Page 34 - The Flame

Issues

EDILBERTO LORENZO R. MORELOS, JR.
New policy draws mixed reactions

UST finance imposes stricter

measures

By LORENZ CHRISTOFFER S. MARASIGAN and CELINDA A. MERCADO

The Thomasian community was caught off -guard last semester as the Offi ce of the Vice Rector for Finance
released a memo banning students with outstanding balance from enrolling. The memo evoked various
reacti ons from students, parents, and faculty members alike, propelling student leaders and acti vists to run
rallies and protests fi ghti ng for every student’s right to educati on.

HE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas incurred their salaries will be in a form of a promissory ness. The government does not support pri-
approximately P85.5 million of losses note.” vate schools therefore they get their income
Tdue to student debt in the fi rst semester While many aff ected students questi oned from school fees. Bott om line is, [if] the fees
of this academic year alone and an esti mated the legality of the memo, Arti cle XX, Secti on are high, that is the only way to provide quality
receivables of P200 million, Central Student 99 of the Commission on Higher Educati on educati on,” he said.
Council President Lorraine Taguiam said. (CHED) 2008 Manual of Regulati ons of Private While students have the right to enroll un-
According to her, these uncollected fees Higher Educati on states that Higher Educati on ti l they fi nish their course, Arti cle XVIII, Secti on
forced the Offi ce of the Vice Rector for Finance Insti tuti ons (HEIs) “have the right to refuse en- 83 of the said manual states that: “except in
to issue a memo that would bar students with rollment to a student who has an outstanding cases of…failure to sett le due tuiti on and other
outstanding balance from enrolling. balance or property obligati on to the school.” school fees and other obligati ons…a student…
“Fr. Rector [Rolando de la Rosa, O.P.] said CHED Executi ve Director Julito Vitriolo said shall qualify to stay for the enti re period for
that the University pays at least P90 million a that a license given to HEIs is a privilege from which he is expected to complete his program
month for the electricity expenses, pays the the government. However, he noted that edu- of study in the insti tuti on.”
salaries of all of the professors including more cati on is not only a form of social service, but HEIs also have the right to withhold cre-
than 2,000 personnel every month,” she said. is a business as well. denti als, deny fi nal examinati ons, and refuse
“The University cannot tell these people that “It is a form of social service and a busi- to give out grades should students fail to pay
34 | FLAME