THE ADMINISTRATION might have gotten broad approval to increase tuition by 15 percent next school year from the multisectoral campus consultation last Feb. 23, but it is now under pressure to show improved quality in instruction and faculty membership, a key issue raised by student representatives during the consultation.
While the administration has lot to show by way of facilities and physical upgrading to justify the recent tuition increases, it must deliver more forcefully in a matter that strikes at the heart of its academic essence: the quality of its teachers.
To attain quality Catholic, Thomasian education, the UST administration must accelerate efforts to improve its faculty profile, commensurate to the increases in salary and benefits given to teachers by the University.
As part of the efforts to have UST as a center in various programs of teaching by the year 2011 (the University’s 400th year foundation), the administration encourages its faculty members to become teaching and research-oriented professionals, empowered to do community research and to contribute to community needs.
In the University’s medium-term plan, the improvement of the faculty profile would require 100 masterals (MA and MS) and 35 doctors of Philosophy (PhD’s) in the Humanities and Social Sciences; 65 MS’s and 54 PhD’s in Science, Engineering, and Pharmacy; and 60 MS’s in Nursing, Medicine and Physical Therapy.
To realize its vision to become a research center, the University offers incentives and upgraded research facilities to enhance the quality of research and instruction and increase the number of published works of its faculty members. However, faculty response to the incentives remain modest as some of the University’s colleges and faculties could not afford to have many of its teaching staff plunging to field work and to research which would mean a leave from teaching. In many instances, faculty members have woeful capacity and appreciation for research and do not seem acquainted with the latest literature on their disciplines.
The quality of instruction is also in doubt because of the big teaching loads of some faculty members. In some instances, some faculty members take on 30 units of teaching, or more.
With these, Rene Luis Tadle, spokesman of the UST Faculty Union promised during the consultation to work with the administration in improving the system of faculty evaluation.
This was acknowledged as much by a UST official who refused to be named. The official proposed a revision of instruments to evaluate faculty performance with the participation of student representatives.
Also during the consultation, student representatives questioned certain fees slated to increase for SY 2002-2003.
Unexplained fees
Aside from the 15 percent tuition increase for next school year, medical and dental fees are expected to increase. The Reserved Officer and Training Corps (ROTC) fee will be converted to the National Service and Training Program (NSTP) fee. All incoming freshmen students, both male and female, will be required to pay P358.
The Republic Act 9163 or the NSTP program provides options such as literacy training or civic welfare training service for male and female tertiary students as a prerequisite for graduation.
The UST Pay High School increased its tuition and other fees by 35 percent in preparation for its elevation to a science high school next school year.
According to the Thomasian Student Union, a campus group not recognized by the administration, the administration did not provide the exact amount of certain miscellaneous and other fees included in the schedule of proposed and approved fees for the coming school year.
The group added, the energy fee should be included in the 30 percent incremental proceed of the tuition.
Based on the CHED memorandum, 30 percent of the tuition increase collection will go to the physical development of the University, while 70 percent will go to the salaries of the faculty and non-teaching personnel.
Vice-Rector for Finance Fr. Pinto, O.P. said the inclusion of the energy fee in the tuition collection is not possible.
“Specifically, the design of the buildings was not really intended for air conditioning. This (need for classrooms’ air conditioning) came (only) in 1995-1996 and (so) the increase in energy consumption. For obvious reasons, it is but proper that we should have an additional collection in order to support that,” Fr. Pinto explained.
Guidance and counseling fees should be included in the tuition, the student group said.
But Fr. Pinto said guidance and counseling is an additional service offered by the University so the charge can not be included in the tuition.
To improve and upgrade special services, the administration approved for the next school year the separation of the Office for Admissions (before Admissions and Testing the Center) and Guidance and Counseling.
Fr. Pinto did not elaborate but said he would check on the additional P100 charged to students paying tuition and other fees on an installment basis. The installment fee had been questioned by student groups.
Fr. Pinto also defended the matriculation and system development fee. The fee is for the (fast) processing of papers and computerization of the system and transactions of the University, the official explained.
Increases justified
For the last six years (1995-2001), UST has been steadily increasing its tuition and other fees by an average of 10 percent per school year.
The University depends on tuition increase collection for its subsistence, but it also taps other sources of funds like donations to ensure the quality of its services, UST officials said.
Fr. Pinto, the chairperson of the University’s scholarship committee, said for every tuition increase, there is a corresponding increase in the number of scholarship programs for poor but deserving students.
A socialized tuition scheme similar to being implemented in the University of the Philippines is also being considered, Fr. Pinto added.
College of Science Dean Gloria Bernas said the increases were justified.
“As long as you see where the money goes, I think it is justified. The way I look at it, we have seen a lot of improvement over the years,” Bernas said.
The development of the University mainly depends on tuition increase collection and other fees, an aid to maintain quality Catholic education that intends to mold competitive Thomasian students.
“As far as quality is concerned, the increase is expected to enhance the quality of education. The reason for the tuition increase is to maintain the quality of education in UST. We have to sustain the quality or improve it because our goal is to come up with globally competitive graduates,” Bernas said. Ma. Lynda C. Corpuz, with reports from Karen M. Peña and Bernardette S. Sto. Domingo
