The jaunt of the quixotic.

ABOUT

ENT RIES

TAGBOARD

LINK S

Music saves our souls

Congratulations! You have staggered upon this deleterious blog, and there's no way out.

Kidding. :) Teehee.

Welcome to the-archegonium.blogspot.com. This weblog is created to nest my Socio 10 journal entries. :) Readers are most encouraged to critique and comment.

All of the posts here are from my tortuous brain, unless otherwise stated.

Frisk and frolic through the navigations up there. .
About, Entries, Tagboard and Links

Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 1:28 AM

Third Post

On Academic Freedom

Students of the University of the Philippines are incessantly being stereotyped as activists –the people who urge rallies, spur campaigns, and fight for numerous advocacies. The grounds for this typecast, almost certainly, is that the UP is brought up as a free society. There is never a slur in religion, race, gender, cultural minority, or belief. Everyone is outwardly encouraged to voice out opinions, express own viewpoints, and battle for what is right.

One can ostensibly conclude that the university abides on the merit of academic freedom –the belief that the liberty of query and proposition of the faculty and students are of significance to the objective of the university. Being long considered as an unbound environment, it is quite easy to arrive at the assumption that it practices the virtue of the believed institutional autonomy. Yet, there are present arguments concerning the seeming desertion of the essence of the said belief.

Very recently, a forum was initiated to confer about issues involving the somewhat baffling ‘academic freedom’. “Striking a Balance: Excellence, Autonomy, and Freedom in the Academe” was held on July 9, 2009 at the Claro M. Recto Hall, in the Faculty Center building. The discussion embarked upon the topics of academic freedom and faculty tenure, focusing on the case of Professor Sarah Raymundo.

The said event was deliberately facilitated by credible speakers, and as I entered the forum venue, UP Faculty Ms. Judy Taguiwalo was the one addressing the issues. She emphasized on defining absolute academic freedom, and how this institutional autonomy influence the individual freedom of the faculty and students. She classified this liberty in the academe into two –the individual and group freedom. I conclude that this classification applies on students, as she stated concisely about how the academic freedom affects teachers –professors may teach what they want to teach.

Institutional autonomy, as per Ms. Taguiwalo, is the enjoyment of liberty with respect to human rights. Self-governance is a vital component on this academic form of independence. In connection, she also mentioned on how the professors and the student body are subjected to political pressure, and thus, being repressed of the academic freedom.

From her terse description, I was able to connect the issue to the present situation in the campus. I can perceive the individual freedom through the previous mentioned liberty in expressing oneself, in the same way, I can observe the group autonomy, as seen through the active involvement of cultural and academic organizations inside UP. I greatly concur to the contribution of political pressure in suppression of the said independence in the academe. The government system somewhat affects the freedom of the university; one way is through the implementation of laws concerning the higher educational system.

Ms. Judy Taguiwalo also discussed about the situation of a probationary faculty. She stated that a faculty is allotted a certain probation period so that the faculty board can assess his/her professional competence. The provision of the said period is also for the faculty’s maintenance of professional standards. During the probation stage, the provisional faculty is given the right to know the reasons of the probation, the privilege to appeal, and to obtain recommendations from the authoritative board. This allocation of time is, I perceive, an indispensable part in the process of giving tenure. However, I cannot at all comprehend the difference between a faculty without tenure, and a probationary faculty. I merely assume that the probationary period is a process or a transition stage in the furnishing of tenure.

In Ms. Taguiwalo’s address, she cited the situation of a certain Professor Salazar that ensued back in 2005. She stated that this Prof. Salazar pleaded for tenure, but was denied by the board due to “no sufficient reason to tenure”. Ms. Taguiwalo explained that the weight given to his/her collegiality and professionalism outweighed his/her academic credentials (Her academic credentials include: being sent to work abroad with pay, noticeable rising salary, and excellent recommendations from the senior). The denial of tenure was vindicated through his/her “unethical acts” in her stay.

After elucidating the condition of Professor Salazar as example, Professor Taguiwalo gave concise details on the procedure of handing a tenure to a faculty. She declared that a faculty should be given a notification for tenure. He/ She should be informed of the qualified basis for his/her tenure in a written notification in compliance to value criteria. The board that holds the pronouncement of the faculty’s tenure should observe rights and transparency while examining possible options for tenure. The decision is finally declared in a meeting between the board and the faculty member concerned.

By giving a concrete example similar to the concurrent issue, I was able to have a broader understanding of the process of bequeathing tenure. The only major setback for me was the seeming lack of extensive evidence in Prof. Salazar’s denial of tenure. Ms. Taguiwalo did not utterly reveal what “unethical acts” the professor committed. Also, I cannot give justice to how Prof. Salazar was deprived of tenure when, as Professor Judy Taguiwalo asserted, the board shall be of transparency (I perceived that the indicated “unethical acts” was not much of a big deal compared to the impressive credentials).

Professor Judy Taguiwalo ended her commencing address mentioning how to attain Institutional Balance, in its institution sense and individual sense, by theory and practice in the university. She stressed that the forum (Striking a Balance) depicted how the Institutional Balance is not achieved in University of the Philippines (evidently in connection with the forum’s issues).

The next speaker was Professor Ramon Guillermo, the president of All UP Academic Employees Union. He discussed the responsibility of the union with regards to the issue. He pronounced that the union has the duty to construct discussions concerning issues in transparency, academic freedom, and the due process for tenure. He distinguished between an excellent department and a lousy department, with referral to the tenure matter. A set of faculty that has “no tenure” is considered lousy, as per Dr. Guillermo, considering that this department’s faculty doesn’t formally abide in any rules concerning tenure. He quoted that many of the rules or guidelines are already “on paper”, and the current predicament just revolves on the implementations of these regulations relating to the tenure process.

Dr. Ramon Guillermo highlighted the grievance committee/procedure in correlation with the process of tenure. He explained that grievances are essential as they are the faculty’s means of expressing discontentment with their work. He noted two kinds of grievances –the economic and non-economic grievance. The aspect of tenure, which falls under the non-economic type, gives all the employees the right to submit grievances or complaints. The individual concerned may submit his/her objection either by himself or through an authorized representative.

Professor Guillermo stated that members of the academe, together with the union, must fight for justice and peace inside the academe. The statement seemed slightly perfunctory and overrated, but I primarily supposed that mentioning the union’s stand in support of the issue is a very crucial thing. I commend on how he described the departments with the notable distinction of a lousy and an excellent department involving tenure. His highlight on the grievance procedure is also an eye-opening declaration in my opinion as I was not previously aware that employees and faculty are given this said right. His talk about the grievances somewhat influenced my view towards the academic freedom inside UP. My outlook on the faculty’s freedom became lighter to some extent as I was made conscious that there exists a certain right reserved for the faculty’s negative concerns.

After Dr. Guillermo’s stirring discourse, the forum then converged on the focal apprehension of the students and faculty –the justice and tenure issue concerning Professor Sarah Raymundo. The first thing that can be manifested when entering the C.M. Recto hall was the huge streamers (“Tenyur para kay Prof. Raymundo”) prepared by CONTEND-UP (Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy) . Through these streamers, one can immediately perceive that the fretful educators were really pugnacious towards the matter. I was not personally in attendance when Prof. Raymundo delivered her controversial stand on the problem. Nevertheless, I am more than willing to impart my views and rants based on my research on her state of affairs.

Professor Sarah Raymundo, after nine tedious years as faculty in the Department of Sociology, applied for tenure last February 2008. Because of her laudable academic credentials (which includes publishing articles and researches to her name, being invited to address and partake in certain colloquia locally and internationally, working towards the actualization of academic excellence and social responsibility as an educator, and more) Ms. Raymundo, her colleagues, and her beloved students felt assured of the conceding of her tenure. However, they were stunned in awe as on November of the same year, she was verbally informed the denial for her application for tenure. She was then advised to abstain from meeting her classes until a given notice.

Prof. Raymundo’s active commitment and association as General Secretary of the Congress in CONTEND-UP, together with her dynamic involvement in AUPAEU and in Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), were the commonly regarded bases for the denial of her tenure. CONTEND-UP’s view scrutinizes the lack of transparency in the tenure process and the taking part of political repression and suppression of democratic rights.

If I may say so, I was first blinded by her academic achievements as I have found them very praiseworthy. I ought to believe that she, as an educator, correctly portrayed the values inherent to the university from the fact that she exerted efforts towards building a foundation of academic excellence and depicting awareness of social responsibility. This is quite inevitable after almost a decade of teaching in the academe, but still, her credentials are of deserving acclaim.

I feel that there shall be no consequence along with the denial of tenure (as the denial is bad enough). In Professor Raymundo’s case, aside from the non-granting of the essential right, she was also requested to refrain from teaching in her classes. I perceive no logical reason on the act as it was easy to presume that she is a fine professor (through her students’ and colleagues’ recommendations, and her outstanding qualifications).

My final and key concern about Ms. Raymundo’s instance is indeed, the lack of transparency in the decision. The Department of Sociology never formally declared their reasons for the denial since they only notified the professor verbally. I strongly believe that the generally regarded bases (being a member of CONTEND-UP, AUPAEU, and ACT) are the actual grounds for the refusal. I recognize that her department might have been timorous and worried that she, with her connections in the repellent faculty organizations, will sooner or later establish a revolt or an alliance towards the department. Otherwise, I sense that her case might have been of biased influences within the faculty board.

Whatever may perhaps the reasons be, the matter still gyrates on the absence of transparency. Hence, Professor Sarah Raymundo’s case can be deemed upon as a rebuttal of the “academic freedom” gist in the university. Her situation merely portrays the stand of political influence and the suppression of democratic revolt. For now, I yearn that they reconsider Ms. Raymundo’s plead without putting greater weight on her affiliations.

TOTAL NUMBER OF WORDS: 1, 886

Monday, July 6, 2009, 1:26 PM

My Sociologically Imagined Biography

Introduction

“I am MJ” –the concise reply I answered when my professor asked the question. The way I responded seemed so nonchalant, that it might have had appeared as an impulse.

Who am I?

Biologically, I am an estrogen-producing Homo sapien. My medium-built physique, my thick dark hair, and my pugnacity are all genetically determined. I was born with the ability to talk, the capacity to adapt to changes, and the unique aptitude for learning. I have long known myself from this perspective, and somehow, an introduction introduction in this manner will seem perfunctory.

Who am I?

I am human, and therefore, as per the economists, I am rational, calculating, and self-interested. I am human, and therefore, I have an ethereal being; I have a soul. Through the economic and metaphysical perspective, I made assumptions which are of no magnitude. The beliefs are not conventional and I cannot contest their truth or falsity.

Hence, I shall profess who I am in my relation to the “outside world”. As I am now aware that there exists a connection concerning the self and the society, I ought to recognize myself through the institutions I am involved. And thus, I shall begin with my upbringing by my family.

Family

I am born of a typical Filipino family. We are adherent of strong family ties, and we treat each other as primary support and sources of moral strength. We are austere on following certain traditions that are uniquely Filipino, even if we are of a mixed heritage and culture.

My mother is half-Chinese, and half-Filipino. Learning from her Chinese father’s legacy, she strongly inculcates to her children the value of education, and the significance of money management. She is inherent of practicality, which is why my brother and I were not nurtured extravagantly. She believes in the effectiveness of empiricism, the knowledge that arises from own experience. Her PR (public relations) is commendable and she is very pertinacious in her work.

My father is of an Ilocano descent. Contrary to the stereotype, he is very generous and noble. He is greatly considerate and of clannish loyalty. He also advocates on the worth of good education, and he makes sure to set by example.

My brother is the apotheosis of “cool” (Well, metaphorically.). He is responsible and liberal, as he was formed by a ‘free society’. Despite his sheer dedication to work, he still can manage to occasionally spend time for leisure. He served as an icon and a second father-figure, as I was born when he was already nineteen (19) years old.

The combined and dynamic upbringing of my mother, father, and brother is a greatly substantial part of who I am today. I am raised to be quite frugal and practical, yet I am also encouraged to dedicate ample time for enjoyment. For as long as I can remember, I was always advised to momentously focus on my studies that I may excel academically. (In fact, I was partly strained to enter school at an early age, as dictated by family tradition.) My talents and forms of self-expression are significantly supported by them, and inevitably with certain restraints.

Our family had been subjected to a range of predicaments that may have shaped each one of us as an individual. I did not have a dead-on perfect childhood, and by so, I promptly learned to depend on myself and to be broad minded upon a lot of issues.

Education

Schools, in all probability, are the institutions from which I learned the most, not only in the aspects of academic foundation, but also in the formation of my stand in the society. Family maybe the basic unit of society, but entering an educational institution enables an entity to grow by learning from experience through the integration of school and interaction.

Zion Center of Knowledge School

I spend my primary and intermediate years in a school situated within our village. Zion is a Christian school with a diminutive and intimate population. Its mission, as a Christian society, is to produce knowledgeable and God-fearing youth. Its setting seemed fairly conducive for learning, but its standard for scholastic excellence is not at all imposing.

During my roughly 6 years of stay there, I subsisted on a homey environment, wherein I am influenced to enhance and share my creative skills as form of worship to God. As my first actual social environment, I have managed to learn the value of communication and interface there. I started on developing my speaking skills as we were impelled to join numerous speech choir contests (I was even provoked to join a public reading competition.).

To conclude, my years in Zion were the indispensable foundation times of myself as a mental and social being. My cognitive skills were developed, my contact abilities were enhanced, and my devout viewpoints were established.

St. Bridget School, Quezon City

From a small learning environment in the suburb, I had the urge to transfer to a big school on the city. I had the need of a greater challenge, that I may acquire further knowledge about being “street-smart”.

Pragmatically, I had to endure an assortment of changes as I shifted among two different realms. Example of which is leaping from a born-again Christian school, to a Private sectarian school, administered by the Good Shepherd sisters. From the alteration of religious influence, I became more affixed to my actual creed as a Roman Catholic.

From the change, I also wrought the consequence of being studious. I was used to a cumulative scoring scheme, and I was obliged to change my study habits to cope up with the demands of a higher-standard averaging grading system.

Also, my social environment was quite distorted, as I transferred from a co-educational school, to an exclusive female culture. Hence, during my four-year stay in Bridget, I seemingly disregarded proper interaction with the opposite sex. However, I do not recognize my stay in an all-female society as a disadvantage. In fact, I might have even been subjected to greater peer pressure and worse influences if I pursued high school in a regular co-ed establishment.

In St. Bridget, I met a lot of feat and quandaries that have greatly predisposed my being. I discovered how the “outside” society works, having been exposed to outreach programs and culture interactions. I already had an implication of how the “adult” world performs through the effective communication and socialization of the meager atmosphere inside.

Residential Community

Living in a town neighboring Metro Manila, I can impartially claim that I was fashioned in a progressive laissez-faire community. I was denuded by the spirit of democracy early on as I used to assist the committee during the homeowners’ elections. I was introduced to the custom of bayanihan, in a palpably modern sense. (This can be witnessed especially during floods, when neighbors voluntarily aid out fellow neighbors).

I have first witnessed the importance of unity and togetherness as a society from my neighborhood. Even from the shallowest example of being united as a group of playmates (in beating the opponent playmates), to a more intricate instance of being one as a commune in proposing a new drainage in the baranggay, I am able to assert how our community works well together.

Thursday, July 2, 2009, 12:16 AM

Betty la MJ

Betty la MJ

--A mini-interview series concerning the society’s view upon the “baduy” and eccentric ‘Betty la Fea’ image

Enthused by the topic of the society’s effect on beauty and fashion, I decided to conduct several small interviews, with the pursuit of arriving in a conclusion involving notions about the standards of beauty and clothing today. I chose to imitate Betty la Fea’s mismatched and unconventional style as by doing so, I would extract varied reactions from the interviewees.

Respondents were to mull over the sole question:

"What would your initial reaction be if you encounter “Betty La MJ” in a public place/in a mall?"

-Elsa R. Ching, 57 years old, part-time real-estate broker

"I would definitely give you a second glance, from head-to-toe, if I saw you strolling in public dressed like that. You look hilarious as your attire is so outrageous. Kahindik-hindik nga naman! Your micro-mini reminds me of majorettes, and then your somewhat look reminded me of Cher. Hindi ko malaman kung saan ka papunta, whether you are going to a party or a to field day or some place else! Do your friends dress like that, as well? "

-Marc Anthony Patriarca, 34, lawyer

"My only concerns are the shortness of the skirt and the stockings paired with the trainers. Otherwise, if I come across upon this outfit of yours in a mall, I wouldn’t at all mind its flagrancy. I even might not be able to take notice of it."

-Paul Candelaria, 22 years old, freelance photographer

"My lens has been defiled by this! You look lost; you should be in Florida *laughs*. You look like a barbie doll that's been desecrated and experimented on by dirty old scientists. The emo culture pales in comparison to this nightmare."

-Anna Celina V. Ulanday, 17 years old, student (BS Architecture, UST)

"If I were to see something like this walking fashion disaster, my initial reaction would be blurting out the words “what the f***” or I could just burst into laughter. Just look at it, I don’t even know where to start. The hideously matched clothes, the shoes -everything is just so wrong. I couldn't even think of anyone in the right mind who wear such a retarded outfit. Maybe just for kicks, but, for real? No way."

-Joana Celine T. Manuel, 16 years old, student (AB Communication Arts, UST)

Ang baduy! I could not even fathom what style that is. Parang nasa beach? And since when did a peplum match stockings and rubber shoes? Kaloka! The color combination and the style were epic fails, as well as the unmatching accessories. The whole look is so shocking that you can assess it as in desperate need of a stylist. Are you a contestant in a pa-baduyan competion? Just for fun, I might take a picture of the outfut, for laughs.

Conclusion:

The society inevitably assigns certain standards for fashion and clothing through the various influences (i.e. media, designers). By knowing these standards, people can discern the argument between what’s fashionable and what’s “baduy”.

Wearing the “Betty la Fea” look, I was professed as deranged. I received diverse comments, and some of the exceptionally frank were of the adolescents. This, perhaps, is so since the youth are the ones easily affected by fads and they are constantly well aware of the new styles.

From the lecture and the interviews, I now strongly concur to the idea of the society’s impact on beauty and fashion. I used to consider that preference had a greater effect on judging attractiveness. But now, I have managed to see another perspective of defining beauty, and I was enlightened and at the same time, anxious as I began to recognize a certain societal dictation (on the aspects of beauty and fashion).

END

Total word count (excluding pictures): 627 :)

COMMENT ON THE TAGBOARD. :)

The Quixotic

The Lair