Dr. Vivian A. Gonzales, a reserve colonel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and current Director of the Office of the Student Affairs, is back at the position of power. And as if a fitting prelude to her three-year term, students have already criticized her for implementing such policies as the non-collection of student funds for the University Student Council and the UPLB Perspective and the issuance of OSA Memorandum No.1 in her first five months in service.
WHAT HISTORY HAS TO TEACH US
Gonzales is no stranger to the position—and to controversies as well. She was first appointed as OSA Director by former Chancellor Ruben Villareal in March 1995. Even then, her appointment was already deferred “due to controversies hounding her selection as Dean of Students”*. During her first term, she endorsed the appliance fee adjustment that resulted in a 221 percent increase in dormitory fees. She was also criticized for delaying the processing of UPLB Perspective’s financial transactions, and was identified as the main reason for the four-month delay in the proclamation of the 1996-1997 USC and College Student Councils.
Accusations of partiality were also heaped upon Gonzales, particularly on issues of participation in OSA-led or -coordinated activities and imposing of preventive suspension on one party only in the event of fraternity rumbles. Even among OSA staff, she was not spared from allegations of favouritism, often characterized by pitting a favoured group of staff against unfavoured ones. Such method of administration, which is at the same time militaristic and divisive, caused some students to brand her as the “Dean of Selected Students”.
As if all these weren’t reason enough to bar her from serving yet another term, Gonzales was reappointed as OSA Director in 1998 and assumed the position until her resignation in 2000. As before, her appointment was strongly questioned by students and administrative staff alike. Contrary to the recommendations of the search committee headed by Dr. Pacifico Payawal (after a democratic and rigorous search process), Villareal endorsed Gonzales as OSA Director to the Board of Regents despite the fact that she was not even included in the top three nominees the search committee deemed deserving of the position.
Gonzales was again assailed for her anti-student policies and decisions. In November 1999, she gave 73 VIP-CWS cadets “failed” grades, even when, according the cadets, their performance in activities related to the subject indicated otherwise. She will do something similar to this in 2004, this time giving first an “incomplete” mark and later on a grade of “5” to around 350 CWTS 2 students for allegedly failing to comply with the requirements of the said course.
Meanwhile, Gonzales also imposed new requirements for org recognition, such as attendance in leadership training seminar, and denied recognition of 10 student organizations in July 2000 for their alleged participation in a protest fair held February 15-18, 2000. Gonzales’ second term prematurely ended, however, when she resigned in September 2000 during former Chancellor Wilfredo David’s administration. The official reason for her resignation was that she was called on to serve the National Peace and Development Program of the Department of National Defense, but no one can dispute the fact that there was an already mounting discontent on her administration among the ranks of the students.
THE SPECTRE IS BACK
To the consternation of students and administrative staff knowledgeable of Gonzales’ track record, Chancellor Luis Rey Velasco appointed her as OSA Director last February without conducting a search process. Though the chancellor has the prerogative to directly appoint officials on selected positions, without a legitimizing search process and the concomitant consultation with students (which is a hallmark of democracy in a university), Gonzales’ appointment and the circumstances that have brought about it will always be suspect, especially for an official of her repute.
And as if to confirm students’ fears, Gonzales implemented repressive policies upon her assumption of position. Foremost among them is the halting the collection of student funds purportedly to grant “full autonomy” to the USC and the Perspective, but in actuality paralyzes the operation of the two student institutions. At the start of her term Gonzales issued OSA Memorandum No. 1, which sets stringent and bureaucratic rules on org-related activities such as posting of teasers. She was also hit for assigning the task of overseeing the 2009 Campus Tour to a UPLB alumnus while relegating to the sidelines resident student groups and institutions and for cancelling this year’s AlmOSAlan, a traditional welcome treat sponsored by organizations for new freshmen. These, not to mention imposing new stringent requirements for org recognition, such as submitting a financial statement, in effect meddling in what should be an internal affair of an organization.
Progressive blocks in campus also express alarm over threats of intensified crack down on activists. Our party alliance fell victim to red-tagging as early as February before and during student council elections, when flyers branding SAKBAYAN as a front organization of communist and terrorist groups were distributed in campus buildings by suspected military elements. Gonzales, when asked by Student Regent Charisse Bernadine Bañez to urge the Central Electoral Board to release a condemnation statement against such acts, dismissed this as beyond the CEB’s mandate, and yet even then did not pledge any actions in behalf of the OSA. Gonzales was also a participant in the Laguna Peace Council meeting held last July 22 at the Makiling Balroom Hall, where regional counter-insurgency campaign was discussed and militant groups such as BAYAN MUNA, Gabriela Women’s Party and Kabataan Party were branded as terrorist groups. Apparently, there is a conflict of interest between militant groups and individuals and an OSA Director that condones red-tagging and is committed to a counterinsurgency campaign that target members of legal progressive organizations.
OUR DEMANDS
The above discussion gives us sufficient reason to question Gonzales’ appointment. Having been installed in position without student consultation, Gonzales must not be sitting pretty at the helm because every Iskolar ng Bayan is vigilant enough to ensure that the OSA is serving the needs of the largest number of students. And as the largest beneficiary of an office that should directly address our legitimate concerns, we have the right to demand, vigorously and unwaveringly, for a non-autocratic and pro-student OSA.
So far, as has been her habit of the past, Gonzales has only made obvious that in her leadership—no matter how benevolent she projects her image on the public’s eyes—students’ dissent shall fall on deaf ears in favour of the interests of a selected few. The lessons of the past and the triumphs of the student movement more than a decade ago give us a fair warning, and current events show us that the warning is a real one. Now, it is up to us to prove that the studentry is still and will always be a force to reckon with against campus repression and undemocratic policies. The challenges of our time dare us to struggle; the intensifying assaults on our basic rights dare us to win.
OUST OSA DIRECTOR VIVIAN A. GONZALES!
STOP CAMPUS REPRESSION! NO TO MILITARY PRESENCE IN UP!
UPHOLD DEMOCRATIC AND PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP!
No comments:
Post a Comment