Today, January 26, UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel R. Nemenzo released a message to the UPD Community regarding the clamor for a recovery and wellness break, and the campaign to move the semester.
As per the UP administration’s decision after holding consultations with various sectors within the university, the second semester is set to start on February 7, excluding UP Open University (February 13) and UP Cebu (February 21) despite protests.
“We are on the same boat,” Chancellor Nemenzo stated in the assertion of the current problems faced by the community.
The chancellor reiterates that the university will implement “academic ease” in the first week of classes by suspending synchronous classes and asynchronous submissions. This is less than the supposed two-week “health and recovery period” reported in earlier news.
The chancellor reasoned that the extension of the semester appears to be impossible after they considered delayed students who hope to graduate, prospective students who hope to enter UP, outgoing students who hope to take licensure exams or proceed to their professional careers, and overworked staff who will be working triple time if the timeline is moved.
“We must balance welfare and wellness with the continuity of education and services, and seek to pursue the latter without compromising the first. And although this balancing is very hard, we should not stop trying,” the Chancellor added.
Earlier, the UP community—comprising of students, faculty, student councils, and organizations—joined a signature campaign and called to #MoveTheSemUP and #DoBetterUP. This is after the lingering effects of typhoon Odette and the rapid surge of Covid-19 cases that heavily affected the UP community.
Furthermore, the chancellor also announced that the administration took steps to advance the January salary of the Non-UP Contractual personnel. The administration also pushed to grant 5-day special leave for workers that can be taken anytime until July 2022.
Nevertheless, the UP community still calls for genuine academic ease.
“Lubos na kailangan ng mga maliliit na kawani ang agarang health break, o anumang anyo ng pahinga, para makabangon sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng pandemya at krisis. Para mas makapagpahinga, makapagpagaling at makapagpalakas ang isang kawani nang walang inaalalang utang o gastusin sa pagpapagamot, ibigay din ng UP administration ang kagyat na ayuda na 25k,” Ric Felonia of All UP Workers’ Alliance asserted.
Earlier, the UP Diliman University Student Council (UPD USC) sent a letter to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte to declare a two-week wellness and recovery break (January 29 to February 12), citing the Covid-19 surge, Omicron variant threat, and Typhoon Odette aftermath. The council also pushed for another two-week break as preparation for the next semester.
As of January 25, Tuesday, 4174 members of the UP community have signed the petition to move the semester. Despite the message of the chancellor, the petition is still open for signatures.
Sign the petition here: bit.ly/MoveTheSem
#DoBetterUP
#AcademicEaseNow
#MoveTheSemUP
Featured image by Esquiremag.ph
