Last July 22, 2013, UPLB Chancellor, Rex Victor O. Cruz gave a memorandum which contains the details of proposal to change the academic calendar of the University of the Philippines. It aims to change the June – March class into an August – May. August is seen as a possible new June in order to keep up with universities worldwide. According to the memorandum, this action is one of the many steps UP can take to achieve its 'strategic plan for Academic, Excellence and Internationalization.'

Harmonization and standardization are the primary keywords in initiating this step. In implementing programs which concerns international relationships, one problem that is usually encountered is the difference in the academic calendar. One example is the cross registration between universities from different countries. Students from the Philippines have to wait until the classes in other countries start.

The proposal is open for support until the year 2015. If it gains enough votes, the proposal will affect all academic programs whether undergraduate or graduate. In this proposal, the academic calendar will have August 3 as the start of classes, until second week of the said month for registration, and a semestral break on the first week of December. The second semester registration will be on the second week of January and within the third week of the month will be start of classes which ends on second week of May. As for the summer classes, registration will be held on the second week of June with classes starting on the month’s third week and ending on the third week of July.

The primary benefits from the fulfillment of this proposal will be the opportunity for teachers to attend international seminars since the new academic calendar will allow such to happen and for the students to avoid risky attempts to attend classes as well as the many cancellations of classes during the typhoon season which fall on June and July. However, this action also has its drawbacks. The adjustment of schedule will affect internal activities which is part of the UP tradition like the Lantern parade. The university must also coordinate with external groups like Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Department of Education (DepEd) before its implementation. The Professional Regulations Commission will also be concerned with the proposal since the fresh graduates from the University of the Philippines who might need to take an exam will just be available starting May.

As of December 2013, the proposal is already supported by UP Baguio, UP Los Baños, UP Manila, UP Visayas, UP Mindanao, the UP Open University and an autonomous college in Cebu while UP Diliman is further investigating the details. The UP Board of Regents (BOR) plans on discussing the matter on its first meeting for the year 2014.

References

• GMA news website: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/319553/news/nation/up-considers-shifting-start-of-school-to-august
• UP website: http://www.up.edu.ph/up-board-mulls-moving-class-opening-to-august/
• http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs50/i/2009/273/9/4/Oblation_Pencil_Sketch_by_kabudelz.jpg
• http://backgrounds.picaboo.com/download/4b/b1/4b1c3664b96b4be7b413cac6fc176798/Maroon%20phase.jpg