Students are now able to print their enrollment assessment forms (EAF) through My.LaSalle (MLS).
The facility was made available on September 1 this year. It enables students with no pending clearance from any office within DLSU to immediately see the amount they are to pay for the current academic year. The self-printed EAF is accepted for payment transactions such as over-the-counter payments of their tuition and fees through the DLSU Accounting Office or partner banks of the University.
The project was spearheaded by the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) and Information Technology Services (ITS), in cooperation with last academic year’s University Student Government (USG) Office of the Vice President for Internal Affairs (OVPIA).
On planning and lobbying
“I really made sure that I talked to a lot of people and listened to what the main problems are. Majority of [these] problems were about enlistment, adjustment, [and] payment of tuition fees. Based on that, we really felt that this was the best way of trying to [come up with] a solution,” shares Micah Fernando, the former USG Vice President for Internal Affairs.
According to Fernando, the project was already brought up in the past by the administration. However, due to a series of job rotations, the administration did not have enough time for implementation. Later, discussions on implementing the system were restored when Fernando and his office proposed a similar system to OUR and ITS.
“I was blessed enough to have these conversations with the different [administrators], and these ideas popped up. These were the things that had been at the back of their minds already for the past few years,” Fernando shares.
Moreover, when the OVPIA began lobbying for the system in the Enrollment Council, there were several issues raised, such as the lack of platform that will host the system, and the decision whether to integrate it in MLS or in Animo.sys. Fernando, however, notes that, despite these issues in the past, the self-printing of EAFs would not have taken off without the help of the administration. “It was really more of a collaboration,” he notes.
In terms of the expenses for maintaining the system, Fernando explains that there are no costs at all, citing the administration’s efforts to minimize spending due to the effects of the K-12 program.
Initial run of the system
During the initial run of the system, glitches such as missing buttons and the lagging of the website were reported by students. Fernando claims that there will be a “lag effect” with any project, program, initiative, or long-term solution. He further explains that the ITS made sure to optimize the coding of the system to make the process faster and smoother for the students.
In terms of the USG’s working relationship with the administration, Fernando shares that the latter was “really open-minded.” He notes, “There’s no point of fighting them. That’s when things got smoother for us.” Since the system was previously already conceptualized by the administration, it became easier for Fernando and his team later on to undergo discussions on the program’s implementation.
“Less hassle”
According to Fernando, the ITS saw that the self-printing of EAF has been beneficial for everyone using MLS, including those enrolled in graduate programs and the College of Law.
Darren* (V, ECM-LGL) says he dropped a class after receiving the initial EAF. “The usual procedure would be to have it reprinted in school, but now it’s hassle-free because you can do it at home,” he points out. With the new procedure, it can lower costs both for the students and University.
Fernando says that saving paper through the self-printing of EAF has been part of the plan ever since. “In terms of saving paper, that’s really big savings. That’s basically how we thought about it,” he states.
Likewise, Caryl* (II, BSA) commends the new system for helping the students lessen their burden on having to pay a reprinting fee if ever there is a need to undergo adjustment. “It’s more convenient on our part, since we don’t have to go to school anymore just to have our EAFs reprinted, especially for those who live far from La Salle,” she describes.
Possible issues in the future
Fernando describes that there are possible issues that may arise in the future with regard to the self-printing of EAF. The initial EAF will no longer be provided, and students should be responsible for printing their own EAFs through MLS, he shares. With this, Fernando says that the administration may have to provide multi-printing for the students, in the event that they opt to print their EAF on campus.
Each college will also have to supply a printer so that students will be able to print their EAF. In the long run, this may cause long lines, and the administration and USG will find it difficult to supply the printers. Fernando concludes by saying that the self-printing of EAFs is a new culture that the students should adapt to in the coming terms.
*Name changed for anonymity
