Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Of funds and fines

(Worried of the trend to fines and fund raising in the student government, I wrote this article for the college newsletter. At that time (2006), I was the Associate Dean of CENCOM. This was never published until now) 

This column is my way of expressing some thoughts as a scribe of the college. Events unfold, its inside story maybe worthwhile sharing.  I am a silent (oh really?) notetaker of events. And these are my notes…


I assumed the designation as college secretary last June 1, 2006. Barely three months from that appointment, I don’t think I have made significant stride in so far as college administration is concerned. This is my dilemma. I used to be a student leader questioning some policies of the university which we deemed not good for dudes then. Well, here I am imposing some rules on these students.

But nevertheless, I want to be as much as possible a “pro-student” though some of our present student leaders interpret some of my opinion as anti-student. Among unpopular opinion I have is opposition to excessive imposition of fines by the student government.

Student leaders may argue that imposition of fines is a good deterrent for chronic absences committed by student members. But for so many years, fines have not given enough justification for a student not to get absent on activities. In fact, even at higher fines, students still can afford to get absent.

LSGs and societies have become rich due to fines right? Am I right in saying that fines are imposed to raise funds? The simple notion of compelling students’ participation has turned out to be fund raising in disguise.

Have the student government studied why students get absent? What are the reasons behind? Have they taken steps in order to turn the situation around?

Several activities are done for students’ development. Why allow it to be paid? Why are we punishing parents for the sins committed by the students? Kung classwork ang absent, classwork din dapat ang ibayad! Kung absent sa seminar, ipaconduct nyo ng seminar, etc.

I know the student governments are very much convinced that fines is the only way to compel attendance. My challenge to the student government: Reward those students with perfect attendance from the proceeds of fines. If the LSG collected P50,000 and only 5 made it perfect on attendance, reward them with P10,000 each.

(Do you think this is still relevant? Share this to student officers you know) 

13 comments:

  1. Prior to the fines
    it was always (hard) labor that was the payment for absences. This taught us (the students) two things, 1. for any offense there is punishment, and 2. If I could survive this (hard) labor, I could survive anything. This also fined the individual and not the parents.

    I just don't know when it started, to let the absentee pay fines, well if this was the case, what kind of lessons are we learning as students then? "That if you have money you can just pay for almost anything?"
    "money can get us out of our problems?" no wonder we're having a hard time in convincing student to work, why work, if you can pay for it.

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  2. read this blog guys.! open ur mind about Fines.!

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    1. tama.! wag hayaang pineperahan lang tayo.. ang pera pinag hihirapan dapat yan bago makuha , di yang bina-black mail ang kapwa estudyante, hino-hold ang clearances para mapilitang mag bayad.. heto na naman si fallacy, argumentum ad baculum dahil fino-forced tayong magbayad at saten pa isisi kung bakit nagkaroon ng fines. di manlang naisip kung bakit di naging active ang mga kasamahan sa society. di lang nila alam, kasalanan pala nitong mga leaders na na-appointed ^^

      peace out

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  3. i don't know kung my fines nba ulet sa usm..sa mga anjan pa react na kau...hehehe

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  4. From what we have gathered, the LSGs now stopped this practice but the societies already learned the trade and they are imposing their own fines daw. Is this true?

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  5. Tama po..ang mga society ngayon ay nagsisimula na namang mag fines..

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  6. Nag meeting po ang society namin , pinapili ang mga members kung ano ang gusto nila fines or hard labor .. nanalo po ang fines , majority votes :)

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  7. Huwag kayong mag-alala. Di namin sinasabi na malaking kasalanan ang mag-fine. Ngunit bilang nakakatanda, gusto naming magkaroon kayo ng malalim na kaisipan sa mga bagay-bagay bago magdesisyon. Ako ay natutuwa na merong matapang na nagpaskil sa kanyang komento sa kabila ng kontrobersiya. Pag-aralang mabuti ang mga dahilan bakit maraming absent sa mga activities. Baka dapat merong baguhin sa mga activities na ito. Baka masyadong boring at di kaakit-akit? Pag-isipang mabuti ang dahilan. Ang pagpataw ng fines o hard labor man ay parang paglagay ng scotch tape sa nabutas na interior. short term solution lang.

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  8. In 2010 USM-BOR, the highest policy making and approving body in the University, Approved a resolution Prohibiting the imposition and collection of Monetary Fines to those who failed to attend Extra and Co-Curricular activities in school. Any policy imposed by lower law making body in contrary to these does not have bearing and should not be recognized by our students. All students deserved to receive equal rights to these policy. You can always fight and protect your rights and welfare. As a member of Student Government Officers we always mandated to protect the rights and welfare of our co-students first. To discipline your co students is not your primary concern.

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    Replies
    1. AGREE.! ganyan sana mag isip ang mga kapwa ko estudyante :>

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  9. The University Student Government and the Local Student Government must stop this stupidity in imposing fines or any means of punishment on student whom does not attend an activity or any stupid gathering specially during PASIKLABAN. If no student attendance it means the activity is/are not desirable or beneficial at all. See that, in short they/I'm not interested. Therefore conduct an activity to interest student!!!

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  10. Iba tlg ang dating pag pera na pinag uusapan!!! Hnd yan maiisip ng mga nsa position kc nga taga kolekta LNG cla exempted clA sa lahat ng bayarin...
    Ewan Ko ba may mga maka sarili tlgng Tao d na iniisip kapwa nla basta magkaka benepisyo LNG clA...PERA na kc yan eee!! Na appoint pa nman na leader kaso lalo pa pinahihirapan kapwa nila... PERA nga nman... Mga mukang pera!!!

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