LUNAS: Service and Beyond by: Jay V. Amero Date Posted: 08/04/2008 12:35 am

There are no laws that protect our working scholars, not even a single article or section in our labor code that the working scholars can depend upon.

THE LOYAL and United Non- Academic Scholars (LUNAS) is one of the organizations of Southwestern University. The SWU caters to the country’s need for better education through the LUNAS. It offers free quality education to the less privileged who cannot afford to pursue a college degree. SWU does not only provide for free tuition (excluding miscellaneous fee) to its beneficiaries but also provide for monthly allowance, a Christmas bonus and a recognition during the graduation rites.

Focalized only on scholarships, “Non-Academic Scholarships” were made possible through the vision of the late founder: helping our less fortunate brothers and sisters in different communities nationwide. The death of Don Matias H. Aznar II was great factor of evanescence of the students’ hopes, and clamor thinking of the next generation as well.

“Fairness” is what the new working scholars demand from the new generation of administrators in Southwestern University. A comparative study was made by The Quill, surveying the situation of SWU Working Scholars and those of other universities. The study showed that SWU Working Scholars have longer hours of duty ( 7 to 8 hours per day) and could only take up selected courses ( School of Business, College of Education and Criminology); work without overtime pay during Holidays and Saturdays and limitted to enrol only 18 units load every semester .

In addition, the working scholars must not have any failing grades and should maintain a General Weighted Average (GWA) of 2.5. Their immediate superior will evaluate them at the end of the semester and determine whether they will be retained, transferred, or dismissed from the program.

Through the years, LUNAS has been constantly negotiating for fair compensation commensurate to their efforts; and the gains they have never acquired are: additional 3 units load and maximum 6 hours of duty per day. But this is just the icing on the cake. There are still pleas of working scholars that have not been answered, instead with “let’s have a study on this….” by the Administration. It’s never easy to be a working scholar, much more, in this university. These working scholars are actually crying for h e l p .

Worse, there are cases where some of the working scholars are place in unimaginable situation where they seem to stand in the loosing end.

Cases where their duty goes beyond their official job description. Allegedly, there are cases where some of these working scholars unconditionally heeds to the personal errands of their immediate superiors making them less technically synonymous to the term HOUSEMAIDS or YAYA. Moreover, there some of them who allegedly fell victims to physical abuses from their superiors, yet could hardly find the courage to file a complaint due to fear of losing their free education.

Administrators appear passive to the demands of our working scholars. Instead of responding to their needs, it is left to be an “ungranted wish”. There are no laws that protect our working scholars, not even a single article or section in our labor code that the working scholars can depend u p o n .

Indeed, the Non-Academic Scholarship program is something that the working scholars should be grateful of. But not to the extent of depriving them of their rights. It is true that working scholars are privileged, the benefits they received are justified by the services they render to the university. After all, the university also benefits from not needing to hire casual employees or secretaries because of them. If the university is really sincere with its vision of a society of noble character, just and honest, then they should address this problem before it becomes another malignant tumor to the university.

Extra-curricular activities of the university like “Pamaskong Handog” and giving bundles of joy to our adopted communities are being extolled through the Cebu City Government. We are proud of our university for having this kind of community outreach program, but do they have the same for our working scholars who are in need of support? Remember the cliché…. “CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME.