NOSEDIVE. A rodeo competitor barely dodges the incoming ram of a bull at the Rodeo sa Ateneo competition.
XU Academic Council defers stricter implementation of blue form policy By Samantha Isabelle H. Bagayas with contributions from Kevin Paul P. Mabul
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ollowing Central Student Government’s (CSG) unified call to defer the stricter implementation of the blue form policy and signature campaign in July, which garnered around 500 signatures from the student body, the Academic Council concluded that a moratorium will be in effect until the first semester of A.Y 2017-2018. Due to the moratorium, the previous blue form policy implementation that requires students to present stamped blue forms as proof of their payment of their tuition fees only during the midterm and final exams has been reinstated for A.Y 2016-2017. The moratorium on the stricter implementation of the blue form policy transpired during the last Academic Council meeting in August, which was attended by the Academic Council, University Treasurer Lennie Ong, XU
Confederated Parents-Faculty Association, and representatives of the CSG. During that meeting, the Academic Council initially proposed to release a resolution to the public that will announce the University’s decision to conduct the stricter implementation of the blue form policy this academic year. In light of Academic Vice President Fr. Rene Tacastacas’ suggestion to gradually introduce the stricter implementation of the blue form policy, as well as CSG’s signature campaign and presentation of concerns from the student body, the majority of the attendants of the meeting voted to release a moratorium instead. Lacea shared that although the University will still ask students to pay for the semi-final exams, it is not required for one to take the exam. “Strikto lang gyud siya for midterm and final, so in a way, it’s like conditioning students to pay their dues when
it’s major exam para pag abot sa next year, when [the stricter blue form policy is] going to be fully implemented, kay it’s already conditioned in the mind. So mao na ang strategy sa admin.” For the CSG, Lacea discussed that they will try to promote alternative financial schemes such as student loans for the student body as administered by Office of Student Affairs to prepare them for the next academic year. He also said that the CSG appreciates that the University listened to the voice of the students. “Overall, the CSG welcomes the decision. We are happy na they were able to hear our side of the story kay I think further insight has to be made again on those factors and I hope na in the end kay mareach ang ilang target and also that it will help the student body in the long run.”C
Street Tutorial Advocacy becomes XU Night School Program By Winona Roselle Serra
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pon deciding that the Street Tutorial Advocacy is in need of a clearer direction after offering six years of volunteer tutorials to street kids and out of school youth, Administrative Coordinator Jerome Torres headed the creation of the XU Night School Program. “The XU Night School Program is another step for the Street Tutorial Advocacy,” he said. As one of the satellite centers of the Department of Education-Alternative Learning System (DepEd-ALS), the XU Night School Program aims to educate out-of-school youth and street children in Cagayan de Oro city through tutorials in an alternative learning environment.
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It also aims to promote literacy, numeracy, and values formation to its students in preparation for the ALS Accreditation and Equivalency Test (ALS A&E), which the students of the program will have to take as a final examination. Upon graduation from the program, students are given the possibility to enroll in formal education in an institution. The classes will have fifteen of the tutees from the previous street tutorials who are aged eleven years old and above. The learners will undergo a five-month intensive learning session based on the DepEd-ALS modules through the guidance of ALS licensed mobile teachers, reinforcement sessions, and values formation
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through Lihok Gikan Sa mga Ordinaryong Kabatan-onan (LIGSOK), a collective gathering of all co-curricular organizations under the School of Education such as the Special Educators’ Society (SPEDSOC), XU Holistic Union of General Educators (XUHUGE), XU Society of Early Childhood Teachers (XUSECT), XU Association of Science Educators (XASED), XU Kabalikat na Atenista sa Filipino (XUKAFIL), XU School of Education Literacy and Communication Society (XUSELICS), and Math Majors (MAMAJ) in partnership with the Teacher’s Guild (TG), City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD), and DepEd-ALS.
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[E.ARANAS]
Manresa Days 2016 celebrates “Agriculture at the Center: Year Three” By Merryane Rose S. Bacud
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hree bulls from the penned cattle go inside the arena as one man raises a red bandanna to signify the “go” signal. The sound of the jaunty crowd grows as racers begin chasing the sturdy, vicious bulls. It is the time of the year where people from across Mindanao gather to witness one of the extraordinary celebrations of the XU College of Agriculture (XUCA)—the Manresa Days 2016. With the theme ‘Agriculture at the Center: Year Three,’ the XUCA once again emphasized the relevance of agriculture through its annual Manresa Days celebration from August 17 to 20 at Manresa Farm. Agriculture at the center The theme “Agriculture at the Center” was extended to bring back the essence of agriculture in the lives of the youth. “There is a need to increase awareness, especially among the youth, the centrality of agriculture in our daily lives, in reducing poverty incidence, and in ensuring food security and environmental sustainability,” said College of Agriculture Dean Maria Rosario Mosqueda, PhD. The theme will be carried out for five years as she believes this challenge cannot be addressed in a short period of time. Former XUCA Dean Anselmo B. Mercado spearheaded the opening ceremony and highlighted his speech on the life and legacy of XUCA founder, Fr. William Masterson, SJ. “One of the many things I remember about Fr. Masterson was his way of instilling in us, the ‘Xavier Aggies’, the vitality or the spirit of whatever it was we were trying to do or to accomplish. He was with us in almost everything – he said to be the ‘best that we can be’ – getting us to study, to do manual work in Manresa, to lead us in reflections and prayers, to cheer with us in sports contests,” he shared.
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