Adamson University students held a symbolic protest against the 8% proposed tuition increase on February 26. Students wore black shirt in solidarity to the call against tuition increase.
The proposed 8% tuition increase in all undergraduate programs lecture and lab units will hike up tuition by P3,000 or more.
Ayokong Magmahal Adamson Network started a petition against the increase and called on students to wear black shirt on February 26, Wednesday or the designated ‘wash day’ or break from wearing uniform when students may wear any shirt color.
Before the scheduled black shirt protest, students of Adamson University reported being threatened to receive sanctions allegedly coming from the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) if they will pursue or participate in the protest.
National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) Metro Manila called on the university administration to uphold and protect the rights and welfare of the students and not to engage in any actions that curtail the students’ dissent and freedom of expression.
“The academic freedom of students includes free expression of ideas contrary to those of the administration. It is as well a constitutional right of all the students to express their grievances and dismay over a proposal of the university whether be it a policy or an in increase on tuition or other school fees,” said NUSP Metro Manila in a statement.
Adamson University OSA Director Jan Nelin Navallasca clarified “OSA has not made such threat. Students are not disciplined simply because they wear black as expression of dissent to proposed TFI.” The said statement was posted in the AUSG Facebook page on February 25.
Various Adamson alumni commented on the photos and post of the black shirt protest, recollecting having participated in such protests, the last in their memory to have taken place, in 2004 and 2011. A ‘Black Wednesday’ protest against a 6% tuition increase with students gathering in front of the university facade was held on February 28, 2018.
Proposed tuition hike
On February 18, the Adamson University administration held a tuition fee increase consultation.’ The consultation is requirement for the application of tuition increase to be filed with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
In the said consultation, the administration announced an 8% tuition increase in lecture and lab units. The reason behind the proposed increase is for the salary increase for faculty and employees.
Among some of the other proposed increase in the other school fees in the undergraduate degree programs and the university administration’s justifications include:
- 25% or P200 increase in the athletic fee to support increased participation in sports and other programs
- 38.9% or P70 increase in the chest x-ray due to x-ray price increase
- 12.5% or P50 increase in cultural fee due to increased operating costs and maintenance
- 38.8% or P21 increase in insurance fee due to higher insurance premium
- 20.4% or P68 increase in guidance fee due to increased cost of test materials
- 66.7% or P220 increases in technology fee due to higher maintenance cost of IT software/hardware, increase in bandwidth, upgrading of fiber optic lines and high licensing fees
The other schools fees listed above have just increased the previous school year, except for the guidance fee that last increased two years ago.
Ayokong Magmahal Adamson Network called on the university administration to heed the students’ demand to not increase tuition.
“The university is known and has prided itself in being a school for the needful and the successor to St. Vincent De Paul’s mission, but the annual rounds of tuition and fee increases treads far from such pledge. In times of recent disasters and prevailing socioeconomic crisis, it would be the work of good Christians to assume the burdens of people in strife. We expect the university to hold dear this doctrine,” said the Ayokong Magmahal Adamson Network in a statement.
