Letters to the Editor is a section where The LaSallian publishes sentiments and opinions by members of the community on matters concerning life in De La Salle University in any of its aspects. Should you wish to send a letter to the editor, kindly email your letter to [email protected], or send a message to our Facebook page.
Juan Batalla
Editor, The LaSallian
October 7, 2013
Dear Editor,
As a concerned Lasallian student who diligently pays the high tuition fee demanded by our University, I would like to express my fight on the right to know where every penny is spent.
An observation on the financial transparency of our alma mater:
On Monday of September 9, 2013, a few friends of mine approached me with the concern of 1200 pesos late adjustment fee. Being a former USG officer, I knew that the fee would cost 220 pesos with the breakdown of 70 for printing and 150 for the adjustment fee. Skeptical, I asked around for answers only to find out such a system existed for years.
Unsatisfied with the “it’s been a status quo” answers, I have decided to ask the OUR for a breakdown of the 1200 pesos. Sadly, bureaucracy has made me a ball being thrown from one person to another – waiting for someone to own up. Finally, an OUR personnel explained the additional 1000 pesos goes to the One Lasalle scholarship fund. Having dozens of questions, I asked for an interview. Bureaucracy has punched me again as he requested for a letter addressed to the enrollment council, just to demand for the answers that are rightfully ours. Now I have to wait for days before I could express how much indignation the late adjustment fee has caused.
It’s very easy to say that the fee will go to a certain fund, but this is still not transparent enough. Personally, I want to know where every single peso goes. Not just the notoriously high late adjustment fee, but every single penny we pay from our very own tuition fee to the other imposed fees like the penalty fee for overdue books, replacement fee for ID, printing of Good Moral Certificate fee and others.
Our student representatives, USG, have attended the meeting with the enrollment council . Unfortunately, no fees were discussed. I wondered why neither the administrators nor the student representatives discussed these monetary issues.
If the admin is not willing to shed light on these matters, then we (students) must take the necessary actions in order to achieve the transparency that we are clamoring for. Hopefully, this issue will serve as a wake-up call not only for the students to be vigilant on the imposed university policies, but also for the student leaders to PROPERLY represent the student body.
Sincerely concerned,
Jerick Maala
President, Tapat
This letter was replied to by the current University Registrar, Dr. Voltaire Mistades, last October 22:
5 replies on “Letter to the Editor by Jerick Maala”
Dear esteemed editors and student journalists of The LaSallian,
Greetings of peace!
In this month’s issue of The LaSallian (October 18, 2013; Anniversary Issue; volume LIII number V), Jerick Maala (President of Alyansang Tapat sa Lasalista) wrote a letter to the editor stating, “I would like to express my fight on the right to know where every penny is spent” and “we (students) must take the necessary actions in order to achieve the transparency that we are clamoring for”.
May I share with the esteemed editors of TLS, and with Jerick, this weblink to the DLSU President’s Report AY 2012-2013.
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/offices/chancellor/president-report/_pdf/DLSUPresidentsReport.pdf
This has been uploaded in the DLSU website since the beginning of this current academic year (around five months ago). You should be able to find in this wonderfully-prepared (and technologically-innovative) electronic book all the information that our student leaders are “clamoring” for.
During the time I was the Dean of Student Affairs (2006-2009), I had encouraged both our student journalists and student leaders to do their research before “diving into an issue”. Doing initial research is reflective of what it means to be a learner in a University.
I do hope that our student leaders find their answers. We, your educators and formators, will continue to lead you to where the answers may be found.
Thank you very much and more power to your good publication.
In St. La Salle,
Sir Voc
Voltaire Mistades, PhD
University Registrar
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thanks for information.
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thanks for information!
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ñïàñèáî çà èíôó!
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áëàãîäàðñòâóþ.