The second semester of the school year is well underway. They say this semester is the toughest of all semesters for a Travel Management student. Well, because the courses for this semester will be more technical at the same time the courses will be applicable when we go to work in our respective fields. So, we have met six of the eight professors this week. It will also be the last French language course we will take in the university. We will also get familiar with the Galileo system which is used for reservation systems. And for this semester, if we got enough money to proceed. We will go on a tour outside the Philippines together with my blockmates as well as two other section. Plus, a lot of other things that will happen this semester.
Well, a new semester also brought in new changes, there is a new leadership in tow for the section. I really wanted to pursue a position in office, because I really wanted to lead and this is what in mind would be my last shot to be able to do so. But, fate had other things in mind, and the fact that it wasn't meant to happen right now. I'm still hoping that I'll get the opportunity in the future.
The return to the university, also gives me a chance to see my friends at school again. After not seeing each other during the semestral break. I missed them a lot during my time off. Also, I did take the time away from school and the troubles of the past semester to get refreshed and ready for this semester. Things to look forward this semester is the annual Paskuhan, before the Christmas break, the CTHM College Week which is usually a first semester event, will now happen this semester after the ton of weather interruptions which postponed the event, and a lot of other events to come. I hope there will be another Sportsfest this year, I really want to play basketball again.
This is a critical point in my España journey. There is no room for complacency and failure. Times will be hard, and there will be a ton of challenges coming up. but we'll still find a way to enjoy this semester at the same time learn a lot of things as well. One week is in the books, still a long way to go. I'm not expecting that much this semester. But I'll put my head down, get myself pumped up and get this rollin' along. Get ready for a comeback! Easier said than done, but I'll do my very best.
THIRD YEAR, SECOND SEMESTER,CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
K-Smoove
The 5-day first week of classes in CTHM has come to an end with a Saturday make-up class. It was my first Saturday class in my tenure in UST. Of course, it was to make up the week we lost when there was the APacCHRIE Youth Conference last week. A lot has happened all-week long from catching up with my classmates and PEEPS from in and out of the campus. Meeting our professors for the semester. The (sometimes long) breaks. My hoop dreams (which never took flight), and a story of giving tips for the freshies.
It was one day, I was walking by P.Noval and then a group of freshies from the College of Science asked me:
"Kuya, saan po Mang Tootz?"
Prior to that, I just passed by the place with a very long line as I was looking for a place to buy food at a low price (I'm saving.)
Then I told them.
"Derecho lang. May makikita kayong sign sa kaliwa. Mahaba pila!"
It was a very fulfilling experience. Knowing two years ago, I was in the same situation as they were experiencing right now.
It's way too early to judge, so give time before you say something. One week is in the books, still a long way to go. This year is going to be a big challenge, it will be a ride worth taking, and at the end of the day, you will be fulfilled.
3T5, It's back to the grind. We'll get through these challenges. In every tough challenge that will come, never ever give up!
Words of the week:
"I got lost!" - Me, getting lost in explaining in one discussion. (Cobwebs on my thoughts.)
"I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul." - From the poem Invictus by William E. Henley
Let's get it on! Impossible is nothing.
K-Smoove
The Final Push. A break from the action. Tomorrow's a day for sports junkies.
There are only two days left before my summer vacation comes to an end. Well, the first day of my classes will be cut short as morning classes where most of my schedule is placed will be affected by the suspension due to the visit of the former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad at the University of Santo Tomas in the morning. So it means I'll only go for two classes that would last 2 hours.
Today, it's a break from the NBA Playoffs. As there are no games today since the Thunder wrapped up their series against the Spurs in Game 6. Whereas, a Game 7 would be held today if the Spurs won that game. So right now, I'm relaxing on the final moments of the vacation.
Tomorrow, it will be a big day for sporting events to be seen here in the Philippines, it starts with Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat where the winner will face the Oklahoma City Thunder. Then it will be our "Pambansang Kamao" Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao going to battle against undefeated American Timothy "The Desert Storm" Bradley for the WBO Welterweight Championship. To cap the day, it will be Game 3 of the Shakey's V-League Finals between the UST Lady Tigresses and the Ateneo Lady Eagles where the winner wins the championship.
What a way to cap off the vacation with these sports events, as a sports junkie (mostly a hoops junkie). I enjoy this great I hope the Celtics, Manny Pacquiao and the Lady Tigresses win their matches. That would truly cap off my vacation with a BANG!
To my friends and classmates at UST. I'll see you all on Monday! I'll be happy to see you guys around. I don't know what this new school year will bring, but I'm ready.
GET READY FOR "K-SMOOVE: RETURN OF THE COMEBACK! FOR REAL!"
K-Smoove
An Open Letter to the Rector of the University of Montreal (Syndicat général des professeurs et professeurs de l'Université de Montréal)
Jean Portugais August 28, 2012
Original French text: http://www.sgpum.org/content/uploads/files/28082012/JPortugais%20-%20lettre%20au%20recteur%2028aout%202012.pdf
Mister Rector,
The union has become aware of incidents relating to the presence of police on the University of Montreal campus, both yesterday and in the course of the last few hours today. We have learned that yesterday, 27 August, the presence of police officers was requested by the University of Montreal's administration.
This situation is inadmissible and intolerable for the professors of the University. Moreover, the public image of the University has certainly been tarnished.
I was present at the Jean-Brillant Building in the last few hours, and I can testify that the massive and prolonged presence of police creates, particularly among the professors whom I represent, significant tensions and anxieties in their workplace. The recourse to police presence, even of the anti-riot squad--without which there can be no riot, properly speaking--causes a serious deterioration in the academic climate, and can undermine the relations of trust that form the basis of relations between members of the university community, notably between professors and students. These working conditions are painful, anxiety-producing, and abnormal, and the university community as a whole is thus placed in an intolerable situation. I personally am worried about the health of the professors concerned.
I suggest that you take inspiration from the position taken by the administration of UQAM [the University of Quebec at Montreal], who have chosen to ask the police to remain outside the campus limits, to carry out surveillance. This approach seems preferable, in order to maintain a peaceful climate for work.
We have received testimonies from professors who are extremely worried, even in tears, and this situation is inadmissible.
On behalf of the members of the Union (the SGPUM), I request that you withdraw your request for police intervention within the buildings of our institution, in order to reestablish a normal climate for work and study at the University of Montreal.
Moreover, we demand that the Committee for health and safety at work [called for by the union's collective agreement] be mandated to visit professors who fear for their safety or their health. This committee will be empowered to take the necessary measures to process complaints.
In the absence of an agreement on your part on the matter of this Committee, we ask for authorization for our representatives to present themselves at any site in order to evaluate situations where health or safety complaints might occur.
The urgency of this situation requires that we ask you to respond in the course of the next few hours.
Cordially,
Jean Portugais
President of the SGPUM
***
Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.
*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at [email protected]. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.
Tough blow for the unlimited general strike (Le Devoir)
Raphaël Dallaire Ferland August 14, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/education/356752/dur-coup-pour-la-greve-generale-illimitee
Photo caption: Nearly 1,500 students attended Collège de Maisonneuve yesterday to have their say in the continuation of the strike. Students at this college, as well as those at Cégep Marie-Victorin and at Collège Édouard-Montpetit, voted to return to classes. At Cégep du Vieux-Montréal, the strike will continue after a recount confirmed a narrow margin in favour.
Three CEGEPs voted yesterday to return to classes; the strike continues at Cégep du Vieux-Montréal.
Strike mandates for an unlimited general strike are falling one by one in CEGEPs. Collège Édouard-Montpetit, Cégep Marie-Victorin and Collège de Maisonneuve voted Monday to return to classes, adding their numbers to the three CEGEPs that ratified the end of the strike last week.
At the end of a five-hour long general assembly that was infiltrated by tens of activists from the nighttime demonstration, students at Cégep du Vieux-Montréal confirmed the mandate to strike until free tuition is achieved. The vote was by such a narrow margin that a recount was necessary.
Peaceful mobilization
Early Monday morning, activists with banners and casseroles greeted students at the doors of the four CEGEPs that were holding votes on continuing the strike. The solidarity action was peaceful; the authorities made no arrests and gave no notice to disperse.
The only trouble was at Collège de Maisonneuve - where about a hundred people managed to block access to teachers and administrators - when a young man wearing a green square grabbed a banner for the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante (CLASSE). The agitator and the student with the red square who tried to stop him were kept at a distance by the police and no charges were laid.
The first return to classes occurred peacefully Monday morning at Cégep André-Laurendeau, under the watchful eyes of the police.
This peaceful return to classes goes against calls to reinforce picket lines made nationally and even internationally by associations affiliated with CLASSE (Voluntary Association of Humanities Students at UQAM [Association facultaire étudiante des sciences humaines de l’UQAM], Student Association of Cégep Saint-Laurent [Association étudiante du Cégep Saint-Laurent]) and by smaller independent groups (The Networks [Les Réseaux], The Theoreticians [Les Théoriciens] and the Order of the Black Square [l’Ordre du Carré Noir]).
According to Jeanne Reynolds, co-spokesperson for CLASSE, the absence of picket lines Monday shows the effectiveness of student mobilisation rather than a loss of momentum: "At first, classes were going to be held at Marie-Victorin and at Maisonneuve. But after pressure exerted by the groups, administration at both of those CEGEPs decided to delay the return for a day" in order to let the strike continuation votes to be held in an orderly manner.
Influencing the vote
Éliane Laberge is unequivocal: since the start of the student movement, the Ministry of Education, the federation of CEGEPs and collegiate and university administrators "attempted to influence decisions by students in general assemblies" with lies and threats. This round of strike votes is no exception.
August 10, the Director General of Collège Édouard-Montpetit, Serge Brasset, sent a message to the student community with title "Wednesday August 15, it's your return to classes!", which assured students that "everything is in place for the return to classes [...] And believe me, you'll be among many!". He also reminded that "the College is obliged to uphold article 14 of law 12" that forbids blocking access to public establishments.
"Throughout the strike, we often saw administrators sending emails without notifying the student associations. Yes, they need to inform them about the school calendar [...], but it's quite another thing to try to influence them by fear", deplores Éliane Laberge.
Important demonstration this evening
The strike may be running out of steam, but the mobilisation continues. The 112th nightly demonstration Monday night brought several hundred people to downtown Montréal. The demonstrators first marched in a rather festive mood not far from Cégep du Vieux-Montréal. Later, the demonstrators took aim at election signs on Sherbrooke and Maisoneuve streets. Graphittis were painted and four storefront windows were smashed. The march was dispersed around 11:30pm after the Montréal police declared the assembly illegal.
***
Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.
*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at [email protected]. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.
Back to School: truce in St. Jerome, return to classes in Valleyfield (Radio-Canada)
August 9, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/societe/2012/08/08/001-greve-etudiante-votes-rentree-agitee.shtml
CEGEPs Saint-Jérôme and Valleyfield voted Wednesday on their return to classes. Students at St. Jerome voted in favor of a truce until the elections, while those at Valleyfield will return to class next Tuesday.
The student association from St. Jerome College chose to call a truce until September 4, the day of Quebec’s general election. However, those who voted Wednesday afternoon are only 250 students out of 3700. Despite the low turnout, the institution’s administration is not calling into question the vote, saying that it reflects the general will.
"What gives us confidence is that following the suspension of classes last spring, we conducted a major survey to confirm the students’ return in August. Over 90% responded and 87% had indicated their interest to resume the session on August 16th", explained the spokesman for the college, Guylaine Gagner.
In the evening, students from Valleyfield College voted overwhelmingly in favor of the return to classes on August 14th. Using secret ballots, 246 students voted for the renewal of the strike until August 20th, while 426 voted against it, 19 abstained and two others canceled their vote.
CLASSE is committed to respect the will of the student association members, who have been on strike since February 20.
The co-spokesperson for the organization, Jeanne Reynolds, expressed her disappointment all the same about the results from Valleyfield College, the institution she attends. "Certainly we cannot jump for joy; it comes from my college, so I know the activists. However, there is no tradition of student struggle, and this is a win that should be highlighted," she said.
“We were still 160,000 [striking students] when Bill 12 [trans. note: formerly Bill 78] suspended the student conflict, so there is a good chance for us to continue the strike," she said, calling members “to continue to mobilize.”
Strike votes continue
CEGEPs de Maisonneuve and Marie-Victorin will host their general assembly on Monday, August 13th, that is, the very same day that classes are scheduled to start.
As for universities, students in the humanities at UQAM voted on Tuesday night to continue the strike indefinitely, the same as students in social work at the Université de Montréal on Monday. Graduate students in arts and communications at the Université de Sherbrooke (except for those in the Longueuil campus) also voted to continue the strike on Monday.
Nearly 150 associations from 12 academic institutions still have general strike mandates indefinitely after the adoption of Law 12 (Bill 78) in May, as reported by CLASSE.
In addition, Jean Charest announced on Tuesday the signing of a tentative agreement with representatives of CEGEP teachers to add instructors to assist teaching personnel in September.
***
Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.
*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at [email protected]. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.
Return to Classes: CEGEPs on the watch (La Presse)
Gabrielle Duchaine August 8, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/dossiers/conflit-etudiant/201208/08/01-4563237-rentree-les-cegeps-sont-sur-le-qui-vive.php
Photo caption: Garda security agents in front of UQAM Tuesday night. Photo credit: Robert Skinner, La Presse.
With less than one week before what students are calling the "rentrée forcée" (forced return to classes), CEGEPs are doing everything they can to keep things from getting out of hand. Many have hired security guards, and a meeting is even scheduled for this morning with the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) to discuss operations having to do with the return to classes, La Presse has learned.
The special law requires CEGEPs to "take appropriate action to allow delivery of educational services" when classes return. This is a real puzzle for these establishments, even before considering that strike pickets and other disruptions are already planned. They seek to avoid clashes like those at Collège Lionel-Groulx, where striking students blocked passage of other students armed with an injuction saying they were to be let through. Sûreté du Québec agents then doused students with tear gas. College directors have a mandate to report to the minister of education if parts of the law are not being respected at their facilities. A decision to call police will then be made on a case-by-case basis.
"We are teachers. We don't want to see scenes of violence," says Jean Beauchesne, president-director of the Fédération des CEGEPs. "But we want for people to be able to go to their classes if they so desire."
It is for this reason that many CEGEPs have taken measures to increase security.
"Most CEGEPs have brought on more security personnel so that the return to classes happens calmly, and so that people who want to return to classes can do so," says Arnaud. She says there is a limit to what security staff can do, however. "They cannot break through a picket line or do police interventions," she explains.
At Cégep de Saint-Jérôme, many new guards have been brought on "so that all goes smoothly" when classes resume on August 16. It is expected that certain aspects of the special law will be applied word-for-word, such as the directive to stay 50 metres away when protesting and to not block access to those who wish to enter. "If that happens, we will report it," says Guylaine Gagné, the CEGEP's communications service co-ordinator. Management has met with local police to discuss what kinds of interventions might be requested from law enforcement.
***
Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.
*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at [email protected]. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.
Bill 78: Jean Charest defers to the judgement of the police (La Presse)
Tommy Chouinard August 8, 2012
Original French Text: http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/elections-quebec-2012/201208/08/01-4563394-loi-78-jean-charest-sen-remet-au-jugement-de-la-police.php
Incumbent Premier Jean Charest will defer to the judgement of police to determine if Law 78 has to be forcibly applied.
Jean Charest, unlike this CAQ adversary François Legault, does not envision sanctions against professors who refuse to cross picket lines to give classes.
The Liberal party leader was walking on eggshells on Wednesday as journalists asked him what he would do if the return to classes did not go smoothly in any of the 14 universities and colleges affected by the student strike.
He also defers to the "good judgement" of educational institutions when choosing what measures to take to ensure that the return to classes happens in an orderly way next week.
"There may be difficult situations. If that is the case, people will use their good judgement. The law is there so that it can be applied, but in a context of using good judgement," he explained at a press conference in Montréal.
"We trust the judgement of the leaders of colleges. They are in the best position to determine what action must be taken to ensure security for everyone."
He said that he approves of the decision to hire security guards for cégeps. "Each establishment has to make decisions based on its needs," he said. He says it is normal that the Fédération des cégeps met with Montréal police today. "I think people want all possible precautions to be taken," he said.
At this time, he does not imagine sanctions against professors who refuse to cross picket lines to give classes. "We are not at the point of sanctions now," he said. "There is no reason to think that the return to classes will be anything but calm."
But what will he do if it is not calm? "That is a hypothetical question," he answered. "We will take it one step at a time," he said. "This is not the time to imagine all kinds of possible scenarios. We have to give the return to classes time to happen."
"If there is a sword of Damocles," he said, "I'm not the one holding it, but rather the students," he added. "It's not me who is choosing to do these things: I denounce such things."
***
Translated from the original French by Translating the printemps érable.
*Translating the printemps érable is a volunteer collective attempting to balance the English media’s extremely poor coverage of the student conflict in Québec by translating media that has been published in French into English. These are amateur translations; we have done our best to translate these pieces fairly and coherently, but the final texts may still leave something to be desired. If you find any important errors in any of these texts, we would be very grateful if you would share them with us at [email protected]. Please read and distribute these texts in the spirit in which they were intended; that of solidarity and the sharing of information.
