Albert* was about to receive his exam from his statistics professor when the professor stopped to make a statement. The professor announced that he caught five students cheating during the exam a few days ago. The professor said that if they do not confess, all five would fail the class and would have to receive major offenses.
A batch vice president approached the professor in class to confess that she had cheated during the exam, but the professor demanded that all five students should approach him. After class, two star scholars along with three other students, including the batch vice president, approached the professor.
Albert was surprised a few days after when his classmates had explained that the professor let them off the hook. Two of whom are Star Scholars.
Under a contract with the University, Star Scholars have to maintain a GPA of at least 2.5. The contract, however, states, “If the deviation from the required GPA is not more than .25, the student is given a chance for only one more term.”
Star Scholars may also lose their scholarships by non-compliance of disciplinary regulations such as a major offense from cheating.
Star Scholars come from the top 100 scorers in the DLSU college entrance exams. Entering at the top 100, however, does not guarantee a candidate a slot. Candidates have to perform well in an interview conducted by the University President, a representative of the Office for Strategic Communications (STRATCOM) and a representative of the University Registrar.
The Student Leadership Involvement, Formation and Empowerment Office (SLIFE) and the Office of Admissions and Scholarships (OSA) handle and monitor the performance of Star Scholars when they enter the University.
Joel Navarez, Coordinator for Operations of the Office, says that the Office of Admissions and Scholarships only renews the scholarship of Star Scholars, much like any other scholar, and that they are subject to the criteria like everyone else. The office only directly monitors with the Star Scholars on their third year. “For their first and second years, it is SLIFE that provides programs for them.”
Starting third year onwards, Navarez states that there are no more special programs for Star Scholars, and that all they need to do to maintain their scholarship is to keep their GPA and steer clear of major offenses. Otherwise, they will be taken out of the program. The programs for the Star Scholars, maintained by SLIFE, end after their second year in DLSU.
Navarez says that the office has no official database or tracking of Star Scholars’ careers and performance after graduation, although he affirms that STRATCOM maintains close contact with certain Star Scholars who have performed exceptionally well in their careers after. The rest, however, do not come immediately to mind, unless they visit the office.
Lasallian values
The incidence has raised the issue of a value component in the selection of Star Scholars and their continued guidance in the University. STRATCOM Director for Operations explains that the selection process of Star Scholars does employ a value component, but concludes that in some cases, some scholars do not perform.
Another office, SLIFE, handles Star Scholar training. Scholars are encouraged to attend leadership seminars, and are asked to participate in organization activities. One particular Star Scholar, however, complains that the office is not as strict and in many cases, the office does not push through with scheduled meetings.
Student leaders and athletes
The issue has also raised a concern on prefential treatment of student leaders and atheletes.
University Student Government President Jana Cabuhat admits that preferential treatment for USG officers may occur in some cases. Cabuhat, however, does not know of any USG officer who has received a major offense, and had to step down from his or her position.
She furthers, “The Judiciary branch ensures that the officers of the USG are of good moral character. The office of the ombudsman monitors the officers in accordance to the constitution and the code of conduct. The student can also file a complaint against any officer through the Judiciary.”
Athletes have also been known to receive preferential treatment from some professors. A professor admits, “Professors normally adjust the gravity of the course and their teaching strategy if the class is an athletes’ block. We make the lectures shallow and we reduce terms and concepts that are too technical. Students that are part of an athletes’ block who are academically competent suffer though for the course appear less challenging.”
He clarifies though that he does not give consideration to athletes who fail a course because of their failure to comply with requirements. He recalls that last term, a student manager approached him during grade consultation to give his student a 1.0 so that the student could play in the UAAP; the aforementioned professor did not change the grade.
The professor says that in some cases, some professors are compelled to change the grade of some athletes. He remembers having a colleague who failed a student, but received a letter from an administrator weeks after. The said professor was compelled to change the grade for some of the administrators who will handle his/her promotion are signatories of the letter.