MORE THAN a year after a ruckus involving the Office for Student Affairs (OSA) and TomasinoWeb sparked calls to uphold campus press freedom, the leaders of the UST media entity expressed hope that a more “progressive and empathetic” approach would be in place under OSA’s new deputy chief.
Asst. Prof. Eleighn Castro will serve as the University’s new OSA assistant director, replacing Asst. Prof. Maria Regina Arriero who handled the post for three years.
Prior to her appointment to OSA, Castro taught at the Human Resource Management department under the UST College of Commerce and Business Administration. As OSA’s deputy chief, she will now work with its director Asst. Prof. Jaezamie Ong in supervising recognized campus organizations and overseeing all student-related activities.
“I’m just hopeful that the newly appointed OSA assistant director will bring a more progressive and empathetic approach, particularly when engaging with student leaders,” TomasinoWeb presiden
Suni also cited the need to create an environment “where members feel empowered to express their freedom of expression and creativity.”
Under its previous leadership, OSA drew widespread criticism for allegedly ordering TomasinoWeb to take down a viral 7-Eleven photo.
The controversial photo, which showed two College of Information Sciences students entering the 7-Eleven branch inside UST, gained traction online due to the supposed resemblance of their uniform to that of the convenience store’s employees.
TomasinoWeb was reportedly pressured to delete the photo that supposedly subjected Information Science students to “public ridicule.”
During the height of the controversy, OSA director Asst. Prof. Maria Tio Cuison went on medical leave, prompting the administration to appoint Ong as officer-in-charge.
A month into the controversy last year, UST rector Fr. Richard Ang directed Ong to conduct a dialogue with student organizations.
The dialogue sought to gather insights from representatives of different organizations to shape policies that directly impact student life and engagement on campus.
READ: Q and A with OSA’s officer-in-charge
In January, Ong was named OSA director, while Arriero was retained as assistant director.
Clearer guidelines
In a recent interview with The Flame, TomasinoWeb officers said they still face constraints due to a lack of communication regarding the approval process and requirements for off-campus activities.
Liana Ortega, executive editor of TomasinoWeb, said such circumstances hinder the organization’s members from performing their roles as campus media practitioners. She called for a “more organized and transparent system,” noting that the nature of their organization requires off-campus legwork.
During the previous academic year, OSA began requiring the submission of medical certificates and notarized parental consent forms from members of UST-recognized student organizations, including TomasinoWeb, for off-campus activities.
The documents were meant to minimize safety risks in off-campus events.
READ: A year after photo fiasco, TomasinoWeb still facing constraints, being watched closely, says editor
“I do hope that alternative solutions can be explored to ensure the safety of members during off-campus coverages while minimizing expenses and alleviating the financial burden on students,” Suni said, citing the need for clearer and more immediate communication of requirements to avoid subjecting students to “unnecessary pressure.”
“Sudden changes and the last-minute addition of requirements, especially those not previously communicated, put unnecessary pressure on student organizations,” she added.
Ortega urged OSA to issue clearer instructions, saying confusing processes caused delays in the processing of papers.
“If something needs to be submitted, we should be informed immediately, because time is running and being wasted, and we end up rushing,” she said. F
