THERE will be no online synchronous classes in UST when Metro Manila is under Signal No. 2, according to newly released guidelines for the suspension of classes during inclement weather.
The guidelines, released by the Office of the Secretary General (OSG) on Aug. 31, said the University would follow the announcements of the national or local officials regarding class suspensions.
Under Signal No. 1, classes at all levels will proceed as scheduled. Online assessments and examinations will also proceed as scheduled.
Face-to-face (F2F) basic education classes are automatically suspended when Signal No. 2 is declared over Metro Manila. For F2F classes at the tertiary level, the OSG said “suspension is discretionary on the part of the University.”
Online synchronous classes at the tertiary level will shift to asynchronous mode under Signal No. 2 and all asynchronous sessions will proceed as scheduled.
Only online assessments and examinations will be suspended at the tertiary level under Signal No. 2.
Under Signal No. 3, all synchronous, asynchronous, and F2F classes, as well as online assessments and examinations, will be suspended at all levels.
In the absence of any announcement on class suspension, UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P. said classes would proceed as scheduled, “guided by the principles of dialogue, flexibility and accessibility.”
The guidelines defined the three principles as follows:
- Dialogue: Students and academic staff are expected to communicate with their academic officials if they are placed in extraordinary situations that prevent them from participating in classes whether online or F2F.
- Flexibility: Academic officials shall evaluate the requests of students and academic staff to determine valid reasons that may be granted consideration and flexibility given individual contexts and concerns.
- Accessibility: Online synchronous sessions and hy-flex sessions shall be recorded and uploaded to the UST Cloud Campus; thus, providing the students access to the recordings as supplemental material for study.
