News

THE UST College of Education is now a Center of Excellence (COE) after undergoing the stringent evaluation of the Commission on Higher Education (Ched). It is the fifth college in the University to receive such status, next to the College of Architecture, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, College of Nursing, and the Conservatory of Music.

The UST College of Education and the teacher-education programs of De La Salle University, Philippine Normal University, and Centro Escolar University, were granted COE status for three years effective June 2, 2008.

“Ched evaluated the College’s faculty and graduate profiles, curriculum, and the passing rate for licensure exams for the past three years. These factors were accounted for for our COE grant,” Dean Clotilde Arcangel told the Varsitarian.

Arcangel said Education exceeded the minimum 85 percent passing score. However, Ched did not disclose the exact rating.

THE UNIVERSITY has decided to scrap plans to build a 19-story tower to expand the UST Hospital and would build a low-rise structure instead, as efforts to settle liabilities and get new investors to finance the expansion push through.

The expansion has been scaled down but there are plans to build a huge medical laboratory and expand the number of hospital rooms to 800 in keeping with the institution’s character as a teaching hospital, UST Rector Rolando de la Rosa bared. This means the project will only need P1 billion at the most instead of the original P3-billion loan contracted by his predecessor.

De la Rosa said UST is still servicing P600 million in hospital debts which include professional fees, repairs, renovations, and new equipment, among others.

BAGGING the elusive gold medal has always been the aspiration of the Philippines come Olympic season. But it seems that what the country lacks for athletic prowess, it makes up for excellence in the arts.

Such was attested by Jose “Joe” Datuin, a Thomasian artist whose sculpture entry struck gold in the prestigious 2008 Olympic Sport & Art Contest organized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

“I have been joining a lot of competitions but this is the first time that I literally cried out of joy, considering its grandness,” Datuin told the Varsitarian.

THE DEATH of actor Rodolfo “Rudy” Fernandez, who took up college units at UST, has brought to fore the unheard of fury of periampullary cancer, a rare tumor that grows in the gastrointestinal tract. With news of the actor’s death preoccupying national media, the question on the back of many minds is how exactly the unknown disease can kill.

Periampullary cancer occurs when a tumor grows around the ampulla of Vater, a duodenal duct which evolves from the meeting point of the pancreatic and bile ducts.

TWO YEARS after redefining the UST landscape, the Quadricentennial Square with its “interactive fountain” has become a popular campus hangout and a must-see for visitors.

FOR PEOPLE with refractive problems like Cecilia Ramirez, 34, bringing eyesight back to perfect vision was blurry a decade ago, and options were limited to wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses. But hope came with the discovery of Lasik treatment which revitalizes optimum vision in an instant.

Driver Mang Nelson was in bad shape.

FIRST days can be exciting but also daunting for college freshmen, especially in a new environment like UST.

Understanding that freshmen students can still be groping in the dark in their first few weeks in the University, four guidance counselors from the Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) and the Colleges of Science, Commerce and Fine Arts and Design shared their tips to help freshmen cope with college life and get the most out of their stay in UST.

TEODORA “Doring” Agcang was standing by a street lamp on España Street when I first saw her. It was past midnight last June 6 and I was looking for a way back to my apartment on G. Tolentino Street, just a block away from P. Noval.

Walking alone from school was not a good idea so a friend suggested that I take a pedicab.