THE UST Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) administration has vowed to continue streamlining the approval process of local student organizations’ events to avoid project delays.
In an interview with The Flame, Artlets Dean Prof. Melanie Turingan said the administration has set a time frame for approving documents to avoid becoming the “cause of delay” of student-led projects.
“Usually, if your [document] is brought to the office, that would already be signed the next day. So, there are specific schedules for drop-offs and reception,” Turingan said in Filipino.
“It does not seem okay that projects are canceled because time already run short for the organizers. If there ever happens to be lapses from the section office, at least when the paper has been returned to us, we know there have been no shortcomings here (the dean’s office),” she added.
The Artlets administration implemented a standard turnaround time during the second term of this academic year to ensure that documents of local student organizations would be reviewed, approved and returned within one day, according to AB faculty secretary Asst. Prof. Louie Benedict Ignacio.
Student organizations are given Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., to submit their requests to the AB office. The signed papers can be claimed the next day from 1 p.m. onwards, while documents submitted on Friday will be released on Monday.
Ignacio said the final approval of events, which is handled by the Office for Student Affairs, depends on the nature of the student organization’s activities. Other concerned offices outside of the faculty “have their own timeline,” he added.
Those seeking budget requests from the Office of the Vice Rector for Finance, Ignacio said, should also consider its process of cash requisition and advances which takes 30 working days.
“So, when student organizations plan for their events, they have to consider that it really takes that much time for their budget to be released,” Ignacio told The Flame.
“But what we assure the student organizations is that the paper will be signed and will be returned in one day, at least here in this office,” he added.
Some of the events commemorating the AB month were postponed or canceled because of funding issues and the failure of some organizers, including the Artlets Student Council, to submit documents on time.
Feedback
Some societies in the faculty have raised concerns related to document requests and approvals.
UST Journalism Society acting secretary Francine Aquino said she still experiences delays despite complying with the stricter schedule of the dean’s office.
“Even though I was very early to submit them (papers)…the concern that I have with AB admin’s process with the documents [is] approving those…We have to follow up with them through e-mail or (private messaging) concerning its approval,” Aquino said.
Thrishia Mei Angella Rama, UST Literary Society auditor, believes introducing acknowledgment receipts would make the approval process more efficient.
“There were some delays in processing the papers of the organization as the official we need for signing happens to not be in the office. There are also times when you need to be persistent with the person in charge to receive the papers you have requested or if you have an inquiry that they have the answer to,” she said.
“Although there are no delays so far on their (AB office) end, you need to have patience since handling papers involves [legwork],” Rama added.
AB Boards of Majors member Nicole Olalia believes the Artlets administration has made the approval and processing of documents easier and “more systematic.” Requesting onsite approval from the dean’s office is also “more effective,” she added.
“We’re hopeful that the smooth coordination when it comes to signing paperwork by the AB Admin goes on for the rest of our term,” Olalia said.F – with reports from John Martin Revilla
