New academic calendar UP Cebu addressess students’ concerns

CEBU, Philippines - Students of the University of the Philippines Cebu campus aired their concerns last Friday to the school's administration on the approved pilot academic calendar which changes the start of the school year from June to August.

In a multisectoral assembly hosted by the UP Cebu administration to be able to discuss the new academic calendar, concerns like the total number of class days  were raised by the students.  

UP Cebu Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Dr. Lorna Almocera said this development is to fully implement Republic Act 9500, the UP charter, specifically being a regional and global university.

"I assured one alumnus who feared short-cut on classes that there will be no shortening on the total number of class days. It is the same, only that we start on August just like the rest of our neighboring university from Asia. Currently, only the Philippines and Thailand do not open classes in August," Almocera assured.

A day before the assembly, the Board of Regents approved the new school year from August to May to keep up with the rest of the neighboring Southeast Asian nations.

Also present during the consultation were Associate Dean for Administration Prof. Karl Roque, Jr., and cluster heads from Arts and Humanities, Business Management, Sciences, Social Sciences, Department of Computer Science, Student Council representatives and different student organizations.

UP will lead the nation in slowly keeping up with academic calendars, deviating from the usual June to March schedule.

The University's Student Council, through president Jun Marr Denila, has yet to release a stand on the issue but expressed satisfaction on the recently conducted consultation.

"As of now, we have not discussed our statement on the new academic calendar because we did not reach a quorum after the assembly. Perhaps we will in our next meeting," Denila said.

He added that questions of the students were answered and explained properly.

While this meant long summer vacation for students, the state's scholars have diverse opinions on the matter.

"The shift has its pros for globalization but for me this is not a priority. Issues like STFAP and UP Tacloban rehabilitation should be given attention first," said UP Mass Communication graduating student Fe Perez.

Another student pointed out the advantage of having long break but expressed worry on what to do with the extra two months.

"Yes it is something good because, yehey, taas ang summer. For me, I think it would be practically useless for us here, kay no matter if I think the June style was already implemented way far pa gyud. That has been the style of schools in the Philippines for so long already. That very greatly dili pa ko ka assure kung something positive or negative pero I think it is something interesting," third year Political Science major John Delo Salgado said.

He added, though, that this will mean more time to prepare for his thesis come fourth year.

"We have a lot of subjects missed, so it will still be school. Kay of course two months summer school and another two for vacation. Hopefully it will be something fruitful or I'll stay at home. That will be something good that we have more time to think of what we have to do for our thesis. Something very advantageous because we could plan ahead. At least we could start the year systematic," Salgado. (FREEMAN)