Miriam College students staged a peaceful assembly to protest the proposed 5% tuition hike on Friday, February 20, the day of the scheduled tuition hike consultation set by the Higher Education Unit (HEU) administration of the college. With the support of the Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng Miriam (Sanggunian) and members of the Council of Leaders, students expressed their appeal to stop the proposed 5% tuition hike for the academic year 2015-2016 in the HEU. The students who attended the program at the Paz Adriano Grounds wore black ribbons as a sign of protest to the tuition hike.
The students held the peaceful assembly right before the scheduled tuition hike consultation.
#stopMCtuitionhike
“We are fervently hoping for your support. Let’s make #stopMCtuitionhike trend and indeed stop it. One COL, One Vision!” a statement of the Sanggunian said.
Students uploaded statement photos in social media platforms that say “Sa lahat ng binawas, bakit pa magtataas?” and used the hashtag #stopMCtuitionhike.
The Sanggunian also posted a Manifesto of Unity (MOU) online that contained the school organizations’ stand against tuition and other fees increases (TOFI). By February 20, the MOU has been signed by various organizations of the college and presented at the peaceful assembly.
“They do not feel or see the improvements that should have been contributed by the raised income of the school”
Student representatives in the consultation said they are against the tuition hike for there have been tuition hikes annually, but they do not feel or see the improvements that should have been contributed by the raised income of the school.
Students questioned the tuition hike amid “many cost-cutting measures” to be implemented by the college this year.
The cost-cutting measures the students referred to are:
- The abolition of three degree programs (Social Work, Theater and Culinary Arts)
- The abolition of the College of International Humanitarian and Development Studies and the absorption of degree program International Studies to the College of Arts and Sciences.
- The merger of Institutional Network for Social Action with another office.
- The laying off of General Education professors by 2016 due to the K-12 program of the government.
In the MOU, the Sanggunian raised fears on the quality of education students will receive amid all the cost-cutting measures.
Consultation or presentation?
In their documentation of the tuition hike consultation, the Sanggunian (and student other representatives) repeatedly inquired the breakdown of the proceeds of the proposed 5% tuition increase. Miriam College administration presented general plans and programs, but the presentation did not specify to which programs or items the 5% increase would go.
Dr. Glenda Fortez, Vice President for Academic Affairs, said the increase would benefit “programs and people.”
Mr. Antonio Lopez, Dean of College of Business, Entrepreneurship, and Accountancy, and Dr. Gail Galang, First Year Coordinator, said in the consultation that the 5% increase is primarily due to the inflation rate.
Students also repeatedly asked the Miriam College administration how their stand against the tuition increase would matter to the school after the consultation. The student representatives also pointedly asked the administration what constitute the latter’s actions and submissions to the Commission on Higher Education regarding tuition increase after the students have expressed their disapproval of the tuition increase.
(Ed’s note: The same question has been inquired with the Miriam College administration, among other questions that we asked and that we may feature in the follow-up to this article.)
On February 2, letters of invitation were given to some HEU members who will join the consultation as representatives of their groups. According to the letter, the following were invited to the dialogue: HEU Administration, HEU Faculty Association, Program/Department Chairpersons, Maryknoll/Miriam College Alumni Association Board, incoming and outgoing Sanggunian officers, Council of Leaders, Chi Rho and parents.
Fee cocktail
The tuition in Miriam College’s HEU stands at P 2,090 per unit for first year students, P 1873 per unit for sophomores and P1727 for third to fifth year students. The regular load in the HEU is 21 units and the average tuition per semester for 21 units cost P 46,095 for a first year students. Adding the basic fee, miscellaneous fees and Institutional Development Fee, a first year student’s matriculation would reach P 58,000.
An Institutional Development Fee of P 1,850 is also charged per semester.
Other fees charged once a year include the student handbook (P 250), bulletin of information (P 300), Recollection Fee (P 1,000), Drug test fee (P 500), and ID fee (P 200),
Carrying on the fight
No further tuition consultations have so far been scheduled.
The Sanggunian will hold another assembly on February 28 for the National Day against Tuition and Other Fees Increases and will also conduct a petition signing against the proposed tuition hike.
