On promises

By Ren Angelo Elevera

(Vol. XXVII No. 25, Editorial Cartoon)

On promises

It is only a matter of time and school year 2009-2010, like its predecessors, will be added to the pages of Negros Oriental State University’s (NORSU) colorful history. It is only a matter of time and the most awaited graduation rites for this year’s graduates will take place. Also, it is only a matter of time and the tenure of all Student Government positions in the university will end.

Yes, it is only about a matter of time for incumbent Student Government of Dumaguete City I (SGDCI) President Christopher Don Catacutan before he vacates his seat for incoming SG President-elect Mary Dawn Valencia who will assume the position come June this year. But the outgoing SG president is apparently not worried with the little time that is left of his administration.

Matter-of-factly, Catacutan is even confident that he will be able to realize his remaining projects before the curtain falls for his administration. His promising endeavors include the construction of a new building along the Automotive vicinity at the College of Industrial Technology (CIT) where SG’s executive branch office will be housed; repairing of the Legislative office and providing them with a session hall; landscaping of the areas beside the Administration building and near the power supply and the Tablet of Fame for the planned mini-park; a prayer room for all religions to be situated in the present SG national office; and the realization of the long-delayed mini-theater project of which he promised to build last school year when he was still the governor of the College of Arts and Sciences.

No doubt, these projects, if ever materialized, are indeed beneficial to the whole studentry by and large. But the question on whether or not these projects will be realized is one big thing we all have to be worried about. With only a few remaining days to go before the second semester closes, we cannot be blamed if we start believing that all of these promises will never be translated into deeds.

If we can recall, the SGDCI president promised the students that he will put up a bell system in the university, organize an all-black university acquaintance party, and pursue with the mini-theater project when he assumed the presidency at the start of the school year. But apparently, all of these projects are nowhere to be found hitherto. Catacutan reasoned out that the university acquaintance was not pursued because the sponsors of the event had earlier withdrawn their support, while he promised last semester to really continue with the mini-theater project before his tenure expires. In a recent interview with him, he vowed another promise saying that he will pursue with the almost two-year delayed mini-theater this summer vacation. He said that the P200, 000 budget for the project has been available and that the construction will start this summer. The project, according to him, will be erected on the greenhouse area located near the open courts.

Now, if we are going to believe that, it means that before NORSU opens its gates for another semester in June, we shall expect that the said mini-theater, together with all of his pending projects, is already visible in the campus and available for students’ use.

Nonetheless, reality tells us to believe the other way. If we look at the real situation, Catacutan is promising us big infrastructure projects such as the construction of the new building at the CIT premises and the mini-theater—these are major construction projects that cannot be done in just a few months. Of course, these projects translate to hundreds of thousands—we thought the SG is hiring only few student assistants because of its meager funding, how come they have such amount?

One more thing, the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines prohibits all government office to pursue with their projects 45 days before the day of the elections. This means that if Catacutan cannot start with the project before the implementation of the election ban, he has to postpone it until after elections. In which case, he cannot stand with his promise to finish all his pending projects before summer ends.

Indeed, time is running fast like a ticking bomb for Catacutan. With only a few more months to go before June, it is now a big challenge for him to realize all of his promises before he bequeaths the throne to Valencia. So the question now is: Will Catacutan beat his deadline? The answer is: He must if he wants a good review in NORSU’s history.

Let us wait and see.

Be cautious

By Ren Angelo Elevera

(Vol. XXVII No. 23, Editorial Cartoon)

Be cautious

With the kind of era we are in today, it is without a doubt that we can easily find an instant friend. With just a single click, we can immediately find a date. Even with just a simple text message, we can easily make friends with someone we barely even know. But with everything easy for access, we should all be extra careful, especially in meeting new people because we might not know that that someone could be the very person who will send us to our graveyards.

Just weeks ago, Jayfel Rayoso, a Mass Communication student of Silliman University, was reported dead after allegedly meeting with his textmate. Reports said that Rayoso brought with him an amount of P20,000 which he just withdrew from a local bank before meeting his textmate-friend. Five days after he disappeared, his body, which was allegedly dumped, was found in a creek near Barangay Isugan, Bacong on January 12.

We do not really know what happened before Rayoso’s death. We do not know whether his textmate-friend knew that he had brought a big amount of money with him. We do not know if he happened to mention about the money to his textmate. We do not know how his corpse reached Bacong. Yes, we do not know about these things, but only one thing is clear at the moment: we should not trust people whom we only met through phones or internet.

Perhaps, most youths will not agree with this idea of not trusting persons they have known via cellphones and internet only. Nowadays, teenagers most likely prefer the idea of having textmates and callmates because they think that it would be fun befriending someone whom they have not yet met in person. Indeed, the idea is exciting; it implies a sense of mysteriousness in it.

In fact, not only the youths find the idea exciting. Even those who are of right age also get hooked to it sometimes.

Most, if not all, seem to be under the spell of the present technology. We all get hooked to the things that technology offers to the point that we even get to depend our short-time happiness to it. Many of us, especially the young ones, depend on cellphones, being the most common communication tool among teens (according to research), in looking for new friends and most of all, love ones.

The recent incident that happened to Rayoso is one proof that meeting people whom we only know through text is not safe. No matter how sweet a person may sound in the phone, it is still not an assurance that he is a good person.

Rayoso is just one of the thousands of students who finds technology a tool for building a relationship. He may not be a Norsunian, but his passing is one big proof that strangers are surely not to be fully trusted. Perhaps, what happened to Rayoso will serve as a lesson for all of us.

Befriending new people is not a bad thing, yet it is also not a bad thing to be cautious in meeting them, especially if we only know them through phone or internet.

Let us not wait for the same incident to happen to a Norsunian before we become extra cautious.

Another chapter

By Ren Angelo Elevera
(Vol. XXVII No. 17, Editorial Cartoon)

Another chapter

The campus is again jam-packed with students rushing for their classes, or if not, finishing the last touches of the tiring enrollment. Classes are shortened and it seems like everyone is already at the height of the preparations for the 82nd Founders Anniversary Celebration of the Negros Oriental State University (NORSU). These and all, are implications that the first semester is now a part of the history, and a new chapter of our student life is unfolding. Indeed, time can spin almost unnoticed that here we are embracing this new chapter.

Looking back, the first semester had been a period of another transformation for NORSU in its quest to live up as a dynamic higher-education institution of preference in the Visayas and Mindanao. It was remarkable that the university tried to step a notch higher in that period of time by making big ventures. There was the offering of Doctor of Dental Medicine under the umbrella of College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences (now College of Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Allied Health Sciences or CNDPAHS). The university also introduced BS Mining Engineering, but due to its few enrollees caused by lack of advertisement, it was temporarily set aside and will, perhaps, be offered in full swing next school year.

More than the offering of the new courses, the biggest step that the university had taken in the first semester was the opening of another satellite campus which is the NORSU-Mabinay Campus. With 349 student population and two rooms, the campus offered courses in criminology, agriculture, forestry, and industrial technology to the poor but deserving students of Mabinay and its neighboring places.

In terms of facilities and equipment, NORSU also leveled up. The mock ship for the College of Maritime Education students was finally furnished and was launched for students’ practical hands-on; the ground floor of the CNDPAHS Building was opened for students’ use; as well as, various beautification projects were made inside the university making it more presentable compared to its previous look.

Last semester, Norsunians also continued to shine, showing who and what kind of students this university has. Jessie James Lasconia, a BS Geology graduate of this institution, ranked 9th in the August 2009 Geologist Licensure (Board) Examination – proving that although the Geology Department of NORSU obviously lacks equipment and facilities, Norsunians can always do more with less. Before the first semester ended, Dan Jerome Saycon Barrera, a graduate of NORSU Bais Campuses, ranked 3rd in the September 2009 Criminology Licensure Examination – living proof that Norsunians, regardless of what campus, are competitive.

The part of the history of this institution weaved during the first semester in indubitably healthy – NORSU, as a university, continued to seek for improvement. Norsunians, as the products of this institution, also continued to shine.

As the second semester began, may the whole Norsunian community work together to give this chapter of NORSU’s history colorful and healthy pages. As another chapter unfolds, may everyone continue to do more with less, and exert industry and hard work for productivity.
This second semester: Level up NORSU! Shine Norsunians!

A challenge

By Ren Angelo Elevera
(Vol. XXVII No. 12, Editorial Cartoon)

A challenge

Recently, Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) Tigers Basketball Team competed for the Negros Oriental Inter-Collegiate Basketball League. The Tigers landed on the third spot after knocking down the St. Paul University-Dumaguete (SPUD) Saints.

Settling on the third place is not an easy victory for the Tigers. Having only four veteran players, they found it difficult to win over the Saints whose members are mostly veterans. Aside from that, the fact that they also lack proper training due to lack of facilities and equipment needed for their practice also mattered.

With a lot of rookies in the team, it is understandable that the team would not be as strong as it was a few years back. These rookies, who are supposed to be trained well before playing at the court and competing with other players of the different university teams in the city, are not getting enough practice. How can they practice well when they do not have the needed facilities and equipment? In short, they lack proper training.

Looking back, NORSU Tigers was once considered as one of the strongest basketball teams in the city. Tigers used to compete for the championship in Inter-Collegiate basketball tournament which always bring excitement to the NORSU community. It used to be the center of attention of Norsunians, especially in the months of September where the Negros Oriental Intercollegiate Basketball League takes place.

But what has happened to the former spirit brought by the Tigers to the NORSU community? Where has it gone?

The fact is: we no longer feel it. Before, the whole NORSU community was really updated as to when will be the next game of the Tigers, what team will be their next opponent, and the like. But now, it seems that Norsunians no longer care about it. It seems that they have been abandoned—by the students and the administration.

The Tigers, being the basketball team of the university, plays an important role in uplifting the NORSU spirit. In every game they play, they bring with them the name of the university—they bring with them the name of NORSU. If they do well in court, they do not only get the praises for themselves but also for NORSU. The same goes with the criticisms. Whatever criticism they get, NORSU also gets it because in every game they play, they represent our school. It is the name of NORSU which is at stake. Therefore, the university must answer the call for the needed facilities and equipment of the team for them to improve.

Since it is the goal of the Student Government to uplift the NORSU spirit, why not start on this one? After all, the NORSU spirit was once uplifted by the Tigers because of their victories which made Norsunians shout on top of their lungs the name of the university. Their cheers just showed how proud they were of their school because Tigers defeated other university basketball teams. And Tigers even made it to the championship in some tournaments that they participated.

On the other hand, the team should also do its part. The lack of equipment should not be the reason for the team’s losses. They should not also reason out that because most of the members are rookies, it is just okay to lose. Everybody knows that it is not; thus, they should make it a habit to always do their best in court for them to be the victor.

Even with the lack of facilities and equipment, they should show it that they can win over other teams. Because it is not only the equipment and facilities that matter but also the commitment and the hard work of the team members.

Though they made it to the third spot in this year’s Negros Oriental Inter-Collegiate Basketball League, we can still say that it is not enough to gain back the spirit that was once felt by every Norsunian every time the Tigers play. Everyone knows that the Tigers can do better than that. Thus, they should try their best to make it to the championship game next time. Who knows? Perhaps, it would be one way of recovering the spirit that this university is slowly losing.
This is a challenge to the Tigers!

Losing a great gift

By Ren Angelo Elevera
(Vol. XXVII No. 8, Editorial Cartoon)

Losing a great gift

On August 1, the news of the death of the Philippines’ icon of democracy, former President Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco-Aquino, broke out, leaving the Filipino nation in a state of shock. Rich and poor alike, grieved for the woman who is considered a national treasure of the country.

President Cory, a global icon of democracy who led the ouster of one of 20th century’s most corrupt dictators, died at 76 after a 16-month battle against colon cancer. Her family announced that she died in the early hours of August 1, shortly after a private mass was held in her hospital room. President Cory, affectionately known as Tita Cory, was the Philippine president from 1986 to 1992 and is best remembered as the slim woman in yellow who led the “People Power” revolution that toppled Dictator Ferdinand Marcos more than two decades ago.

The death of Tita Cory brought back the People Power spirit which engulfed the nation years ago. From her sickbed down to her grave, the whole nation witnessed the outpouring of love from the Filipino people across the nation – rain or shine, daytime or nighttime. At the height of the nation’s mourning for the death of the icon, people wearing yellow ribbons and yellow dominated outfits tirelessly line along the streets, flashing the former president’s trademark “Laban” hand sign while repeatedly chanting the former president’s name, throwing yellow confetti, releasing yellow balloons, and freeing doves – all reminds us of the historical People Power revolution.

Moreover, though it pains to see President Cory pass away, the reaction showed by the Filipino people is heartening. In the past months or even in the past years, it seemed that the essence of democracy was set aside and was considered irrelevant and immaterial – the democracy which President Cory and her husband, Ninoy Aquino, together with the multitude of unsung heroes and heroines of EDSA I, have fought for came to the fore once again.

President Cory’s passing ended her life and her battle against her illness, but reinvigorated the spirit of People Power – it reminded both the older and the younger generations that Philippine democracy should be cherished and upheld at all times. Her sickness and death have, obviously, regenerated faith, peace and unity among Filipino people. The series of novena prayers and healing masses held all over the Philippines and in other parts of the world; the rapid spreading and posting of the images of that meaningful yellow ribbon on the web and on the prints; people tying yellow ribbons; and the gold-colored banners, flowers and balloons swarming along the streets everywhere in the Philippines is a reminder that Filipinos can always unite and work as one for a brighter and progressive nation.

These only proves what President Cory is to the Filipino people – a treasure.

President Cory’s very meaningful life and death, as well as her heroism should continue to live and should be proudly shared to the coming generations. Indeed, when Tita Cory died, the Philippines lost a gift – a great gift. But, her gift to the Filipino people was not buried with her. Our country’s democracy from the decades of corruption and dictatorship is the living and the most precious legacy she has ever given to every Filipino.

Thank you and goodbye President Cory! Long live democracy!

On thievery

By Ren Angelo Elevera

(Vol. XXVII No. 4, Editorial Cartoon)

On thievery

This is not the first time that cases of thievery take place inside the very parameters of the university. In fact, issues of thievery inside the campus had already appeared to be more of an ordinary issue to us that every time we hear of one, it does not alarm us anymore. Just recently, an array of reported cases of thievery and lost items once again surfaced – and most of it happened at the university library.

This time, it is lame to place the blame on the security officers who are in-charge of everyone’s safety inside the campus. As we observed, since blue guards came into this campus and since the Office of the Security Matters was finally defined, there has been very tight security that sometimes, we even thought that the implementations of security rules are too much and exaggerated. As we have all experienced, bags are checked, IDs are checked, and visitors are checked – meaning, we are safe from malicious intruders from the outside because no one can easily get in.

Sadly, thievery cases are repeatedly happening despite the efforts of the security department in implementing tighter security. Why? The very reason is because we allow it to happen again and again. Thievery happens because of recklessness and less cautiousness from most of us.

In the library for example, where most of the recent thievery happened, despite the sign in the baggage shelf that says “Please leave your backpacks, bags, attache case, and big envelopes but DO NOT LEAVE your wallets, cellphones, calculators and other valuables”, a lot of students still carelessly leave valuables in their bags, thus, become easy prey for thieves. Also, the fact that nobody is attending to the baggage shelf, prudence dictates that everyone should not leave any important belonging because obviously, it is not safe.

Many are duped, because many are careless. Because a lot of students remain not cautious, thievery continues.

Let everyone be reminded that being extra careful and being cautious are the best weapons against thievery especially that the culprits were, apparently, students of NORSU too - since outsiders cannot easily get inside the campus because of tight security. Past experiences teach us the painful lesson that the culprit could be that person sitting next to us.

On the other hand, it is high time now for authorities to do something beyond the mere “do not leave your important belongings here” warning. Someone should be assigned to man the baggages of the students for obvious reasons.

Organizing the system of the baggage counter and extra diligence are surefire formula for winning the fight against burglary in the library, in particular, and in the campus, in general.

Big ventures, bigger responsibilities

By Ren Angelo Elevera

(Vol. XXVII No. 2, Editorial Cartoon)

Big ventures, bigger responsibilities

Five significant years have passed since the birth of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) – five significant years of continual progress and development. Within that span of time, the institution, which once started from lowly wooden classrooms, has served as a learning ground for exercising academic freedom, fairness, and equality of opportunity. Now that it has reached the pinnacle of its dreams, it keeps on striving to gradually enter the door to the higher level of global competence.

Just recently, NORSU determinedly made several ambitious ventures. Two new courses, which are the Doctor in Dental Medicine (DDM) and Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering (BSEM), were opened at the start of the semester. There was also the official opening of the NORSU-Mabinay Campus at Barangay Namangka, Poblacion, Mabinay, as one of its satellite campuses. Indeed, these are big undertakings for NORSU – undertakings which mean a start of something that has to be looked after, cultured, and improved as time passes.

These ventures obviously imply improvement for a university that sprouted from humble beginnings. Offering DDM and BSEM this semester only means that NORSU has progressed a lot in the past five years because it can now provide wider choice of better courses for its students. Besides, DDM and BSEM are two of the in-demand courses nowadays.

On the other hand, opening NORSU-Mabinay Campus is one testament that NORSU answered the needs of the community for an accessible higher education. With the development, the NORSU family was not only expanded, but also, it gives a sigh of relief to the parents and guardians of the poor but deserving students in the Municipality of Mabinay and other neighboring towns. Their sons and daughters can now avail of higher education without going to far places and without spending more.

On the other side of the coin, while looking at the ambitious ventures of the university, questions flood. Is NORSU ready to offer DDM and BSEM especially that those courses require additional facilities and equipment? If we are going to look around, it cannot be denied that some old courses in this university are left unattended while the students seemingly wait for eternity on their wanted facilities, equipment, and even instructors. Some courses in this university are yet to be improved, and now, here it is again, offering two courses that have to start from zero. It is very possible that these new courses will just fall to the row of academic programs in this university that lack equipment, facilities, and instructors.

The same thing goes for the opening of NORSU-Mabinay Campus. One cannot help but ask if the campus is already geared up in terms of instructions, facilities and equipment before its opening. Is it a relevant move? Is the university prepared? What quality of education could it offer? It was reported that the campus has a population of 271 students with only two rooms. Shouldn’t adequate rooms be built first before opening the campus?

These big ventures currently taken by NORSU definitely mean big improvements. On the other hand, it also means big risks and bigger responsibilities. By offering these new courses and opening a new campus, is NORSU making the wrong move? Now that NORSU has taken the step and has already started the program, there is no turning back.

We can only cross our fingers and hope that these ventures would not be an addition to the piling academic programs that lack facilities, instructors and equipment. There is nothing we can do but hope and pray that NORSU will be able to handle these higher steps as time passes.

Everything starts from scratch, from nothing and NORSU started from humble beginnings. Let us continue hoping that the newest programs of the university would rise from scratch to something that we can all be proud of. Do not stop to cross your fingers yet, we still have a long way to go.

Sa paglipas ng panahon...

By Ren Angelo Elevera
(Vol. XXVI No. 9, Editorial Cartoon)

Sa paglipas ng panahon...

Ang wika ay kaluluwa ng isang bansa. Bawat bansang malaya ay may kanya-kanyang wika. Ang Pilipinas, na itunuturing na isa sa mga ito, ay may sarili ring wika. Ito ay ang Wikang Filipino. Iilang buwan na rin ang nakalipas nang ipagdiwang ng Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) ang Buwan ng Wika. Sa halip na buwanang pagdiriwang, ito ay idinaos sa loob ng isang araw na lamang noong ika-20 ng Agosto sa pamamagitan ng mga patimpalak gaya ng comical skit at katutubong sayaw. Naging matagumpay man ang paggunita ng unibersidad sa Buwan ng Wika, hindi pa rin natin maitatanggi na ang pagdiriwang ngayon ay payak na lamang kung ihahambing noong mga nakaraang taon. Naging kasiya-siya man ang ginawang selebrasyon, hindi naman ito naging sapat upang lubusang tumatak sa isipan ng lahat ang nais ipahiwatig ng pagdiriwang. Noong mga nagdaang taon, hindi maipagkakailang mas masaya at mas pinaghandaan ang pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wika dito sa NORSU. Iilan sa mga pinaghandaang palatuntunan na itinampok noon ay ang paligsahan sa pagkukwento, madulang sayaw, talumpati, sabayang pagbigkas, at katutubong sayaw. Noon ay mayroon ding mga dulang may iisang yugto, at may ginawang pagpili ng Lakan at Lakambini ng Wika. Mayroon pa ngang tabo sa banay at mga paligsahan sa katutubong laro na noo’y nilahukan ng mga mag-aaral. Mapapansing habang lumilipas ang panahon ay unti-unting nawawalan ng tingkad ang dating makulay na selebrasyon. Bakit unti-unting nagiging tahimik ang dati’y siksik na siksik sa saya na pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wika? Bakit mula sa mahabang hanay ng mga palatuntunan noon, dalawa o tatlong programa na lamang ang natira? Hindi naman natin masisisi ang Departamento ng Filipino dahil makatarungan naman ang kanilang mga dahilan kung bakit naging simple na lamang ang pagdiriwang ng Buwan ng Wika ngayong taon. Ang kawalan ng badyet, ay isa sa mga pangunahing dahilan. Ang mas magarang selebrasyon ay mangangahulugang mas malaki ang perang magagamit, na mangangahulugan ding mas mabigat para sa bulsa ng mga estudyanteng kumukuha ng asignaturang Filipino ang gagawing paggunita. Pangalawa, maaantala ang klase kung gagawing mas matagal ang selebrasyon. Tama nga naman– naging praktikal lamang ang departamento na isipin ang kapakanan ng mga estudyante. Ngunit sa kabilang banda, hindi natin maiiwasang magtanong: Paano naman natin bubuhayin ang unti-unti nang namamatay na larawan ng wika at kulturang Pilipino kung hindi naman natin magawang ipadama sa mas nakakaraming estudyante ang tunay na diwa ng selebrasyon? Paano mararamdaman ng mga mag-aaral ang nais ipahiwatig ng pagdiriwang kung hindi nga nila halos mapansin? Mayroon ngang nanood sa payak na pagdiriwang ngunit hindi pa rin maitatangging mas marami ang nagsawalang bahala dito. Hindi ba maaaring pagsabayin ang pagtitipid at ang isang matingkad na pagdiriwang? Wala na bang paraan upang maibalik ang dating nakaka-agaw pansin na pagdiriwang na hindi magiging mabigat sa bulsa ng mga estudyante at hindi nakakaantala sa kanilang mga klase? Sa panahon ngayon, hindi na nga ba praktikal ang magdaos ng isang magarbo at makulay na Buwan ng Wika? Sana ay maari pa. Sana ay may paraan pa. Bakit? Dahil ang isang maingay, matingkad at makabuluhang pagdiriwang ang siyang pupukaw sa damdamin ng mga mag-aaral– damdaming dapat pahalagahan ang tunay na kabuluhan ng kultura at wikang Filipino.

Late Aid!

By Ren Angelo Elevera
(Vol. XXVI No. 6, Editorial Cartoon)

Late Aid!

When the proper dressing policy was implemented on June 16 of this school year, it confused and caused inconvenience to a lot of students who were barred by the guards at the gate area.

There had been no clear guidelines as to what types of clothes were admissible inside the campus and what were not. Students since then complained about its vague guidelines and the way it was implemented.

In an attempt to answer the queries of the students, The NORSUnian took the initiative of interviewing University President Henry A. Sojor regarding the issue. In the interview, the university president said that there had been no agreed guidelines yet as to the exact standard of dressing because it is the Student Government (SG) who should be formulating it. Sojor explained that it is the SG who will make the memorandum and that, he will only approve it. Sojor said that while no standard is formulated yet, they will be implementing the policy according to their “standard” of decency.

It has been a month now since the policy was implemented and weeks since the explanation of the university president was published in the student publication; and yet, the confusion goes on. For more than a month since the confusion started, there had been no move from the SG, not even a simple clarification about the policy.

According to the SGDCI President, the SG recently busied themselves in preparing the guidelines of proper dressing, currently securing the signatures of respective university heads. But it is still questionable why their move is too delayed. SG should have exercised this move the moment the confusion arose. Matters that concern the students should always concern the SG because they exist for the students. They do not need to be hit first before they do something about issues that should have been addressed to a long time ago.

It is worth reminding that the SG was created to represent the student body and are supposed to serve as the voice of the students. However, for the past years now, it is quite evident that the SG is not living up to what is expected of them. The role of the SG is not only limited to providing projects and organizing programs because, in the first place, they were elected to become leaders and not just event organizers.

Supposedly, SG should serve as the mediator between the administration and the students. It is their responsibility to voice the students’ complaints to the administration. The SG has the responsibility to champion the cause of the students and to at least clarify issues like the dress code policy, which caused a lot of confusion to the students ever since its implementation.

The SG had been silent for so long now and it is high time they wake up and face the very reason why the students placed them in their positions. The SG is the voice of the students, but this voice is still yet to be heard. Hopefully, the prescribed dress code will be defined clearly through SG’s effort in the coming days, now that a memorandum had been processed. A lot of students have already suffered and if ever the dress code will finally be defined, well, it would still be a relief to the students – but a staled one already.

SG officers should not procrastinate in aiding problems that concern the studentry because after all, the students put them there.

Vague Rules

By Ren Angelo Elevera
(Vol. XXVI No. 3, Editorial Cartoon)

Vague Rules

Last June 12, the Security Department of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) posted an announcement that together with the ‘No ID, No Entry’ policy, the proper dressing policy would also take effect.

The posted announcement said that starting June 16, wearing of short pants, rubber slippers, sando shirts and tattered pants inside the school premises is no longer allowed.

On June 16, the policies indeed took effect in full swing. While the “No ID, No Entry” policy was easily defined, the proper dressing policy or wearing decent attires inside the university puzzled some female Norsunians who did not gain entry on the second day of the implementation. On June 17, the dressing policy was redefined as it prohibits students, especially females, to wear sandals, knee-level pedals and sleeveless blouses. The sudden change of the policy resulted to heated arguments between the affected students and the security officers, who strictly implemented the rule.

For the students, the implementation was unfair because there was no specification as to what really were the outfits required inside the university. They said that what was only prohibited in the policy, as specified on the announcement, was the wearing of short pants, rubber slippers, sando shirts and tattered pants. Some of them were confused why wearing sleeveless was already prohibited when the prohibition was not mentioned in the posted announcement. Others were also irked why wearing of sandals inside the campus was proscribed when the announcement only stated the embargo of wearing rubber slippers. The students complained that the surprise implementation was really unfair because they were not informed ahead of time. This according to them, made them missed their classes since the security department strictly implemented it.

On the other hand, the answer of the security officers to the cries of the students was just simple but satisfying ― they are simply following orders from the university president.

If we look closely to the main issue, there was definitely nothing bad in implementing the proper dressing policy in a strict way or into another level. It was created for good purposes ― to create a decent identity for Norsunians and to prepare them for their future professions. It was created to discipline them. However, for the policy to be fully embraced by the students, it must not be vague. It is very important that students completely understand the policy for them to fully adhere to it.

As of press time, the policy is not yet clarified.

Therefore, the authorities should do something about this because a vague policy may lead to inconsistency. An inconsistent policy, on the other hand, may lead to the defeat of its genuine purpose. A proper dress code should be well-defined specifically now because after all, everyone has each own definition of a “decent attire”. Everyone has his thousand reasons to argue and claim that what he or she wears is decent. Thus, before everyone else complains about it, the administration itself should define what it means by “dress code” and spell it out for students to understand; not confuse them with vague, inconsistent announcements.