1303rd BOR Report

8/10/2019 1303rd BOR Report

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REPORT ON THE 1303 RD BOARD OF REGENTS BOR) MEETINGUP Executive House, 26 November 2014, 9:10 AM

APPROVAL OF THE PROVISIONAL AGENDA

Before the BOR approved the Agenda, President Alfredo Pascual asked that theSuspension of the Up or Out Policy for Research, Extension and Professional Staff (REPS)in UPLB be considered. In addition, Regent Senator Pia Cayetano also asked to be includedin the business of the meeting her brief update on UPs budget.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES

1301 st Meeting 29 September 2014

Motion for Reconsideration of the Approval by the Board of Regents of the DraftMemorandum of Agreement between the University of the Philippines and the SmartCommunications, Inc. for provision Wireless Communications Connectivity in Various UPCampuses System-wide

Student Regent Neill John Macuha presented his motion for reconsideration to the Boardon the following basis: (1) there was a false assumption by the members of the BOR thatthe whole deal would not entail any cost as the university shall pay for the electricity costof the service; (2) that the cost of the Memorandum to the University be spent instead to

improve existing free Wi-Fi services such as the DilNet, UPLB Wi-Fi, etc.; and (3) pointsraised by the members of the Board were not reflected on the final signed Memorandum,subject to the Board s consideration.

Faculty Regent Dr. Lourdes Abadingo raised her points upon consultation with experts onthe field. She first summarized the gist of the deal, then clarified that the cost of the serviceto UP would be very negligible. President Pascual then stated that he already saw that partof the Memorandum, and said that given that the cost would be minimal, it may cost UPmore to let Smart bear electricity cost. SR Macuha however stood his ground that since

Smart would profit form the said deal, it is just for them to bear all costs needed for theservice to push through. Towards the end, Regent Sen. Cayetano moved to set aside the


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motion of the Student Regent, and affirm the Boards earlier decision to confirm the said deal. SR Macuha then argued that if that if the motions is dismissed, he is objecting theconfirmation of the deal on the aforesaid grounds. Staff Regent Anna Razel Ramirez joinedthe SR in his objection. Regent Sen. Cayetano clarified that he understood why the SR havebeen upset, since to the lay people not knowing some of the technicalities, it may seemthat the whole deal would be free, as that was the presentation made to the Board.However, since the cost would be negligible, she chose to let the project be continued. Themotion for reconsideration was therefore dismissed.

REPORTS [1]

Report of the President [2]

President Pascual reported about the Board of Trustees meeting of the International Rice

Research Institute (IRRI), where he sits as an ex-officio member. According to him, despitethe lease of IRRI still has ten years, the executive director wants to extend it to another 25years. He told the latter that he was reluctant not because of monetary concerns, butbecause he wants to up the Universitys ties with the institute. SR Macuha supported thisby saying that he received reports that UP Los Baos seems to not benefit wit h IRRIsexistence near the CU. The President then clarified that during its early years, thepartnership between UPLB and IRRI were strong, but mellowed down with IRRI opting towork with Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) instead; however, the facultybenefits from IRRI through projects are on an individual basis. Regent MagdalenoAlbarracin Jr. suggested that the President negotiate stronger linkages with IRRI,suggesting that some of the scientists of IRRI teach in UPLB, while UPLB Faculty work withthe institute.

President Pascual also reported that he attended the ASEAN Universities Network Rectorsmeeting held in Chang Mai, Thailand. SR Macuha then reminded the President of UPscommitment to host the ASEAN Student Leaders Forum in 2016.

SR Macuha also flagged President Pascual report on the merit promotions which statedthat since part of the money used would be sourced from the Miscellaneous Personnel

Benefit Fund (MPBF), the university has to give up some of the plantilla items. Accordingto the Student Regent, the staff might be very upset to learn this given that there are manycontractuals in UP, while faculty items in various CUs are lacking. President Pascual notedthat this is the practice of recent years, in which Chair Patricia Licuanan agreed. She thennoted that UP could always ask for additional items from the Department of Budget and

1 Only highlights of the discussion shall be provided. If the reader desires a full copy of the saidreports, please e-mail the OSR at [email protected].

2 Included in the Presidents report is the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between UP

and Anflocor about the establishment of a UPLB College of Agriculture Extension Campus in PanaboCity. Since the OSR has no soft copy of the MOU, please e-mail us should the reader want to see theMOU.


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Management should the need really arise. The President then added that there is a needfor UP to work efficiently, and the University had done so by rationalization.

Report of the Faculty Regent

Included in the report of FR Abadingo is the case of Dr. Danilo Tuazon, a faculty appealingto the Board to be released from his contractual obligations of 15 years of service sincehe was not granted tenure due to an alleged politicking; President Pascual clarified thathe already discussed the case with UP Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan, and the latteragreed to send his answer to the appeal through a letter stating that UP Diliman isreleasing Dr. Tuazon of his contractual obligations not because UP is condoning renegingfaculty, but values highly qualified professio nals such as him .[3] SR Macuha inquiredwhether this would send faculty members the wrong signals since clearly Dr. Tuazon wantsto serve UP in any capacity, but asks that he be given what is due to him. Noting that as

much as he is sympathetic to the case, he is wondering why UP cannot transfer him inanother unit to finish his required years of service to pay his obligations. President Pascualsaid that this would further complicate the case, and that the issue is already beingaddressed by the Chancellor of UP Diliman.

Report of the Student Regent

SR Macuha reported on the problems of UP Manila School of Health Sciences units raisedto him on two separate consultations. Reported earlier by FR Abadingo, he noted that SHSunits need more support from the UP Administration as true Iskolar ng Bayan , and giventheir continuous strong performances on board examinationss. However, RegentAlbarracin siad that if local government units (LGUs) are failing to support SHS Units, asthey should have been, then UP must contemplate pulling out from those sites. FRAbadingo was quick to answer that there were support coming from LGUs and otherconcerned individuals. She stated that maybe the lack of support was coming from the UPAdministration. President Pascual assured the Board to refer the matter to the UP ManilaChancellor.

SR Macuha also asked the Board for support for the victims of Human Rights Violations in

UP, especially that the International Human Rights Week is near. Only Regent Sen.Cayetano responded by saying that she will look upon the matter. She also promised tocommunicate with SR Macuha on her plans on the HR Week, while reporting that they arenow having a 10-day campaign on Anti-violence against Women and Children. SR Macuhareciprocated the support.

3 To clarify, the allegations of politicking comes from Dr. Tuazon, not from the OSR or SR Macuha. Dr.

Tuazon failed to come back to UP on time as per the terms of his fellowship contract, thus beinglabeled as a reneging faculty, however his tenure was not revoked by the BOR making the mattercomplicated.


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Other matters reported by SR Macuha, including the calls for junking of unjust, exorbitant,and redundant school fees, tuition increase moratorium and rollback were noted, absentfurther action, query or support.

Report of the Staff Regent

Staff Regent Ramirez also reported on the recently concluded merit promotions. Accordingto her, REPS and Administrative Staff were decrying the lack of transparency on theirpromotions. In addition, she also noted her observations that faculty members fromsmaller CUs have not filed any appeals due to the said lack of transparency. Last, sheraised that it was unfair that the System Committee on Promotions only reviewed caseswhere pending appeals were made, leaving those who were not aggressive enoughalienated. President Pascual answered that these issues would be tackled on correctivepromotions come 2015.

Issues about the Philippine General Hospital PGH)

The Sectoral (Faculty, Student and Staff) Regents raised pertinent issues regarding PGH,its governance, and the withheld 21 million PhilHealth Reimbursement share ofemployees. According to them, workers in PGH are now calling for the ouster of PGHDirector Dr. Jose Gonzales. In addition, they cited the workers assertion that DirectorGonzales has violated the law for not releasing the aforesaid amount, referring to thepending Board action on the Union s Motion for Reconsideration in re Health InsuranceProgram. After lengthy discussions, Chair Licuanan asked that the Sectoral Regents referthe matter to the UP Manila Chancellor for her appropriate action on the issue.

GENERAL GOVERNANCE

Appointment of University Officials

Dr. Charlotte M. Chiong Director, Philippine National Ear Institute, National Institute ofHealth, University of the Philippines Manila, effective 1

November 2014, to serve at the pleasure of the Chancellor

In addition, the appointment of UPLB Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. PortiaLapitan was deferred until 1 January 2015 upon her request to wrap up her commitmentas the Director of Eco-systems Research and Development Bureau. For the meantime,Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Prof. Julieta De Los Reyes was appointedOfficer-in-Charge. [4]

4 Part of the Addenda Items of the Agenda. SR Macuha received the Addenda on 25 November, 8:26PM.


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ACADEMIC MATTERS

The board approved the proposal to change the rules on the release of ST System stipends,effectively waiving the grade-requirement provided that the student has 12 units enrolledduring the semester concerned.

SR Macuha also reminded the Board on their earlier decision to ask for an increase onProfessorial Chair donations, while providing other namesake for donations lower that theminimum requirement still to be determined. This was according to the suggestion ofRegent Gizela M. Gonzalez-Montinola during the 1302 nd meeting.

FISCAL MATTERS

The Staff Regent asked for an increase on the Php 4,000 year-end allowance, and that UPcontractuals be also granted of such bonus. President Pascual said that the administrationcannot increase the said amount, but promised to look into the benefit that contractualsmay be getting. However, he noted that the amount to be provided the contractuals shallbe lower than what regular employees would be receiving.

MATTERS FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE BOARD

Only Student Regent Macuha and Staff Regent Ramirez raised their objection, asmentioned earlier, on the confirmation of the Smart Wi-Fi deal.

MATTERS FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE BOARD

MOA between UP and CHED on the GIA-based Collaboration on the PCARI Projects [5]

SR Macuha raised that faculty members from the Congress of Teachers and Educators forNationalism and Democracy-UP and Alliance of Concerned Teachers gave him a positionpaper about the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes (PCARI) outside the

Executive House. He said that the issues raised were meritorious, thus must be addressed.President Pascual then noted that PCARI is already a done deal, however, suggested toChair Licuanan to hold a dialogue with the said faculty members to answer their scepticismabout the project as the Commission on Higher Education will spearhead the said program.

Results of the Selection Round of the 2015-2016 Faculty Regent Selection Process [6]

The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs informed the Board that the FacultyRegent Selection have been finished. Dr. Philip Ian P. Padilla of UP Visayas Miag-ao is thenew Faculty Regent effective 1 January 2015, besting Prof. Joy Lizada of UP VIsayas Iloilo

5 See footnote 4.6 Ibid.


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City and Prof. Margarita De la Cruz of UP Visayas Tacloban College. He will succeed UPManilas Dr. Lourdes Abadingo as the representative of the faculty on the highest policymaking body of the University.

The Office offers its sincere congratulations to Dr. Padilla on his selection as Faculty

Regent. We look forward to working with him in tackling the different issues, local andnational, and wishes that he will uphold genuine representation and a consultativeapproach during his term. We hope that the incoming Faculty Regent will stand by not onlywith the faculty, but also with the students, staff and other vital components of the UPcommunity, and the Filipino people.

For the students and the people,

NEILL JOHN G. MACUHAStudent Regent

1303rd BOR Report

Documents

Transcript of 1303rd BOR Report