Academic Year 2023-2024 saw nearly a month’s worth of class interruptions at UST due to various circumstances outside the usual pre-determined holidays. While the familiar suspensions due to heavy rains persisted, new challenges emerged, such as extreme heat, poor air quality, and several transport strikes. These disruptions led to the suspension of classes for 28 school days in total.
Even as UST prioritizes the safety of its students, teachers, and workers during these suspensions, it must ensure that essential student services remain accessible. A critical part of this is keeping the Miguel de Benavides Library open to students.
UST’s choice to suspend classes for the safety of its community is praiseworthy, though it should ensure that essential services continue when the campus is still accessible.
The first semester alone saw seven days of onsite class suspensions due to transport strikes, necessitating a switch to the Enriched Virtual Mode (EVM), UST’s trademark scheme for virtual classes. The second semester, which marks the thesis season for most seniors, mirrored this trend, with five days shifted to online learning due to transport strikes and extreme heat.
Each suspension also included an announcement to transition to remote work, effectively closing all student services on campus. While this move is necessary for logistical reasons, it deprives students of access to essential resources that support their education and well-being, including the Miguel de Benavides Library.
Although there are several study hubs around UST, none can rival the quiet and comfort of the on-campus library, which provides not only a conducive environment for study but also essential academic materials that are often unavailable elsewhere.
On extremely hot days, the library’s air conditioning offers a comfortable refuge for students who want to study without incurring extra costs.
The energy and library fees, which amount to about P5,000 per student each semester, justify maintaining such learning spaces. Additionally, UST’s Veritas Wi-Fi network provides access to educational resources, which is vital to students living in dormitories with unreliable internet.
It is essential for UST to maintain at least the minimum campus operations during class suspensions. This includes keeping the library open, even with a reduced staff if necessary, to support students’ academic needs. Additionally, essential services like the UST Health Service should remain available to address the health and safety needs of the student body.
The hybrid learning model adopted by UST during the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of educational resilience and flexibility. Although the pandemic has subsided, the frequent disruptions of the past academic year underscore the continued need for such adaptability.
By keeping the library and other essential facilities open, UST can better support its students, ensuring their education remains uninterrupted and that they have a safe place to study and access resources. UST’s compassion and commitment to safety should not come at the expense of learning.
