Students work hard for an entire semester and pay their tuition fees diligently, trying their best to beat the deadline of payment. Yet, when it comes to the end of the semester, the opposite happens; teachers pass their grades late. Thus, causing problems to those who enrolled early but need a grade in a subject that is a pre-requisite to the one they will take in the semester. Student scholarships are also threatened to be on hold just because some grades aren’t submitted yet.
The Silliman University manual states that professors who failed to submit grades on time shall be fined Php 5 per day of delay, and all deans and directors are enjoined to enforce these rules strictly.
Mid-term and final grades must be submitted to the department chair or dean within five working days during the examination administrations. Students are given three weeks upon submission of grades to question errors or concerns.
For non-graduating students, their grades must be submitted to the Registrar within 10 days from the examination dates. For the Graduate and Divinity School, professors are given 20 days, while the College of Law professors are given 30 days.
However, professors still continue to pass grades late. If not grades, they start their classes very late, without valid reasons.
The Weekly Sillimanian believes that teachers have to understand that it is important to submit grades on time, because there are also students who need to have all their grades to apply or maintain respective scholarships. Also, as teachers who impose deadlines and stress the importance of being on time, they should also walk the talk. They should be good examples of complying with university policies, too.
There is also a need for the faculty and student manuals to be revised, especially because grades are currently posted on online accounts, which means the process from submission to notification of grades have evolved. A provision on where and how students may complain about these matters should also be provided.
On the other hand, students should also learn to report injustices like this through grievance forms or formal letters. Students should exercise their right to question the system when something is not right.~
