The Varsitarian

NO MASTER’S, no teaching load.

The UST administration has begun to strictly enforce a Commission on Higher Education (Ched) memorandum requiring a master’s degree for all college teachers.

The Office of the Academic Affairs and Research has issued a waiver requiring non-tenured faculty members without master’s degrees to renounce their right to tenureship despite a provision in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that could lead to tenureship after five semesters.

Four professors from the College of Fine Arts and Design were terminated because they refused to sign the waiver, according to a letter from the UST Faculty Union (USTFU) to Academic Affairs chief Clarita Carillo, a copy of which was obtained by the Varsitarian.

This incurred the ire of a UST Faculty Union officer, who claims the union should have been consulted first before the issuance of the waivers.

Under Ched Memorandum Order 40 series of 2008 or the “Manual of Regulations for Private Higher Education,” all college teachers should at least have a master’s degree.

But the union pointed out that under the 2006-2011 CBA, changes in policies and regulations affecting faculty members should not be made without consultation with the union.

Reynaldo Reyes, union vice-president for grievance and complaints, said the Academic Affairs waiver was “uncalled for.”

“It was agreed in the CBA that they should consult us first. The other tenured professors without MAs were affected,” Reyes said.

Rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., said all faculty members should at least have a master’s degree because it’s the “law of the land.”

“We’re not very strict about this before, but now Ched has been strict about it so we will implement it strictly in the University,” De la Rosa told the Varsitarian.

De la Rosa added that having a master’s degree is part of the University’s criteria for excellence.

“Kaya tayo natatalo ng ibang schools because of this,” De la Rosa added.

Carillo, in a statement, said the University has consistently reminded faculty members who are on probation since 2003 that they needed to finish their master’s degrees..

“Every semester since then, these non-tenured faculty members have been reminded of these requirements by way of appointment letters issued to them and which documents they signed,” Carillo said in a statement.

But Reyes argued the Academic Affairs office did not inform them of the consequences of not signing the waiver, such as non-reappointment, termination or no salary.

“The non-consultation with USTFU about these matters is unbecoming of a Catholic university like UST,” Reyes said.

Carillo’s office however said that the waiver did not violate the CBA, saying government regulations can supersede any contract.

“Countless faculty members struggled and persevered to earn [their degrees] to truly deserve their right to be part of the University,” Carillo said. “Nothing less should be expected from the rest.”

But Reyes said this only meant that the UST management panel itself had violated government regulations by approving the CBA in June 2008.

However, Carillo said that the Ched memo was not yet available to the UST panel during the negotiation and signing in 2008.

56 faculty members

USTFU sergeant at arms Rene Tadle said 56 faculty members who still have no master’s degrees were given the waiver.

“Right now we’re asking for a dialogue because we don’t want the CBA provision to be set aside,” Tadle said.

The College of Nursing has the most number of non-tenured professors without master’s degrees, Reyes said.

Nursing Dean Glenda Vargas said 30 professors have already signed the waiver and were given “tentative teaching loads.”

“They were hired even without master’s because they are already prepared, not necessarily qualified, but prepared alumni,” Vargas said. “We give priority to hire our graduates over anybody else because we believe in their capacity.”

Vargas said most of the 30 professors were already writing their theses at the graduate school.

De la Rosa noted that the University has been giving incentives to faculty members to encourage them to finish their master’s degrees.

“The University gives a lot of incentives. [We give faculty members] sabbatical leaves, thesis grants, study leaves, and salary grant leaves. If they don’t take advantage of these, it’s no longer the fault of the University,” De la Rosa said.

According to the Academic Affairs office, at least 152 non-tenured faculty members in the past three years have attained tenure status. Charmaine M. Parado and Darenn G. Rodriguez