TIDING off the relief of “extendee” professors from the teaching roster, the University’s Spanish program is once again “in shape” with newly hired “maestro” and “maestras,” the UST Department of Languages said.
Five “extendees” out of the six supposedly retired Spanish professors will be replaced by three younger professors this coming academic year.
The latest additions to the UST faculty include two professors from Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion Internacional and an Instituto Cervantes graduate.
Vanessa Afonso of Agencia Espanola and Spain-based Filipino scholar Christopher Rodriguez will replace visiting professor Fernando Ramos in the Faculty of Arts and Letters. Instituto Cervantes alumna Josephine Andal will be assigned to the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, while instructor Abigail Pagalilauan will continue her seven-year teaching stint at the College of Science.
At present, only Arts and Letters, Science, and Tourism offer Spanish courses. Department of Languages chair Marilu Madrunio said “that not being able to hire the same number of relieved ‘extendees’ would not be a problem.”
“I would not say that they are (more) qualified (compared to our former seasoned Spanish professors) but it is still important to consider one’s commitment to learn and to achieve further studies,” Madrunio said.
UST’s partnership with Agencia Espanola facilitated the hiring of new Spanish teachers, she added.
Madrunio earlier confirmed a plan to establish different departments for Spanish, English and Filipino, “since it would provide enough concentration on each language.”
But the proposal is still being received by the Office of Planning and Development.
