THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas will keep its 30-50% cap on online classes despite the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) allowing full virtual delivery, as it rolled out a continuity plan in response to the ongoing energy crisis.
In a four-page memorandum issued by the Office of the Secretary General (OSG) on April 14, the University outlined adjustments in work arrangements and student services to ensure uninterrupted learning while supporting national energy conservation efforts.
“In line with the University’s commitment to ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of instruction and services… and to supporting national priorities through resource-conservation measures amid the energy crisis,” the memorandum read.
The policy is a follow-up to the University’s preliminary measures in response to resource constraints brought by the crisis.
READ: UST allows academic units to hold up to half of classes online to conserve energy
On April 7, CHED issued a memorandum allowing higher education institutions to conduct up to 100 % of classes online to mitigate the impact of the fuel and power crisis.
“We are giving the full flexibility of all higher education institutions to adhere to the previously issued COVID-19 pandemic CMO. But on top of that, depending on their perceived readiness to offer the pure online, they will be the ones to determine,” CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said in an interview.
The CHED memorandum was issued following the declaration of a state of national energy emergency by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
Despite the commission allowing up to 100% online classes, the OSG said academic units would continue to follow CHED memorandum No. 4, s. 2023, which sets the enriched virtual mode (EVM) limit at half of course hours.
The University said onsite classes would continue, particularly for laboratory, clinical and other skills-based courses. Summative assessments, including validation sessions for outputs submitted online, must also be conducted onsite to ensure academic integrity.
Decisions to expand online learning must consider stakeholder consultations, students’ access to technology and commuting conditions, while units must prepare contingency plans for assessments, prioritizing graduating students, the OSG said.
Academic units are required to submit their continuity plans to the Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs by April 17.
Meanwhile, the Faculty of Arts and Letters (AB) has kept its 2:1 hour onsite-online ratio and instead opted to shift the weeks April 20 to 25 and May 11 to 16 to EVM. This coincides with the seniors’ final and juniors’ proposal thesis defense.
AB likewise prohibited the assignment of assessment tasks during the EVM weeks, in a letter dated April 7 from the dean’s office.
The National Service Training Program and Reserved Officers Training Course classes will proceed as scheduled unless disrupted by emerging conditions, the memorandum said.
Work-from-home
A uniform work-from-home setup for administrative offices will be implemented every Monday starting April 20.
Employees whose work cannot be performed remotely are required to report onsite, while special work arrangements outside the previously prescribed schedules will need approval from the Office of the Vice Rector or the Human Resource Department.
Officials, academic and support staff, meanwhile, are expected to align their schedules with the learning modality of their assigned units, while ensuring sufficient personnel remain onsite when students are on campus.
The Miguel de Benavides Library will continue to remain open six days a week to accommodate students and staff, even during online and work-from-home days.
The Counseling and Career Center will also provide both onsite and online services and guidance counselors may adopt a work-from-home arrangement when academic units are fully under EVM.
The University also directed academic and administrative units to maintain active online communication platforms and monitor student and staff engagement across both onsite and remote setups.
Faculty and administrative officials are instructed to ensure active attendance and productivity among students and staff during online and onsite days and assist those experiencing challenges. F
