The Four-eyed Journal » students’ rights

Non-disclosure of CBASC’s past financial statements and the students’ right to know

jhay — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:28:14 +0000

There’s a very interesting news feature on the most recent edition of the Heraldo Filipino about the budgetary deficits incurred by the University Student Council (USC) and the various College Student Councils (CSCs), an issue that concerns every student of DLSUD and therefore one that all of us must talk about if we are to effectively address such issue.

However, I am very much curious as to what reasons the incumbent officers of the College of Business Administration Student Council had for not disclosing to the HF the financial statements of the previous set of officers. As can be seen from the handy-dandy graph in the article, all of the CSCs and the USC have come out clean with the budget deficits they have incurred since 2006 to 2009 except for the CBASC. Where’s the data from the CBASC? Does this mean that they have not incurred any deficit? Or is it the opposite? Until the CBASC makes public their past financial statements, we the students will never know for certain.

I ask these questions because we students are the ones who provide for the funds of our student councils with the belief and trust that such funds would be used for the general benefit of us, the students. Since their funds came from us, we have every right to know how those funds were used or spent.

The 2008 USC Constitution is crystal clear in guaranteeing our right to know how our student councils have spent our parents’ hard-earned money. In Article III, Section 5, it says that every student has:

“The right to infomation.

a. Every student has the right to information on matters of student

concerns which includes but not limited to: academic

records and evaluation. Access to other official records, acts,

transactions, decisions and fiscal matters, as well as data used

as basis for policy formulation shall not be impaired.” (Emphasis are mine)

Certainly, if the 2008 USC Constitution guarantees this right to every student of DLSUD, the members of the Heraldo Filipino who are also students themselves are guaranteed to enjoy the very same right. On top of this basic right to information, stands the right of the HF members as campus journalists to be part of a free press so that they could perform their sacred duty of informing the students about the news and information that matter to them.

Again, the 2008 USC Constitution upholds the right to press freedom and publication in Article III, Section 3 which reads:

b. “Student Publications shall have the right to express

responsibly their views and opinions without fear of

persecution from authorities, and without threat of

being in any way penalized or punished by authorities.

This includes the right against news blackouts.” (Italics supplied)

I believe that strong defenders of the freedom of the press could view the refusal of the CBASC to release the financial statements of the previous councils as a news blockout. Wouldn’t you agree?

However, there’s still hope in knowing the truth. The 2008 USC Constitution does not only guarantee the students’ right to information on matters that concerns them including fiscal matters and freedom of the press including protection against news blackouts, it jealously guards these rights by requiring the College Student Councils to make public or release information that pertains to their official acts and functions through a mechanism in which it commands the CSCs to do the following in Article VI, Section 8:

d. Submits a copy of monthly report to the University Student

Council which will include:

d.1 accomplishment reports

d.2 financial statements

Since the USC is accountable to the students, it has the obligation and duty as commanded to it by the 2008 USC Constitution to make such monthly reports of the CSCs available to any student or student organization if it so wishes including financial statements in particular, unless for valid reasons which up to now, the CBASC has given none.

The USC and the other CSCs must be applauded for making such information public which is well within the spirit of accountability, transparency and honesty. Values which we are now looking for not just in our student-leaders but the next leaders of our country.

Now why is such information so important? Simply because we are talking about the funds of the student councils which were just entrusted to them by us the students for our general benefit. Since most of our student councils are draining such funds by incurring budget deficits there’s a need to address this problem.

This problem is not just a problem for the student councils to solve alone, for we students in general have a part in it for we are the largest stakeholders in the use of such funds and thus we can work together to come up with solutions to fix this issue.

But how can we have a well-informed discussion and how can we come up with a solution to this issue if we are denied vital information about this problem? Alas, only the incumbent CBASC officers hold the answer to this many questions.

Support HB 6799: Anti-No Permit, No Exam Bill

jhay — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:00:33 +0000

The “No Permit, No Exam” policy has been a policy that has long continued to make students, most especially the poor ones to suffer and struggle to finish their education. In most cases, students who are unable to pay their tuition fees are forced to drop out because they’d been denied to take major examinations which would jeopardize their hard-earned grades at the start of the semester or school year.

With this policy in existence and practice, education has indeed become a privilege rather than a right as guaranteed in the Philippine Constitution. However, progressive student-leaders have continued to struggle for the abolition of this policy. The history of campus-politics and student government elections have often been decided by this issue.

In De La Salle University – Dasmariñas, we took the opportunity of the resisting this policy during the revision of the DLSUD University Student Council revision last 2007, wherein we included an anti-No permit, No Exam policy in the Bill of Students’ Rights.

Though it met some resistance from the representatives of the University Administration, we were able to muster enough votes to have it ratified. So now, students can find this anti-No Permit, No Exam policy enshrined in the 2008 USC Consitution, Art. III, Sect. 1, a.4

Student with delinquent accounts permitted to take examination shall nevertheless be subject to the right of the University to withold the release or issuance of student’s school records or documents or to deny such students from admission for the next semester or year until prior delinquencies are fully paid.

Fortunately, KABATAAN party-list has taken the struggle against the “No Permit, No Exam” policy to the halls of Congress and has introduced a bill that makes such policy illegal. House Bill No 6799 or the “Anti-’No Permit, No Exam’ Act of 2009″.

HB 6799 Anti-No Permit, No Exam Bill-2

Hopefully, the bill will be passed into a law. Which is what should be done, and should have been done a long time ago. Private universities & colleges, most of whom are Catholic institutions must realize that education should not be a business, rather, it should be done as a ministry, service or vocation as many of them profess, and this proposed law would ensure just that.

Let us support this measure in Congress. Write to your representatives ask them to support the House Bill No 6799, organize and mobilize our fellow students to show support and campaign for the passage of this measure into a law, thereby, ensuring all Filipino youth the education they so richly deserve.

DLSUD Students: What should we change in the Student Handbook?

jhay — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 01:25:32 +0000

Later today, hopefully, the Student Handbook Revision Committee which is composed of faculty representing the various offices of the Office of Student Services will meet with the representatives of the various student sectors in DLSU-D to begin the process of revising the current Student Handbook.

Termed as the “Bible” for DLSUD students, or for any student for that matter, the Student Handbook is a codification of the school policies and regulations that directly affect the students in almost every facet of their university life.

From the prescribed school uniform to the grading policy, to the list of what is a school offense to its corresponding penalty, almost every thing is included in the Student Handbook.

It’s fortunate but rightfully so that revision of the handbook has been opened to student participation for it is our right because we students are the most important stakeholders in the university simply because we are its clients.

Hopefully though, the faculty and administrators would have an open and objective mindset so that proposals from us students and would be given merit and careful consideration without prejudice and self-serving biases so as to make the whole exercise fruitful, democratic and reflective of the student body’s sentiments, objectives, needs and aspirations.

So, my fellow DLSUD students. What do you want to change in the policies, regulations and processes in the Student Handbook?

I am all ears and the comments field below are very much open for your feedback, questions and recommendations.

I’d continue to blog about this whole process as we go along until a new Student Handbook has been completed.

For now, I’m off to my class!

On the case of the De La Salle – Dasma professor arrested for attempted rape

jhay — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:04:46 +0000

This has been talked about among members of the De La Salle University – Dasmariñas, but to set things straight I quote in full text the news report from ABS-CBN News online

La Salle-Dasma prof held for attempted rape

A university professor was arrested by policemen in Dasmariñas, Cavite, for allegedly luring his student into sex in exchange of a passing grade.

Dasmariñas policemen arrested Arnel Sanchez, criminology professor at the De La Salle University in Dasmariñas, in front of a motel, where he was supposed to meet his 17-year-old student Thursday night.

Before the arrest, the student went to the Dasmariñas Police Station and showed policemen Sanchez’s text messages. One message said: “Ready kna ba? Ok lng ba mag sesex tyo? (Are you ready? Is it okay if we have sex?)”

The victim told the police that her professor had been bugging her about sex and threatening to give her dropping grades if she refuses.

Charges are being readied against the professor.

So the cat is out of the bag, and the accused in jail. What could possibly be one of the worst public relations and most scandalous news De La Salle University – Dasmarinas be involved

This issue of faculty, asking for bribes, favors and even sexual pleasure from students who fail in their subjects is not someting new. Just like the underground student sex trade, high-profile cases of plagiarism and corruption in the University, this recent scandal is just but a confirmation that things are not so green and white, holy and just, Lasallian and Christian in DLSUD. Indeed, foul, dark and evil things do exist within the campus.

I’ve heard so many times from faculy I know that this things should be kept within the campus or amongst our selves, meaning we should not even talk about it like the way we talk about the latest episode of Bubble Gang or Dyesbel, because this would do harm to the name of the University.

I say, that’s a ton of bull! Why protect the repuation of the University, a supposedly Catholic and rabid Lasallian University when one of its own faculty does something evil, something so inhuman, so unbecoming of an academic, so un-Christian and so un-Lasallian to one of its very own student?!

I say that the best way to protect the name of the University is for the University itself to have the courage to face the issue squarely and in full accordance of the laws of the land and the teachings of the Catholic faith.

The Administration should conduct a thorough investigation of this matter. Impartiality and objectivity must guide the said investigation and cover ups, compromises or even appeasements must not be tolerated just to save the name of the University. It’s already embarrasing and a PR disaster for this controversy to reach media but it would be a far bigger mistake and sin to be completely silent about this issue. It may tarnish the name of the University today but it will protect the interests and welfare of the students and in effect the institution’s own in the long run. That’s what the University is for, right?

The Faculty Association must police and clean-up its own ranks. I’ve seen them struggle so hard to fight for their rights and benefits but I’d like to see them be more adamant and steadfast in proving that as Lasallian and Christian educators, they’re not only being employed to teach minds but also to safe guard and promote the dignity, welfare and interests of us their students. If not, they don’t have the right to invoke the principle of “loco parentis” (meaning second parents) whenever they exert their authority on us students.

The University Student Council must do something more tangible, concrete and positive like extending assistance to the victim as well as to the other students who have long been victims of corruption, abuse and neglect by faculty. It is their mandate to protect and be at the front lines of defending, promoting and upholding the rights and welfare of the students. It is the very reason why they were in office to begin with. If they fail to do so, then they should follow in the footsteps of their former President and resign.

For all students of De La Salle University Dasmariñas, we must never be afraid and be constantly vigilant in protecting, promoting and advancing our rights and interests as students. Let us not forget that we are the very reason why the University exists, we must never forget that it is our good parents’ hard-earend money that keeps the University running, the Brothers are well-fed and are able to do their mission, its administrators and faculty making a living so that they would be our “second parents” and partners in becoming complete human beings through that much touted Lasallian education, not some evil and corrupt individuals using as us students to satisfy their immoral, inhuman and dastardly wants and whims.

On behalf of Lasallian students who would not shrink into silence and passivity, on behalf of those who believe and struggle for justice and goodness, and on behalf of those who believe in the Lasallian values, I say that we as part of the DLSUD community stand up and face this issue squarely and without pretensions or compromises, let due processes take its course, our laws, though could be harsh, be followed and implemented and the Lasallian values of spirit of faith, zeal for service and communion in mission be given full fruition and kept burning alive in our hearts.

Let justice be done! Animo La Salle!

Tumindig Ka Lasalyano, Karapatan; Isulong Mo!

jhay — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 03:00:18 +0000

To all DLSU-D students who would happen to stumble upon this blog, I’m inviting all of you to join the second MASA or Mass Awareness program of the University Student Council entitled: “Tumindig Ka Lasalyano, Karapatan; Isulong Mo!” which is a forum on advancing and protecting our students’ rights in campus.

Joining us for an open-forum would be Dr. Ann Martin, Dean of the Office for Student Services and Sir Albert Puchero, law student, NSTP faculty and a former student-leader himself as we would discuss and share insights on how to exercise and protect our rights as students.

The highlight of the forum would be the USC’s announcement of its proposal to creat a Student Lawyers’ Office, a group of DLSU-D students that would be assisting their fellow students in their grievances and protecting their rights against the abuses of the school administration, faculty, staff and fellow students.

The forum will run from 8:30 am until 12 noon at the Bulwagang Jose Basa, JFH Building.

Everyone is welcomed and we look forward to seeing you there.