CONSULTATION MEETING WITH THE STUDENTS
May 26, 2020 via Zoom
School Officials:
Dr. Flora Javier
Mr. Christopher Torres
Dean Janet Calupitan
Dean Christopher Dennis Catapang
Dr. Celia Tibayan
Mr. Crisostomo Malabuyoc
Chef Abram Emmanuel Peralta
Ms. Neren Mendoza
Engr. Favis Joseph Balinado
Ms. Ma. Joy Escurel
Ms. Ma. Angelica Acelar
Ms. Beverly Luansing-Erni
1st batch: CAS and CBA students; Start: 9:30 am – End: 11:20 am
2nd batch: CITHM and COECS; Start: 11:40 am – End: 02:05 pm
3rd batch: CAM; Start: 2:40 pm – End: 4:10 pm
A. TOPICS/CONCERNS raised by the students:
1. Comparison on the percentage of refund of LPU Manila, Cavite and Batangas
2. Refunds and breakdown transparency
3. Payment of tuition and balances
4. Implementation of laboratory activities and releasing of grades
5. Process of transferring to other schools
6. Scholarship, scholastic standing and external scholarship
7. Graduation requirements and ceremony
8. Foundation Budget
9. Students’ difficulty in LFH set up and deadline of requirements
10. Posting of announcement
11. Summer Class
12. Plans for LFH
B. DISCUSSION:
1. The management explained that LPU Laguna and LPU St. Cabrini are separate entities from LPU Manila, Cavite and Batangas. The mentioned sister schools are big and we cannot compare our refund with theirs.
2. The management said that the refund is from miscellaneous and other fees. Other fees like council fee and student activity fee cannot be refunded 100% as portion of the funds were already spent. The plotting of the school’s budget is not per term; the activities and the things that the students’ needsare planned and bought for the whole academic year. It was mentioned that our facilities, equipment and laboratory materials such as reagents intended for the use of the school year are purchased at the start of the academic year.
The management explained that we cannot release a general statement about the breakdown of the refund because different fees apply to eachcollege (ex: student activity fee). The scholars will only have a refund on other fees because it was what they only paid for.
There are fees that cannot be refunded because students can still use it even if there’s no face-to-face classes such as library fee, it can still be used by the students through Online Subscriptions (Academic one file and Scopus and Science Direct). On the Insurance fee, the students may avail if any accidents occur. These services are under a third-party supplier and a contract that we cannot just retract.
There will be refunds of certifications like TOEIC, Amadeus and alike for the students who were charged and the adjustment will be reflected on their student ledger.
3. The management will review the tuition fee for the 1st term AY 2020-2021.
There will be a deduction on miscellaneous fees and other fees. There will be NO TUITION FEE INCREASE for the AY 2020-2021.
The Treasury Office will accept promissory notes and payment arrangements (instalment basis) to settle their balances, but if they can pay in cash, they may avail of the 5% discount until July 31, 2020.
It was stressed during the consultation that there will be no increase in fees for the Academic Year 2020-2021 and that there will be reduction in somemiscellaneous and other fees. Furthermore, it was announced that the management is helping the families of the students by allowing them to enroll in the first sem/term even with balances in the immediately preceding term.
Moreover, a cash discount of 5% on net tuition fee for second semester (under semestral scheme) and third term (under trimestral scheme) if they pay their balances on or before July 31, 2020. Students are encouraged to contact the LPU Laguna Student Accounts’ portal for the details of this arrangement.
4. Laboratory activities will be conducted once the face-to-face classes resume. The grade for laboratory will be No Grade Yet (NGY). The Deans assured the students that they will still conduct the laboratory activities and it will be plotted and scheduled strategically in AY 2020-2021.
5. A student asked if the NGY will be credited if students wishes to transfer to other school. The process of transferring is still being reviewed in the Deans Council. Please wait for further announcement.
6. An announcement has been posted in the students’ LMS regarding scholarship and scholastic standing. The approved recommendation of scholarship committee regarding scholarship and scholastic standing:
A. Scholarship requirements cannot be waived, instead, the committee recommends that those students who are enjoying scholarship grants this 3rd trimester and 2nd semester of academic 2019-2020 be retained and the same grant will be given to them as long as these students are carrying a regular load.
B. Scholastic standing (Latin Honors) cannot be waived for it will also cause confusion and negative impact. With that, the committee recommends that all the numerical grades for all courses enrolled during this pandemic crisis (2nd semester/3rd trimester) will not be included in the computation of the overall general weighted average which is the mandatory requirement for the Latin Honors.
C. All scholars of 3rd term AY 2019-2020 will remain scholars for 1st term AY 2020-2021 and that there will be no additional scholars for the coming term.
D. The grades of 2nd term and 3rd term will still be computed because it will appear in the transcript of records of the students.
E. The school will identify the external scholarships and will help the students in communicating with the agency (external scholarship) to explain the NGY grade given to students who will transfer. The school will assist all the students with this concern by sending communication to all the sponsoring companies or entities. It will be explained that the students met all the requirements for such scholarship and we are just waiting for some delayed requirements caused by this abnormal condition.
7. For the graduating students, the Registrar’s office will release an official list of the graduating students for Batch 2020. The graduating students will be given enough time to comply with their deficiencies and requirements. It was mentioned that the graduation ceremony is postponed until the government makes an announcement that it is safe to conduct mass gatherings.
An option of combining graduation of batches 2020 and 2021 for next academic year once mass gatherings are being explored. Please standby for further announcement.
8. It is not only LPU Laguna that adapted the “Learn From Home” set up. Other schools around the world are also doing online learning. We need to follow suit as this is recognized to be the “new normal” for educational institutions.
On the deadlines of submission, the students are given one (1) year to comply and there will be no completion fee to be collected. The deadlines set by some teachers are only due to the deadline of encoding of grades that needs to be complied with. The students are not forced to comply with the set deadlines if they are having a hard time.
9. On the issue of no refund for 2nd semester’s collected Student Activity Fund, it was explained that the budget was spent for their uniforms and other supposed to be foundation related activities.
10. On the issue of posting the rebates in the LMS, the proper communication channel is through LMS and website. Facebook and other social media platforms are for marketing purposes. In the future, the announcements will be posted through the website and the link will be shared in the official Facebook page of LPU to reach the parents.
11. On the issue of students requesting for summer class, the Registrar will communicate with CHED regarding
conduct of summer class because CHED already announced in their previous memorandum that summer class will only be taken by the graduating students. If the students failed in a certain subject, the dean will create a study plan for the student.
For CAM, the Dean mentioned that CHED is meeting with different organization/association about the plans for AY 2020-2021. She said that they are waiting for the final modified curriculum of the clinical part.
12. For the plans for AY 2020-2021, based on the memo of CHED, we can start classes on August 17, 2020 using flexible learning. We are also awaiting for the updated advisory from CHED that will be released within this week.
We cannot engage yet in the residential (face-to-face) learning until there is a vaccine available. Should IATF and CHED announce to resume the face-to-face classes, then we might adapt the blended learning approach — half of the class will be in the classroom and the other half will be doing the online instruction.
Thank you for your understanding and usual support. God bless!
FROM:
LPU Laguna and LPU St. Cabrini Management
