Anatomy of a Pro-student and Pro-people Administration

By Drew Kyla Baysa (Polyplex)

There is a positive correlation between effective leadership and quality of education. A strong imperative to improve quality drives a person to listen. However, this will only be possible if the listener adheres to the messages and acts upon them. The building blocks of a “future-proof” institution are its constituents being heard and given equal opportunities. Thus, the UPLB community deserves to have an administration that is both pro-student and pro-people.

Hope ensues as the UP Board of Regents declared Dr. Jose V. Camacho as the 10th chancellor of UPLB, ending Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez’s era—entailing 6 years leading a tone deaf, colonial, commercialized, fascist, and undemocratic administration on September 24, 2020, during the 1354th meeting of the UP Board of Regents. 

BOR exclusively decides upon election, thus, several organizations resorted to different public actions to prompt the decision-makers to thoroughly examine the candidates and to consider the current situation and interests of different sectors of the university, highlighting the need for a “pro-student, pro-people” chancellor. Demands are essential for change. Different organizations including the UPLB Genetics Society, the UPLB Cell Biological Society, UPLB Computer Science Society (COSS), the UPLB Sigma Rho Fraternity, and the UP College of Economics and Management Student Council (CEMSC) expressed their ideal chancellor and how he should appeal to the constituents’ demands.

A pro-student, pro-people chancellor is empathetic

A compassionate chancellor is kind and true to his service. He must be able to struggle and stand up with the constituents, knowing that the fight happens every day. He listens, and acts instead of ignoring the questions and concerns of the students by not appearing along with audiences and turning down requests.

The UP Cell Biological Society (CELLS) addressed different academic issues in their public statement, and mentioned past issues faced under Sanchez’ administration, including the allowed red-tagging of the students, the administered Student Union (SU) curfew hour, and the rise of Maximum Residence Rule (MRR) & readmission once again. UPLB has the highest disapproved Maximum Resident Rule (MRR) and readmission appeals across the U.P. system, indicating the inefficiency and insensitivity of the previous administration. 

The UPLB COSS released a similar statement, emphasizing the need of a pro-student, pro-faculty chancellor. Having a deep understanding of issues relating to the constituents’ academic freedom, such as the aforementioned adding the problem of the Student Academic Information System (SAIS), a part of the PHP 752 million-worth electronic UP (eUP) project that was first implemented under Sanchez’ administration. A hashtag #JunkSAIS still trends, years after its first run, denouncing the flawed system. SAIS still forces students to go through rigorous steps just to enlist academic units every semester. Instead of being a great channel, it hindered a lot of students from accessing genuine free education. 

A pro-student, pro-people chancellor is active and vocal against pressing national issues

We deserve a leader who will fight along with us and not turn a blind eye. Power serves the good, not the opposite, thus must not yield to tyrants’ wishes.

Along with the others, the UPLB Sigma Rho Fraternity shared the same sentiments along with the others about what they sought in a chancellor. They also highlighted the need for a chancellor that stands against state oppression. People with power have a moral obligation to uphold what is fair. However, we, the student organizations, fight every day for the smothered rights of our members and other citizens of the nation. This includes the recent fight which involves defending press freedom, which is a crucial part of our democracy. 

A pro-student, pro-people chancellor has a powerful vision for the institution’s future

We want a genuine leader, committed to translate his visions into actions and not someone who lies during oath-taking ceremony speeches and proving it through subsequent events that show otherwise.

The UPLB Genetics Society called for the chancellor to ensure that no student is left behind regardless of social class and receive equal opportunities of high-quality education as we transition to a different set-up which is the remote and blended learning in adaptation to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also highlighted the importance of using his power to provide accessible platforms and methods to open more opportunities for financial assistance and scholarships, especially with times like this when four out five UPLB students are unfit for remote learning. The College of Economics and Management Student Council stressed on the importance of the chancellor to develop a “strong academic and administrative leadership” through the three vision papers of the chancellor candidates that they released. 

Camacho was among the ‘hopefuls’ for the term 2020-2023. He had no specific plan of action with MRR or readmission issues and online resources for the students’ flexible learning. However, he promised the UPLB body of his vision of a “future-proofed” university. He emphasized that with this, the university constituents—students, faculty, staff, and researchers should be the center. He also promised that there will be an emphasis on the values of honor, compassion and excellence, even with the stresses and uncertainties that we are facing right now.

Many fought for this chance, for the hope of having a new administration that would finally cater to the university constituents’ needs and not having history repeat itself. With our new Chancellor, all we can do for now is anticipate that he will deliberately listen and heed the demands of the students, faculty and staff and keep UPLB as a zone of peace and academic freedom and a university that serves the masses. If he does not, then he must be ready to face the students united to assert what they deserve. Effective leadership makes a difference. It is what pushes a great administration to produce quality education.