THE ARTLETS Student Council (ABSC) has filed a petition to the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) administrators to postpone the conduct of onsite classes for the whole month of January to help Artlets prepare for hybrid learning set-up this term.
In a letter addressed to AB Dean Jacqueline Kaw, dated Jan. 13, ABSC cited several concerns raised by the students regarding the “sudden change of modality” as the Faculty implemented a hybrid set-up for general education courses.
“In light of these recent events, ABSC sympathizes with the community and humbly proposes to your good office to please provide leniency to the Artlets community and postpone any onsite classes for the whole month of January or a minimum of 14 days so that Artlets would have an ample amount of time to prepare for any upcoming hybrid courses,” the petition wrote.
The AB earlier announced the implementation of hybrid learning in some of its program courses under the general guidelines for the second term of the Academic Year 2022-2023.
It indicated that high-stakes assessments for both professional and pilot classes of general education courses are to be conducted onsite while course lectures could be employed either purely online or hybrid, based on the discretion of the academic units.
Based on the council’s constituency check, students feel unprepared for the shift to a hybrid learning set-up for the second term. Students also aired their grievances over lodgings and confusion over AB’s uniform policy.
“To avoid complications and mishaps among the Artlet community, such return must be gradual, progressive, and pro-student,” the petition wrote.
The ABSC will be meeting with Lopez-Kaw and other AB administrators tomorrow, Jan. 19, to discuss the plans on the Faculty’s transition to onsite learning, incoming AB assistant dean Dr. Melanie Turingan said through an email interview with The Flame.
Last November 2022, the Commission on Higher Education ordered all higher education institutions (HEIs) to halt the conduct of purely online classes. HEIs may also offer 50 percent online classes but upon the approval of the higher education commission. F – Aubrey Shane Lim and Prince Ronson Sabado
