UST revises bad weather protocols: JHS and SHS classes suspended at signal no. 1

According to the updated class suspension guidelines released by the Office of the Secretary General (OSG) on Thursday, online and face-to-face classes at UST up to senior high school level will be suspended when Signal No. 1 is triggered over Manila.

Previously, as part of Signal No. 1, classes at all levels continued as planned. Online assessments and exams also went as planned.

In a memorandum dated July 18, UST Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, OP, released the updated guidelines, which were drafted in consultation with the Office of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.

According to Signal No. 2, face-to-face courses at the university level may be suspended at the discretion of UST. Bachelor’s and Master’s students may continue to take their online courses asynchronously.

If face-to-face teaching is suspended after it has begun, Thomasians are allowed to stay on campus for up to three hours, taking into account the heavy car and pedestrian traffic.

At signal number 3, all classes are suspended.

Classes will continue as planned if no typhoon signal is sent, even during heavy rain or after a typhoon. If there is no interruption to classes, classes will continue as planned, according to the OSG, “guided by the principles of dialogue, flexibility and accessibility.”

The OSG reiterated that decisions on class cancellations depend on the weather conditions in Manila. For students or faculty who are in other areas during inclement weather, the OSG stressed the need to evaluate individual circumstances.

Academic representatives will review requests from students and academic staff to determine compelling reasons that may justify consideration and flexibility, taking into account individual circumstances and concerns.

Where possible, enriched virtual classroom mode (EVM), synchronous online sessions and Hy-Flex sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the UST Cloud Campus to provide students with access to these recordings as supplementary study material.

The updated guidelines did not include the online facility for assessments and exams that was included in the previous August 2022 classroom suspension guidelines.

The suspension of on-site work will be announced by the BGS in coordination with the Vice Rectorate and the Human Resources Department.

Previously, an OSG official had Varsitary that the factors for announcing class cancellations include: the daily weather bulletin, the academic calendar, the right balance between face-to-face and online teaching, and the work arrangements of university staff and officials.

“We are also closely assessing the current conditions on our campus and in its immediate vicinity to ensure the safety and well-being of our university community while minimizing disruption to classes,” Emmanuel Batulan, the Executive Assistant to the Secretary General, told the Varsitary in October 2023.

If there is no announcement from the authorities, the university has the option of switching to online teaching using the EVM, Batulan said. Carlo Jose H. Ruga