Dr. Cherry Ultra, president of the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP), has expressed intent to ban individual college acquaintance parties, sparking disappointed reactions from students.
This announcement has sparked disappointment among UEPians, particularly freshmen who had been looking forward to their first college acquaintance parties. Photo by The Pillar.
Speaking at the Balik Kampus Fair 2024 on September 20, Ultra stated that these events could hinder the university’s commitment to providing quality education.
“Kung meron kayong na-contribute sa acquaintance, sorry, hindi na ’yun pwede… so lahat ’yun will be refunded by all the colleges [If you have already contributed for the acquaintance party, sorry, it’s no longer allowed… so all of that will be refunded by all the colleges],” she said.
Ultra further emphasized that with midterm exams scheduled for October 16-18, holding separate acquaintance parties would compromise academic excellence.
This announcement has sparked disappointment among UEPians, particularly freshmen who had been looking forward to their first college acquaintance parties.
Jazina Kyla Ortea, a freshman from the College of Engineering (CoE), expressed her frustration after missing the Balik Kampus Fair due to a rescheduled NSTP-CWTS coastal clean-up event.
“Disappointing for me, as a first year na tikang manta [UEP] since didi ak nag-SHS. How much pa sa mga new students na bago la here sa UEP? “It’s disappointing for me, as a first-year student who has been at UEP since I started SHS here. How much more for the new students who are just starting at UEP].” Ortea was quoted in the student publication The Pillar.
Other students took to social media to voice their concerns, emphasizing that these events serve as platforms for inducting student council officers, recognizing Dean’s Listers, and providing a brief break from academic obligations.
“I have been anticipating the upcoming acquaintance party, that’s why I did not attend the Balik Campus 2024. So, it’s utterly disappointing to hear this news. The acquaintance party is supposedly a breather for us during the school year,” said Roxanne Palo Olesco.
Karl Vincent Adriatico, president of the College of Arts and Communication Student Council, said that inadequate learning facilities and equipment, not acquaintance parties, affect education quality. He hopes these issues will be prioritized, as reported by The Pillar.
In response to the ban, several student councils have launched pulse surveys to gather feedback on the issue. However, no formal responses have been posted yet.
While she had mentioned plans to issue a memorandum banning acquaintance parties to avoid class disruptions, no update has been posted on the university’s official Facebook page.
