THE UNIVERSITY has agreed to hold talks with the UST Faculty Union (USTFU) to clarify provisions of a new document on professional ethics, following concerns raised by faculty members.
USTFU President Emerito Gonzales said the Rector, Fr. Richard Ang, O.P., was set to form a special panel to represent the University in a “constructive dialogue” on the Institutional Standards of Professional Ethics (ISPE).
“We confirm that USTFU has formally responded, welcoming this process and conveying our readiness to participate at the soonest possible time,” Gonzales said in a statement on Nov. 12.
“Once the Rector’s office finalizes the panel’s composition and issues the formal invitation, USTFU will promptly designate its representatives and share the meeting details with the faculty,” he said.
Ang told Gonzales in a Nov. 7 letter, “The University reiterates its openness to engage in a constructive and collaborative dialogue with the USTFU in view of the concerns raised regarding certain provisions of the ISPE.”
“Through this process, we hope to ensure that the ISPE remains fully aligned with the ethical, academic, and spiritual values that define our University and guide our shared mission of forming competent and compassionate Thomasians,” the Rector said.
The Arts and Letters Faculty Association (ALFA) earlier flagged two provisions in the ISPE, the “blanket ban” on outside employment and the redefinition of full-time employment, which it said “appear to exceed the limits outlined in the 2021-2026 collective bargaining agreement (CBA).”
It urged USTFU to invoke the grievance mechanisms of the CBA — the negotiated five-year salary and benefits deal ratified by the faculty in June — whose “supremacy clause” prevails over the 31-page ISPE.
READ HERE: Artlets faculty flag conflicts between ethics standards, union’s collective bargaining deal
The Artlets faculty group also sought clarification on provisions concerning academic freedom, digital conduct, and who is considered an official representative of UST.
It urged the University to protect due-process safeguards and clearly define what constitutes a “scandal” or a “grave departure” from institutional norms.
The University said in a statement on Oct. 28 that the ISPE was a “final” document, and was “circulated among administrators and faculty groups prior to its implementation.”
The ISPE imposes “de facto exclusivity” on full-time faculty, when the CBA only defines full-time work as 15 or more units of teaching load per term, ALFA stressed.
It also bans any outside employment during leaves, whether part-time or full-time, paid or unpaid, when the CBA forbids only work at another academic institution or its affiliates.
READ HERE: UST tightens rules on outside work, faculty conduct
Faculty members were briefed on the ISPE during the opening of Academic Year 2025–2026. Another discussion was held on Oct. 29, titled, “Cultivating Ethical Practice through Empathy toward Students.”
The University said on Oct. 28 the document is a “reaffirmation of ethical and professional standards already expected of all Thomasian educators.”
