March 2013
Vol. XVI No. 8
Baring plans for next school year
www.feuadvocate.org
Sampaloc, Manila
Tuition, miscellaneous fees hike anew By Justin Royce Z. Baluyot and Norelyn M. Villaruel
Far Eastern University (FEU) administration announced a 3.5 percent hike on next school year’s tuition and an 850-peso additional charge on miscellaneous fees. The increase in tuition was announced on a forum among the administration, students and parents at University Conference Center (UCC) last February 8. However, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Maria Teresa Trinidad Tinio said that her office was not that prepared to bare concrete plans for the allotment of the 3.5 percent tuition increase, thus was only able to bare prospects. Among the administration’s plans for next school year are the improvement of online services and acquisition of new software for instructional facilities, renovation of Nicanor Reyes Hall (NRH), modernization of University Library and construction of new and “state-ofthe-art” science laboratories. Moreover, the tuition
increase is also expected to aid revisions of Bachelor of Secondary Education and Bachelor of Elementary Education’s curricula to offer a new program on preschool education. Bachelor of Arts (AB) in English, AB Literature and AB Political Science, as well as Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology, MA Education and Doctor of Education are set to apply for Level 1 accreditation from private accrediting agencies next school year. Tinio added that strengthening research and publications of faculty members is also a priority. “We might call for a second consultation with you… regarding the tuition hike. Because unlike the previous tuition discussion meetings we had before, we are not that much prepared to discuss the allotment of the hike [this time],” Tinio said. Miscellaneous fees swell Vice President for Academic Services Miguel Carpio
Getting ready. Renovation of facilities is one of the prospects for the 3.5% tuition fee increase. (Photo by James Patrick B. Manaloto)
presented the new breakdown of miscellaneous fees and explained the causes of the hike during a meeting on miscellaneous fee
Intensifying public safety
U-Belt schools, PNP tighten Manila security
For lesser trouble. (From left) President Michael Alba and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim sign the Memorandum of Agreement for peace, safety and security of students within the University Belt. (Photo by Jude Thaddeus F. Valderrama)
University Belt (U-Belt) Consortium, City of Manila and Philippine National Police-National Capital Region Police Office (PNP-NCRPO) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to intensify security efforts in U-Belt at University Conference Center last March 5. The agreement incidents committed by and aims to increase local police against students within U-Belt and barangay officials’ visibility and to form a crime-prevention in U-Belt, to add street lights committee to prepare and oversee and to encourage business the execution of a comprehensive establishments around the security plans for each university. “For the first time, there campuses to install closed- circuit television cameras inside is a movement of the institutions, direct communication between and around their premises. Manila City It also intends to PNP-NCRPO, create a system in recording hall and different universities data about crimes and other regarding security and safety,”
PNP-NCRPO Director Leonardo Espina said. “This MOA is a sufficient beginning, signaling assistance for the safety of students, faculty and staff of the University Belt Consortium as our foremost concern,” FEU President Michael Alba said. Signees of MOA are the presidents of members of the U-Belt Consortium: FEU, Adamson University, Arellano University, Centro Escolar University, FEATI University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Manuel Quezon University, Mapua Institute of Technology, National University, University of Manila, University of the East and University of Santo Tomas. Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Espina were also among the signees. “I believe that better things are coming. For instance, the University Belt Consortium is reaching out to the business establishments to become partners in establishing public safety in their surroundings,” Alba said. - Janice C. Rodriguez
FEUFA reveals missing funds, sets 5-year plan
Newly-elected Far Eastern University Faculty Association (FEUFA) officers laid out a five-year plan and disclosed missing funds from previous FEUFA administration. One of the goals for account, a copy obtained by the [because] she is responsible of the faculty union is to work on FEU Advocate during the event, this,” he added. the faculty’s welfare as well a total of 340,920.63 pesos is as transparency and proper missing on FEUFA’s funds during More plans liquidation of FEUFA’s funds, the previous term. Moreover, Remotin also FEUFA President Roberto “Maybe there is a addressed his administration’s Remotin, Jr. said during the first problem on the use of the funds. main plans throughout his fiveFEUFA general assembly at FEU We are going to ask these people year term which are all centered Mini Auditorium last February 15. because we already received the in promoting an effective He said that FEUFA auditor’s report,” Remotin added. administration for teachers and Auditor Jose Dadulla, Jr. and He also said that if time students. Treasurer Reymaldo Cranguian comes and they find out that the Remotin said that revealed financial discrepancy missing budget was used for setting a standard is not and improper liquidation of personal preferences, he would impossible if faculty members funds made by former FEUFA ask the former treasurer to pay “will offer quality DISH” or president and treasurer during the missing amount. Determination, Integrity, Service the previous administration. “If we found out that and Honor. “After the auditor’s report, it was it was improperly used, or “Now, if all of these found out that there are missing particularly it is what we call components will be observed funds that are not properly negligence at the part of this from the faculty itself and liquidated,” Remotin said. person, personally I will ask the maybe all the faculty members According to the statement of treasurer to pay the amount Continue to page 2...
increase at UCC last February 28. Energy fee had the highest raise among all parts of the miscellaneous fees which increased by 200 pesos; from 1,100 pesos in the current school year to 1,300 pesos next school year. Carpio pointed out Manila Electric Company’s recent announcements about increasing
electric fees as the top reason of the energy fee’s hike. Air conditioning systems and facilities in classrooms and offices will also be improved, he said. Audio-visual fee raised by 194 pesos (from 156 to 350 pesos) to support academic multimedia services, Carpio stressed. “We want all of us to be
given quality education that we all long for and I am pretty sure that you have noted as well that our classrooms are equipped not only with all these facilities… We are still improving the things that we can offer to you,” Carpio said. Meanwhile, athletic fee soared by 158 pesos (from 592 to 750 pesos) to continue supporting the University’s sports programs. Carpio admitted that FEU only has few athletic venues for athletes that can be available for training, thus increasing athletic fee to improve FEU’s sports facilities. Registration fee, moreover, boosted by 129 pesos (from 438 to 567 pesos) while guidance fee hiked by 88 pesos (from 262 to 350 pesos). Medical fee increased by 81 pesos; from 419 to 500 pesos. “The 419 [pesos] that we charge now [in medical fee] is no longer able to meet the needs of our medical requirements so we have to really put an increase in it; not only that we have to hire additional medical practitioners but we also are continually improving the services that we offer,” Carpio said. FEUCSO Vice President Andrea Sarile said that even though the event was
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No Students’ Congress again this year By Justin Royce Z. Baluyot and Ma. Karlota S. Jamoralin
Current Far Eastern University Central Student Organization (FEUCSO) has failed to come up with Students’ Congress (StudCon), having the same fate that it had last year. StudCon, under the responsibility of FEUCSO, is an administration-students forum where both parties discuss University issues. Student-representatives from institute student councils (SC) and academic organizations also make resolutions which Office of Student Affairs (OSA) or other academic support services offices can endorse to the Administration. OSA Student Leadership Coordinator Marcon Espino revealed that FEUCSO was supposed to come up with StudCon last November based on its General Plan of Actions.
Espino emphasized StudCon’s importance particularly to the relationship of students and the administration. “The Students’ Congress… is very important because from here, they could see the University-wide concerns... and from there, they could cluster or classify these particular concerns,” Espino said, adding that concerns may be about facilities, tuition, faculty members, students’ behavior or academic support services. However, FEUCSO Vice President Andrea Sarile defended that the StudCon is not mandatory although it is expected to happen every year. She said that even without it, students can still have their concerns addressed to their respective student councils’
(SC) Houses of Congress. “With the student councils having their own House of Congress, I didn’t see that it would be pressing at the time to have a Students’ Congress. The students are mostly working with the student councils, the deans and their program heads,” Sarile explained. Institute-specific issues Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (ITHM) SC President Charles McCay raised ITHM students’ concerns about facilities in Alfredo Reyes Hall (ARH), faculty members and breakdown of tour fees. “Katulad sa ARH, ‘yung may mga floor na medyo basag-basag na then, may rooms na wala masyadong airContinue to page 2...
Library set for renovation The new library will encompass NRH’s third floor, most areas of second floor and a part of the ground floor. A conference room that can hold 100 people and 10 additional discussion rooms will be built. All library branches including the law library and media services will be transferred to the University Library. The renovation is expected to be finished by middle of June. Moreover, Moran said that the renovated library will be ‘friendly’ to people with disabilities Setting higher standards.Campus maintenance personnel packs books as the because of the elevator that will University Library will undergo expansion. (Photo by Ronalyn B. Pordan) be installed. The elevator will be Facilities and Technical Services Office (FTSO) will completely available by August or September renovate the University Library starting summer this year. this year, she said. The construction is set the library’s services will still to start on March 18. On the same continue during the course of the Country’s ‘top library’ The University day, the library will temporarily renovation. transfer to fourth and fifth floors of “We have to move Library recently garnered the Science Building (SB). out the books and computers… Outstanding Academic/Research University Librarian but we will still give service this Library Award last January 25 Continue to page 12... Teresita Moran assured that coming summer,” Moran said.