SBCA–SOL Welcomes New Members in the Family
ENROLLMENT AND GRADES FINALLY ONLINE
By Kelly Lao After several years of traditional registration and viewing of grades at the Dean’s office, our thirst of having our own online portal has finally been satisfied. This academic year is full of blessings as Mr. Charles Baculi, School of Law Government (SLG) President, confirmed that San Beda Alabang law students will soon have their very own online registration system. This system has always been a major project of the past SLG presidents due to unwavering requests of the students. However, the efforts of establishing the same have always failed to materialize due to some constraints and scarce resources. President Baculi explained that this system aims to provide convenience for the students. It also allows students to personalize their profile, update their information, and check their grades evaluation. During the Academic Year 2013-2014, our SLG officers filed a petition before the Office of the Registrar stating a request to provide the students an online system. The Office of the Registrar finally approved such request, and thereafter, outsourced for the people who can materialize the system in order that it may be approved by the school administrators. As of now, the SLG encourages all law students to register their accounts and have them activated so that the Information Technology Center (ITC) can monitor possible anomalies and irregularities in this system. According to the ITC representative, the online portal will be available in September 2014 and that the online enrolment will be ready for the second semester of this Academic Year. The program may also offer services like online payment and reception of school announcements in the future.
DEAN CALLS FOR GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2014 By Christine Erica Banzon
The students of SBCA-SOL were gathered by Dean Ulpiano Sarmiento III for the General Assembly last August 8 at
the St. Maur’s Building Auditorium, for the purpose of informing the student body of the final status of the Quotient Point Index (QPI) application and the new enrolment system. Our beloved Dean emphasized that the aim of this year’s assembly is to address the current issues within the campus; and to prevent future allegation of failure of notice, depriving the students of due process. Academic Retention Policies When SBCA-SOL was instituted, there was already a QPI system similar to SBC-Manila. Dean Ulan, having the discretion in suspending the QPI, opted to hold its imposition for the past eight years. In response to the request of the Board of Trustees, the suspension of the QPI was lifted in order to improve the quality of education and to produce competent graduates. The main goal is to set the standards higher. The formulation of these academic retention policies were all negotiated and decided upon, with the affirmation from the Board of Trustees, Fr. Anselm Manalastas, Dean Ulpiano Sarmiento, and the Student Law Government (SLG) as the representative of the student body. The QPI is effective starting Academic Year 2014-2015 affecting all students from the freshmen up to the seniors, regardless of the number of units taken. The SLG sought for adjustments that are favorable to the students. These include the minimum QPI requirement per year level, two-year academic delinquency period, and the new policy for removal exams for the graduating students.
By Charmaine G. Pielago
The Student Law Government (SLG) together with several
sophomore law students, organized the Freshmen Orientation last June 21. The student leaders prepared a whole-day set of activities to acquaint the freshmen students with the School of Law and the administration. With the theme “Surviving the Odds of Law”, the freshmen students were oriented on how to be essentially equipped in surviving the study of law and the strenuous lifestyle that comes with it. They were taught how to read and digest cases. They also experienced a mock recitation before the selected upperclassmen who appeared as professors. Dean Ulpiano Sarmiento III, Prefect Bruce Rivera, Father Rector Anselm Manalastas, OSB., SOL’s guidance councilor, and the library staff respectively gave their inspirational speeches and guidelines on the different rules and regulations in the School of Law. A separate orientation was also conducted for the transferees last July 2 to welcome them to the Bedan family. The event aimed to help them adapt in their new home for the next years. Our beloved Dean Ulan welcomed them with open arms and gave a motivational speech. As he consistently says, he believes that becoming part of the SBCASOL was already “written in the stars” for these transferees. Some students who had the same fate, such as Jowee Ann Marquez, John Valro Dominguez, and Albertito Garcia, gave their own testimonials and inspirational speeches to the new batch of students.
The SBCA-SOL family ensures the freshmen and transferees that the whole community is one with them in enduring the challenges of law school and in fulfilling their aspiration to become a Bedan lawyer.
The effects of the new academic policies include enrolling only a maximum of 50% of the total number of units once the student is declared an academic delinquent. A student who remains to be an academic delinquent for two consecutive academic years will no longer be readmitted. When a student is declared as an academic delinquent, and thereafter takes a leave of absence, the student will retain his status as an academic delinquent upon his return. Lastly, any academic delinquent has a prohibition for appointment as an officer of any recognized student organizations. Online Enrollment and Registration SLG President Charles Baculi explained and introduced to the students the new system of enrollment and registraion. The SLG, the IT department, and the registrar’s office formulated ways to make the process of registration easier with the possibility of paying tuition fee online. The new system gives students a more convenient registration, enrolment, payment, and grades viewing system. To end the assembly, our Dean gave a befitting advice to all – “The little things we do are very important. If we are disciplined even in the little things, we can achieve even bigger things in the future.” 6
THE RED CHRONICLES VOL. 8 NO. 1
Photo Courtesy of Laurs Mendoza OCTOBER 2014
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