Madayaw News
Cancellation of classes, 2020
3F, Quezon Hall, Diliman, Quezon City
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Email:
Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs
20 March 2020
Memorandum No. OVPAA 2020-38
For: UP System Faculty
(through the Chancellors, Vice-Presidents for Academic Affairs, the
Deans, Institute Directors and Department Chairs)
From: Maria Cynthia Rose Banzon Bautista
Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Re: SUSPENSION OF CLASSES IN ALL UP CONSTITUENT UNIVERSITIES EXCEPT UP OPEN UNIVERSITY
LIFTING OF DEADLINE FOR DROPPING AND FILING OF LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR THE SECOND SEMESTER AY 2019-2020
_________________________________________________________________
On the Suspension of Technology-Supported Learning
In light of the enhanced community quarantine over the entire Luzon and the imposition of similar measures in other regions of the country, classes both residential and online and alternative learning activities in the UP System (except UP Open University) are suspended until 14 April 2020 while the University assesses the situation and decides on how best to facilitate learning and manage academic requirements in the time of COVID-19. Since the situation remains very fluid, the University’s academic response to the crisis will be crafted iteratively and disseminated accordingly.
In the meantime, the faculty is urged to continue exploring alternative delivery modes apart from online tools and to learn to optimize the use of online tools from home, if feasible. They are also expected to use the time to calibrate their courses beyond the stipulated 23 March 2020 deadline for the submission of revised syllabi in OVPAA Memorandum No. 2020-35—which is now lifted. In addition, faculty members and officials are encouraged to share creative strategies or thoughts on how to move forward by email with their Vice-Chancellors for Academic Affairs cc
o The University’s education site subscription to ZOOM will be available within the next few days. This will enable hosting and attendance of formal and informal meetings, classes and webinars even after the projected mid-April end of the lockdown as long as the UP System faculty, staff and students use their up.edu.ph addresses, gadgets and access to the internet. The epidemiological pattern of the disease suggests that it may peak around May and begin its decline thereafter. However, the period of decline will not necessarily imply a return to normalcy in the next few months.
OVPAA Memorandum 2020-31 and 2020-35 directed the faculty to utilize UP’s learning management system and other platforms for uploading learning materials, assessment tools and student submissions, and interacting with students. The period of suspension is also a time to further enhance the use of these platforms in preparation for the lifting of the suspension of classes.
The suspension is also the time for the faculty to get to know each of their students more and take their situation into account when calibrating their courses.
o There are different types of technology-supported learning activities, from “low-tech” options (e.g. Q&A via SMS, printed worksheets) to online activities (e.g. blogs, online quizzes, discussion fora, webinars), that may be utilized given the varying conditions of our campuses and students. The Webinar Series that UPOU is offering to the faculty of other UP Constituent Units will discuss these and general principles in the design of technology-supported learning.
1) Prioritize: What do students really need to know for the next few weeks? This is really difficult, and, once again, it means that the quality of teaching and learning will suffer. But these are NOT normal circumstances.
2) Stay in contact with students, and stay transparent. Talk to them about why you’re prioritizing certain things or asking them to read or do certain things. Most of us do that in our face-to-face teaching anyway, and it improves student buy-in because they know content and delivery are purposeful.
o There are also various online discipline-specific resources that faculty can explore, such as the STEM video education library of the Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) at https://www.jove.com/blog/educator-blog/jove-offers-free-access-to-extensive-stem-education-video-library-to-aid-remote-teaching-learning-as-covid-19-pandemic-shuts-down-classrooms-around-the-world/
UP Mindanao preventive measures against CoViD-19
A State of Public Health Emergency (Proclamation No. 922) was declared by President Rodrigo Duterte on March 8, 2020, which will take effect until withdrawn or lifted. On 12 March 2020, the Department of Health issued Alert Level 4 Code Red sub-level 2. The Davao City Government also released Guidelines no. 4 and no 7, as a precautionary measure for COVID-19.
In its effort to minimize the spread of infection caused by COVID-19, the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UPMin) will strictly enforce the following preventive measures in consonance with the above-mentioned guidelines:
1. The weekly flag-raising and retreat ceremonies are canceled until after the said Public Health Emergency is lifted or withdrawn;
2. UPMin employees are advised to ensure that their offices, workstations, and other areas commonly used by students, employees are clean and disinfected. Equipment and gadgets involving common use should be disinfected before and after use;
3. Heads of offices/units should establish a regular disinfection schedule for frequently touched surfaces inside their offices or classrooms;
4. The Health Services Section should conduct misting disinfection in public areas and various offices/classrooms;
5. No visitors will be allowed inside offices/units, including the Davao City-University of the Philippines Sports Complex. An area in the Atrium will be specified for receiving of documents/parcels from external stakeholders;
6. Heads of offices/units may allow online and email submissions for simple documents (which include but not limited to simple requests, invitations, and other essential documents) as an option;
7. Heads of offices/units are directed to ensure that precautionary measures are observed in the discharge of services under your supervision, e.g. concessionaires;
8. To ensure the safety of everyone, all are required to undergo the thermal scanning procedures upon entry in the university. Those with temperature of 37.6℃ will not be allowed entry and will be referred to the OSA-Health Services Unit for further evaluation;
9. Heads of offices/units should ensure that alcohol or hand sanitizers are available not just at the entrances of campus buildings but also in every office/unit;
12. Students and employees are encouraged to bring their reusable utensils or dining wares and to avoid sharing of food. Proper food handling should likewise be observed. Eating raw and improperly cooked animal products must be avoided;
13. All university activities (both in and off-campus) are temporarily suspended until further notice. Alternative modalities for conferences is highly encouraged. However, in highly exceptional cases small group meetings/discussions is allowed as long as precautionary measures such as social distancing by one meter is observed;
14. Approval of all foreign travels of employees are suspended until after the Public Health Emergency is lifted or withdrawn. All travel authorities issued previously are hereby cancelled in accordance with OP Memorandum TJH 2020-011, 12 March 2020;
15. Local travel outside Davao City of UPMin faculty, staff, students is prohibited unless absolutely necessary. Those with local travel history, especially in areas with confirmed cases of COVID-19, should undergo self-quarantine for 14 days. After the self-quarantine period, concerned personnel or students is required to undergo medical check-up with the City-Health Office and obtain medical certificate which will be submitted to the Health Services Section;
16. The COVID-19 Task Force should coordinate with the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) – Isolation Section, City Health Office (CHO), the Department of Health (DOH), and the University of the Philippines System (UP System) in implementing RA 11332; and,
17. UP Mindanao Task Force for COVID-19 contact information shall be used to provide vital information and accommodate inquiries on urgent health concerns.
Alma T. Marcelino (Dorm Manager) 0910-141-7945 Shela A. Camilotes (House Parent) 0930-035-4751 Office of Student Affairs (OSA) 0918-918-4934
Prof. Larry N. Digal
Chancellor
Search for CHSS Dean, 2020
UPAA-Davao officers, 2020
UP Alumni Association-Davao Chapter elected new directors in elections held on 22 February 2020; the directors selected the chapter officers from among themselves in the proclamation meeting on 29 February. Nap Concepcion was elected chairperson, joined by Sherwin Ramos (president), Pedro "Bogs" Quitain (vice president), Bai Ashrafia Aymee "Toie" Biruar Mitmug (secretary), and Marvin Sison (treasurer); the other elected directors are Marie Glenn Cedeño-Sorila, Antoinette Principe-Castrodes, Ana Siapno-Gualberto, Eric Divinagracia, Allan Montenegro, Marianne Esther Aniceto-Guinomla, Roberto "Bo" Puentespina, Apple Legario, and Rene Estremera; UPLBAA-Davao president Ramon Bien, UPMinAA president Krishna Balaga, immediate past president Joel Laserna, and UP Mindanao chancellor Larry Digal are ex-officio members of the UPAAD board of directors.