I was saddened by the news that I’ve heard from a friend about some professors leaving the Faculty of Engineering and UST for that matter. She told me that one of our professors just didn’t make it this semester. She asked me to visit a blog post with this address from a concerned student at our faculty so that I can see the issue more clearly and here, I discuss some of the points included in the entry above.

The Thomasian Education System is deeply rooted in tradition. Those deeply rooted in this tradition feel that anything new and radical is a threat to their ways.

Deeply rooted indeed, our university is infamous for our national hero’s disgust over the educational system back when he was still studying here. Though that was way back ages ago, I was surprised to encounter such scenario where my fellow students feel the same way.

Does this have something to do with the recession?

Nothing would come nearer to this in becoming the most stupid reason. Living in a third world country means living in recession and UST cannot make an excuse that it’s because of this recession-thing. I believe that if in any case this is the reason, our school should’ve raised tuition fees but they didn’t. Is this some kind of a philanthropic act expected from a Catholic institution? Well, I hope so. Nevertheless, why make suffer our finest professors who just want studies to become intellectually stimulating.

This liberalism versus orthodox issue, not again!

Is this is about UST becoming the oldest university in Asia and it must adhere to such? But change is constant and we can do nothing about it. As the church doctrines hold on to what we call “signs of the times”, this institution should also follow such examples. Yes, many people including us have repeatedly forgot the past and didn’t learned from it so we often come to thinking that tradition is the answer to all our questions. But what about the efforts of others to advance human living and find a solution to problems we face and spreading them through education in which this university stands for.

Our link to the industry, gone for good…

It’s very common that some of the subjects taught in college don’t necessarily have something to do with the program we applied for. Some of them are just plain courses given for the sake of studying other fields of science. I have nothing against that, but when it comes to the major subjects that ought to shape me as a professional, getting a mentor who just knows the subject from getting a master’s degree or even a doctorate but haven’t worked in the industry is just plain unfair on my part. I expect someone who knows the industry norms, trends, etc. and can clearly define the way we are heading on. I have met such professors but unfortunately, one of them was not able to make it as part of the faculty staff. I don’t know on what grounds he was not admitted to teach this semester but surely, it was a huge loss on us students who needs someone like him.

For whatever reasons such incidence occurred in the school that in two more years I will call Alma Mater, I hope this will be a wakeup call to everyone involved and concerned in this issue.