Adjustment to the Full Face-to Face Classes

For the students and faculty, “full face-to-face classes” meant going back to the usual classroom set-up situation/ condition, wherein literally the lack of buildings and classrooms has been one of the major challenges encountered since time immemorial due to the increase of Colleges, degree programs offered and enrolment of students. Consequently, classes scheduled MWF must meet twice a week, MW only and TTH classes, once a weekTuesdays or Thursdays as the case may be for the students and faculty concerned to share the use of the same classroom assigned to them on weekdays.

Further the remaining days of the week are for Online classes. Hence, University Officials, should consider seriously constructing more buildings to be used by students and faculty to solve this pressing problem. On the other hand, the lack of teachers is addressed by hiring more Contract of Service Teachers this Sem in the different Colleges including the College of Arts and Humanities (CAH). But, there is an immediate need to recruit permanent faculty to fill up the vacant positions left by those who already retired from active government service in order to maintain quality instruction among others in the University. Also, it is but proper and appropriate to reward those faculty who continuously performed well, served the University for quite a while already and whose service, loyalty and dedication are unparalleled. We really hope for their immediate appointment to permanency the soonest.

The Second Semester, School Year 2022-2023 marks the return of the “full face-to- face classes” of the University students and faculty, undergraduate or graduate school/ advanced studies here at BSU Main and other Campuses. In so doing, major and/or minor adjustments – whether positive or negative have to be made. These could be on the part of the students, faculty, school officials and non-teaching personnel whose central clienteles revolve around the University studentry that we’ll carefully look into.

Further, the students have to get used to the old wayswake-up early, attend their classes “in-person” with their classmates and teachers, do all the learning tasks/activities like having quizzes or seatworks, performing laboratory experiments or projects and taking required examinations (Midterms or Finals) in “flesh and blood,” they say and no longer purely Online-which they got used to. Indeed, this is a major transition for them, but they’re young, so they’ll get by just fine. Moreover, the Online classes cannot be totally eradicated as there is still the continuing pandemic and the Blended Learning Approach adopted/ advocated by the CHED-CAR to help address the demands, needs and concerns of higher education this Contemporary times.

On the part of the University Officials and nonteaching personnel, constant inperson or online meetings have been conducted from the start to finish of this Sem to address the pressing issues, concerns, demands, needs and challenges of adjusting to the “full face-toface” turn of classes.

University Officials up-to-date adjustments to school policies, regulations, memoranda among others and have re-adjusted, re-aligned or re-issued for implement-ation to guide, direct, supervise and provide immediate resolutions to the faculty and the students concerned to suit the times. Some worked, however some didn’t. These remain a working progress-to do and follow up. For the non-teaching personnel/ staff, they focused on working and processing students’ and faculty’s needs and concerns, provided support to all their learning-teaching activities/ tasks, cleaned and maintained their classrooms and endeavored to advance the benefits and rewards as well of both students, faculty and fellow non-teaching staff concerned.

Going back to the “full face-to-face classes” is definitely not easy. It has many challenges – lack of school buildings and classrooms as the primary one that needs to be addressed, followed by the recruitment/ appoint-ment of more permanent faculty to ensure and maintain quality instruction and updated school policies and regulations for better implementation and compliance. All these to be addressed/acted upon by the combined forces of the BSU School Officials students, faculty and non-teaching personnel to maintain order, discipline, harmony, peace and love to all concerned. It’s a balance of all forces to make things right and going amidst the challenges of the continuing pandemic and changing times and space. We can only hope for the best to come.

First off, taking time to loosen up gives teachers a prime chance to revitalize, renew, and refill their vitality. Getting enough sleep, doing things one enjoys, and taking care of oneself can all help manage stress, lower the risk of burnout, and fortify one’s mental health in general. From someone who is new to the academe, safe to say that despite being one, I have noticed that teachers who take time for themselves are better capable of handling the demands of their job, which leads to a longer career and higher job satisfaction.

Further, having to deal with difficulties like challenging students, targeting deadlines, or administrative demands can be emotionally and mentally draining for teachers; thus, the need for a break. Teachers’ resilience, which helps them recover from failures and deal

The Official Faculty Publication of the College of Arts and Humanities professional tone.

“Not much sir, I’m weak and I plan to visit you yesterday but I have throbbing head.” she replied.

Nostalgia

Richard Giye

The Miner’s Daughter

Before Julisa broke into tears in our office one afternoon the day before vacation, I received an invitation from Marra PL Lanot asking me to attend the Nick Joaquin Literary Prize Awards night at the Winford Manila Resort and Casino. I was not confident going into the big city and recalling the last time I went there the sticky warm weather dried up my creativity. I have three entries for short story and I wonder what story got the third place as Marra only informed me only not to miss the event. Was it ‘Time for Tattoos’ – a story I wrote reminiscing the tattoo symbols poked at by Benguet tattoo artist Ate Wamz at Charm Café in Tam-awan, or the story ‘Visiting Moth’ – my recollection of my first visit to my hometown Sadanga, or the story ‘Blood and Gold in Benguet’ – the story of miner whose impoverished life led him to steal gold from a mining site?

I look up from my laptop- busy typing grades in our school portal and stared at the shy sickly girl standing in front of me. “Yes hija, you are?”

“Julisa sir, from your 9-10am class. I’m sorry I missed your classes,” she said softly and then coughed with her handkerchief.

A quick hot air suddenly pulled my breathing and I was quick to raise my brow. “Why only now? It’s the end of the school year already, you see I’m submitting the grades.” I said sternly in low voice and tried to check on my co-teachers, whose eyes focused on their own laptops but their ears and neck are pulsing with attention.

“Why, what happened?” I tried to calm myself.“Sir, I got dengue last week so I wasn’t able to do the last activities.” Julisa said in almost tearful voice and handed me a yellow medical certificate. When I looked at her thin body, greasy hair and dry skin- a weakling just out from the hospital- a sudden wave of compassion overcome me and was speechless. I lowered my eyes and pretend to study the certificate.

“Dengue… it goes into the blood, right? Are you feeling better now?” I managed to inquire in a