THE UST Faculty Union (USTFU) has requested clarification from the University on the computation of faculty members’ share in the interest earnings of tuition increases since 2020, which is set to be released next month.
In a letter dated Oct. 23, USTFU sought details on the basis of computation, interest rate applied, and method of allocation.
The USTFU president, Asst. Prof. Emerito Gonzales, said that while the union welcomed the release, “the receipt of the [tuition] interest by faculty members should not be interpreted as a waiver of the right to seek clarification.”
The letter cited Section 15.3.1 of the 2021–2026 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which requires the University to furnish the union with data on tuition utilization and provide for the allocation of any “excess share, including interests earned.”
To ensure compliance with the CBA, the union requested full disclosure of computation details and said it was “prepared” to send a small team to meet with the finance office to review the figures.
On Oct. 10, the Office of the Vice Rector for Finance announced that faculty members and support staff would receive their accumulated shares in the interest earnings of tuition increases starting this month.
The release covers Academic Years 2020–2021, 2021–2022, 2022–2023, and 2023–2024.
According to UST’s previous statements, tuition increases during this period totaled P220 million.
READ: Faculty, staff set to get share in interest earnings of tuition hikes since 2020
By law, 70% of tuition increases must go to salaries, wages, allowances, and other benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel, while 20% is allocated to the improvement or modernization of buildings, equipment, libraries, laboratories, and similar facilities, as well as operational costs.
The union had appealed for the distribution of tuition interest as it negotiated a collective bargaining agreement with UST, which was signed in May 2025.
The agreement lays down the terms and conditions of employment of unionized faculty members.
