil and mmmmmm. actually maka make man tag atong manual pero laing PROCESS napud daw, he said. >:((
      10 hours ago

    • Euvic Maningo Ferrer thanks christian for this and for taking the video kanina.

      TO all: please look out for the video. to be uploaded ASAP. and for the minutes.

      10 hours ago · 3 peopleLoading...

    • Romeo Nicolas Aldaya Bonsocan di priority sa buotang dean ang student representative. :( hahay....
      10 hours ago

    • Up Kilos Na at ganun na lang. ano ba sa UP Cebu, diktadura ng dean? si Basadre recommended ng iba't ibang bodies, siya pa rin ang masusunod! ang student representation, basta basta na lang alisin dahil wala sa UP Diliman faculty manual. ay sus, paglabag talaga ito sa demokratikong pamamahala. Maalis na ang Roman Empire sa system pero may Lord Avila pa kayo sa UP Cebu.
      8 hours ago · 1 personLoading...

    • Kristian Jacob Abad Lora yung manual na sinabi niya po, faculty manual talaga? o, anu-ano po ba ang kinakaloob ng manual na 'to?
      8 hours ago

    • Up Kilos Na faculty manual. kasama na roon ang iba't ibang committees ng UP Diliman tulad ng Executive Committee (binubuo ng chancellor at deans at tatlong faculty members elected at large, ex-officio ang mga vice chancellors)
      8 hours ago

    • Liezyl Anne Gomez SC: Dean, how about tenure for Sir Basadre.
      Dean: I will not give hime tenure
      SC: O.O ever?
      Dean: ever!

      8 hours ago

    • Kristian Jacob Abad Lora yung Executive Committee ba ng Diliman, academic lang yung concerns? and not administrative policies? kasi our Dean defines ExeCom in UP Cebu's case as a body na mostly concerned sa academic policies..
      8 hours ago

    • Melanie R. Montaño ‎^ atay lagi ni ay.
      8 hours ago

    • Up Kilos Na e sa highest policy making body nga ng UP merong student representative, bakit di pwede sa college level.
      8 hours ago · 2 peopleLoading...

    • Up Kilos Na naku, may mini empire na kayo riyan ha. kauumpisa pa lang ng paging autonomous ay namamayagpag na ang inyong Dekano na pagtingin niya lahat ay dean's prerogative. kanino nga pala siya accountable? kay roman? e tapos na ang term noon bukas. dapat makinig si avila sa kanyang constituents hindi lang sa mga sipsip sa kanya.
      8 hours ago · 3 peopleLoading...

    • Kristian Jacob Abad Lora he's abusing his prerogative.. this ain't good..
      7 hours ago · 1 personLoading...

    • Kristian Jacob Abad Lora yun nga yung point ni Dean Avila, he thinks hindi apliccable sa lahat ng level yung representation ng constituents that's why may SR, FR, etc daw
      7 hours ago

    • Up Kilos Na e bakit bago naging autonomous pwede ang student rep. bakit ngayon kung anu ano na ang ginagamit na dahilan. abante na sana UP Cebu sa ganyang palakad, ngayon iaatras pa. hahayaan niyo ba? malaking isyu yan para sa mga estudyante.
      7 hours ago

    • Up Kilos Na hindi academic ang tintackle ng exe com. University Council ang highest body sa CU para sa mga academic decisions: anong kurso ang ituturo, anong degree ang iadopt o iabolish. mas disciplinary actions sa student ang pinag-uusapan kapag umabot na ito ng isang taon na suspension at mga administrative at security matters ng campus.
      7 hours ago

    • Kristian Jacob Abad Lora this calls for a higher level of action... klarong-klaro na eh, ayaw niya talaga..tapos, NON-NEGOTIABLE daw.. signal na ata to..
      7 hours ago · 1 personLoading...

    • Mykel Andrada
      we really need to expose this kind of anti-student move by your dean. i'm not sure if the UP Diliman Faculty Manual is available online. but as the manual's title states, it is the FACULTY MANUAL of UP Diliman. logically speaking, the UP Ch...arter's provision on student representation must be upheld at all times. at saka fallacious iyong dahil lang may faculty manual ang diliman at dahil autonomous unit ang diliman ay automatically ito ang dapat sundin ng UP cebu. as a matter of fact, DEVOLUTION ang ginagawang move na iyan to eradicate student representation sa execom. ipagpatuloy ang vigilance ninyo! can i repost this on http://upissues.wordpress.com/? many thanks! :)See More

      7 hours ago · 1 personLoading...

    • Kristian Jacob Abad Lora sure2x sir...
      6 hours ago

    • Kristian Jacob Abad Lora OKAY, GUYS, I FOUND IT: THE UPD FACULTY MANUAL: http://www.upv.edu.ph/downloads/files/UPD_Faculty_Manual.pdf
      6 hours ago

    • Mykel Andrada kristian, please also check if the dean is referring to the UPD Faculty Manual or another UP Manual. pero to my knowledge, it's the UPD Faculty Manual.
      6 hours ago

    • Kristian Jacob Abad Lora puros UPD Faculty Manual lumalabas sa search engine
      6 hours ago





1 comment:

  1. That is the manual being used by UPD and UPV is also using that manual. Baka yan din yung manual ung ginagamit ng UPC.

    ReplyDelete

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