What to do with chronically absent & late instructors

As the academic year begins, it is important that students are aware of their rights inside and outside the classroom. As such, it is imperative that students know the remedies available at their disposal whenever they encounter some difficulties with their instructors or professors. Hereunder are the guidelines released by the Office of the Chancellor that will allow students to report absenteeism and tardiness among the faculty:

1. Students are encouraged to call the attention of the dean concerned about faulty members who are frequently absent or tardy.
2. The dean is enjoined to act on the report of the student(s) within five (5) days and, whenever possible, to give the student(s) feedback on the action he/she has taken.
3. If after five (5) days the dean fails to act on the report, the student is advised to call the Chancellor’s hotline for this purpose.
4. Students are requested to limit their reports or complaints to the following issues:
   • faculty members who do not meet their classes regularly;
   • faculty members whor eschedule their classes permanently wihtout authorization from the Dean’s office;
   • faculty members who come to class late for more than three times, and with ‘late’ being defined as coming in later than ten minutes after the start of the official class time;
   • faculty members who are not available during the scheduled consultation hours for more than two times; and
   • faculty members who dismiss their classes too early, i.e. earlier than 15 minutes before the scheduled end, or too late, i.e., later than 15 minutes after the scheduled end.

   In making these reports, students must cite specific facts, such as the name of the faculty member, dates when he/she was absent or late, number of times that he/she was absent or late, class schedule and classroom number. This will facilitate the verification of the complaint.

5. to ensure the success of this project, the students are strongly advised not to misuse this privilege and to follow the guidelines above.

The USC’s Students’ Rights & Welfare Committee and the Students’ Legal Aid & Action Committee are also willing to extend their help to students who wish to air their complaints and grievances.

The local numbers below are accessed through UP Diliman’s trunkline at (63)-(02)-9818500.

POST-SCRIPT: Some of the contact details, taken from http://www.upd.edu.ph/tardy.htm are apparently outdated

UNIT	HOTLINE	EMAIL	CONTACT PERSON
Architecture	5161, 5135	uparchi@arki.upd.edu.ph	Minda Maraan, Grace Razon
Arts & Letters	6736	jwcapili@cal.upd.edu.ph mitaka@mailexcite.com	Jose Wendell Capili Aurora Carandang
Asian Center	9261821/5243 9203535/5143	armando_jr.malay@up.edu.ph normita.recto@up.edu.ph	Armando Malay Normita Recto
AIT	9269477	upait@compass.com.ph	Asuncion Laraya
Business Ad	9297991	elvira.zamora@up.edu.ph	Elvira Zamora Ida Patimo
Education	6432	rcsoria@ced.upd.edu.ph	Robinson Soria
Engineering	4343641 9283144 5620	ega@engg.upd.edu.ph jonat@engg.upd.edu.ph	Edgardo Atanacio Jonathan Salvacion
Economics	9205461	rdanao@econ.upd.edu.ph	Rolando Danao
Fine Arts	4348218, 7024	esilarde@cfa.upd.edu.ph	Elvie Silarde
Home Economics	9202091, 6063 6942, 6972, 9261552, 9202089, 6925, 6973	chedean@che.upd.edu.ph ocs@che.upd.edu.ph heed@che.upd.edu.ph hrim@che.upd.edu.ph flcd@che.upd.edu.ph fsn@che.upd.edu.h ctra@che.upd.edu.ph	Cristina Flor Galvez Carolyn ronquillo Elsa Orlina Lourdes Catral Liza Redoble Mialgros Querubin
Human Kinetics	4381, 4276, 4554, 4837, 4555, 4937	gluy@chk.upd.edu.ph mdraguilar@netscape.net binkyqd@chk.upd.edu.ph	Gilda L. Uy Mynett Aguilar Marie Eloisa Ulanday Artemio Isidro
Islamic Studies	5556	jwadi@islamic.upd.edu.ph neng@islamic.upd.edu.ph	Julkipli Wadi Cristina Carden
Law	5545		Patricia Daway
Library Science	6751	jcc@ils.upd.edu.ph	Josefina Cervas
SOLAIR	4213, 9286396	didi.agustin@upd.edu.ph nicolas.barriatos@solair.upd.edu.ph	Lourdes Agustin Nicolas Barriatos
Mass Comm	4150, 4459	ejp@upd.edu.ph violeta.umali@up.edu.ph	Ellen J. Paglinauan Violeta Umali
Music	4053, 9296963	mauricia.borromeo@up.edu.ph gemma.malicden@up.edu.ph	Mauricia Borromeo Gemma Malicden
Science	7174, 7400	csdean@csrc.cs.upd.edu.ph cssec@csrc.cs.upd.edu.ph	Rhodora Azanza Maritina Castillo
NCPAG	9261432, 9279085	ncpag@broline.com ednaco@cpa.upd.edu.ph	Edna Co
CSSP	6810	dekano@kssp.upd.edu.ph	Elizabeth R. Ventura
CSWCD	9298438, 5278	natividad.caparros@up.edu.ph	Natividad T. Caparros
Statistics	9280881	emma@stat.upd.edu.ph	Emma Dublin
SURP	9206854	luzviminda.rivera@up.edu.ph mary_ann.esporas@up.edu.ph	Luzviminda C. Rivera Mary Ann. P. Esporas
UPEPSF	9292009 (Diliman) 045-5992794 (San Fernando)		Rolando Garcia
ASP	9241836, 5270308	eusebio@skyinet.net	Eusebio Dizon
TMC	4262765	hsv@cba.upd.edu.ph hsv@upd.edu.ph tmcjep@info.com.ph	Helen S. Valderrama Ellen C. Cruz
Office of the Chancellor	9266942, 4003, 4902	daki@upd.edu.ph lulay@upd.edu.ph	Dakila A. Fernando Stella A. Francisco

Statement of Support for 11 SE Students’ Call for Due Process

To The University Council:

“No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of the law, nor shall any person be denied equal protection of the law.”[1]

The case of the eleven graduating students undergoing disciplinary proceedings before the Student Disciplinary Tribunal for charges of cheating is yet to be resolved. The administration of the School of Economics have decided to prevent them for graduating as they await, for an indeterminable period, the final resolution of the case.

The students stand to lose more if they are prevented from graduating and subsequently found innocent, than the university if the students are later found guilty. Although commencement exercises are but a formal ceremony, it nonetheless is not an ordinary occasion, since such ceremony is the educational institution’ s way of announcing to the whole world that the students included in the list of those who will be conferred a degree during the baccalaureate ceremony have satisfied all the requirements for such degree.[2]They will not only be deprived of their right to attend their much awaited graduation, but will be stigmatized before their future colleagues. They will likewise be prevented from seeking immediate employment, and effectively, from getting on with their lives.

Under the rules, every student undergoing disciplinary proceedings shall not be subjected to any disciplinary penalty except upon due process of law[3]and that pending final decision on any charges the said student shall enjoy all his rights and privileges as a student.[4]

It is in this regard that we, the members of the University Student Council, urge the University Council to allow the eleven students from the School of Economics participate in the commencement exercises on April 25, in accordance with the rights set forth in the Rules and Regulations on Student Conduct and Discipline.

We likewise urge the Board of Regents to convene and amend the rules, setting forth guidelines in order to protect the rights of graduating students with unresolved cases, and to ensure the speedy disposition of these proceedings.

Due process, we must not forget, is not merely a high ideal that we seek to uphold but a right to which everyone is entitled. It is guaranteed by no less than our country’s constitution and reaffirmed by the very rules which students adhere to and which the university is mandated to protect.

[1] Section 1, Article III, 1987 Philippine Constitution
[2] University of the East vs.Jader, G.R. No. 132344 (2000)
[3] id Section 22, paragraph a
[4] id Section 22, paragraph c