Since March 2005, I have been receiving calls from parents, relatives and friends of applicants who failed in their entrance exams for admission in UST, mostly coming from those who would want to take up college course at the Faculty of Engineering. In my capacity as the faculty regent, I entertain these "requests" though I made it clear to everyone that I am not in a position to give them assurance that they will eventually be admitted. Initially I would recommend that they (the applicants) write a letter of reconsideration addressed to the Dean of the faculty (yikes! my eyebrows meet whenever I would in some cases encounter letters addressed to me though I already made it clear to them that the faculty dean is the proper authority who will attend to these applications). Nevertheless, I forward the communications to the dean personally; if she's not present, to the faculty secretary for submission to the dean as soon as she arrives.
The dean, on her part, once told me that she welcomes applicants who ask for reconsideration. During the initial interview, she usually requires them to submit to her at least a true copy of their Form 138 (high school report card) since, she said, it is possible that an above-average applicant may suffer from mental blockage because of intense nervousness or excitement during the exams which in turn could derail their passing the tests. Thus, according to her, the results of the entrance exams may not be the only standard in measuring the intellectual aptitude of the candidate, and/or for inscription on a course of their choice. Meanwhile, the final grades on the form 138 specifically on those subjects related to the desired course should be given close attention and evaluated. This procedure she said only happens for applicants who failed in the entrance tests. Subsequently, if the grades are high or the evaluation is positive, the candidate will most likely be given the green light to enroll at the faculty.
All applicants for reconsideration, together with their parents, friends and those who accompany them are well informed of the above procedure, and the dean makes it very clear to them of the requirements, university policies and documents to be submitted during their initial visits at the office. However, sometimes isolated instances could still occur like the case of parents who could be so insistent and "makulit", and whose "perseverance" can become really annoying. One parent, for example, called me up very late last night inquiring about the status of his son's application. I did not feel exactly bad in receiving his call though I was already in bed and about to enjoy my first minutes of sleep. Sure I entertained him with all his implorings, pambobolas, etc. and I thanked God I did not lose my patience. Suddenly I realized that I'm becoming so popular and a much sought after celebrity during summertime.
Of course I perfectly understand their situation and I'm happy to be of service to them and provide assistance as far as I can. I'm aware that if I'm in their shoes I would probably do the same. But I think, and am speaking for myself, that requesting assistance should also be done within ethical confines, and people professionally abide by what has been made clear to them and/or mutually agreed upon during such visits. Let's face it - we cannot fit and dump all people in the same corner. Patience and openness when abused sometimes can lead to annoyance and antagonism by reason of one's tenacious persistence in how things should be done this or that way to the exclusion of others.
Friday, May 06, 2005
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Runaway bride...
DULUTH, Ga. - The hunt for Jennifer Wilbanks consumed this tight-knit town when she went missing four days before her wedding. Despite a safe return Saturday welcomed by family and close friends, some residents of this Atlanta suburb feel betrayed by what turned out to be an elaborate hoax. Volunteers searched woods and alleys, crawled in sewage drains and stayed up late looking for the 32-year-old local woman who was picked up late Friday by police after a cross-country bus trip that took her through Las Vegas, Nev., to Albuquerque, N.M.
She initially told authorities that she had been abducted while jogging, but eventually admitted her kidnapping story was fabricated and she had run away because she had cold feet. When Duluth residents learned the truth, they thanked God Wilbanks was safe — then shook their heads at her act. "I'm glad that she's alive and OK, but it was a dirty trick," said Louise McCoy, waiting in line at the Duluth post office Saturday — the same day Wilbanks was supposed to be married in a lavish ceremony that included 14 bridesmaids and 14 groomsmen.
Police said there would be no criminal charges, but Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said he still had some questions. "A tremendous amount of law enforcement resources was used in what turned out to be a hoax," Porter told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for Sunday's editions. More than 100 officers led a search that involved several hundred volunteers, including many wedding guests and members of the bridal party. Porter said based on the information he had received, falsely reporting a crime is the only charge that would fit Wilbanks' case. The misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. "It is premature to talk about criminal charges," Porter said. "But if we learn that this was a premeditated act, that would push me closer to pressing charges."
A Wisconsin college student who faked her own abduction last year and turned up curled in a fetal position in a marsh was ordered to repay police at least $9,000 for their search. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of obstructing officers and was given three years' probation.
Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said Wilbanks was "scared and concerned about her impending marriage and decided she needed some time alone." Wilbanks returned Saturday by plane to Atlanta, where she was picked up in a squad car on the tarmac — with a towel covering her head — to avoid the media. There were no family members at the airport to greet her, but her stepfather and an uncle had flown to Albuquerque to escort her home, authorities said. Wilbanks decided to call her fiance and police with the story about the kidnapping when she found herself broke in Albuquerque, according to authorities.
In her 911 call, Wilbanks sounds frantic and confused, telling an operator she was kidnapped from Atlanta by a man and a woman in their 40s who were driving a blue van. Through sobs, she tells the dispatcher they had a small handgun. At one point, the operator asks if Wilbanks knows what direction her captors went after dropping her off in Albuquerque. "I have no idea. I don't even know where I am," she says. Moments after the word came Saturday that Wilbanks fled town and hadn't been kidnapped, most of the police who'd been guarding her house since Tuesday night pulled away. Fliers with Wilbanks' picture were pulled down from local store windows. Some residents removed yellow ribbons they'd put on their mailboxes. Many were visibly angry Saturday.
"There should be some responsibility for all this expense to the police," said Jo Cripps, eating boiled crawfish at a downtown Cajun restaurant. "Certainly she owes an apology to all the people who came out and volunteered." Another resident, Amanda Melby, called the disappearance "a disgrace." But some marriage counselors said running away was an extreme but understandable reaction to the stress of the wedding and the fear of disappointing others by backing out. "Sometimes it's like being stuck in a river getting whisked over a waterfall," said Dr. Charles Raison, a psychiatrist and Emory University instructor. "The current is so strong, you can't fight it."
After police reported the hoax, the mood outside Wilbanks' home went from jubilant to somber. Family members ducked inside and the blinds were drawn. They later expressed relief that she was safe. "Sure, we were all disappointed, maybe a little embarrassed, but you know what, if you remember all the interviews yesterday we were praying, 'At this point let her be a runaway bride,'" said the Rev. Alan Jones, who was to perform the wedding. "So God was faithful. Jennifer's alive and we're all thankful for that."
---Any comments on this? Thank you. God bless...
She initially told authorities that she had been abducted while jogging, but eventually admitted her kidnapping story was fabricated and she had run away because she had cold feet. When Duluth residents learned the truth, they thanked God Wilbanks was safe — then shook their heads at her act. "I'm glad that she's alive and OK, but it was a dirty trick," said Louise McCoy, waiting in line at the Duluth post office Saturday — the same day Wilbanks was supposed to be married in a lavish ceremony that included 14 bridesmaids and 14 groomsmen.
Police said there would be no criminal charges, but Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said he still had some questions. "A tremendous amount of law enforcement resources was used in what turned out to be a hoax," Porter told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for Sunday's editions. More than 100 officers led a search that involved several hundred volunteers, including many wedding guests and members of the bridal party. Porter said based on the information he had received, falsely reporting a crime is the only charge that would fit Wilbanks' case. The misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. "It is premature to talk about criminal charges," Porter said. "But if we learn that this was a premeditated act, that would push me closer to pressing charges."
A Wisconsin college student who faked her own abduction last year and turned up curled in a fetal position in a marsh was ordered to repay police at least $9,000 for their search. She pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of obstructing officers and was given three years' probation.
Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz said Wilbanks was "scared and concerned about her impending marriage and decided she needed some time alone." Wilbanks returned Saturday by plane to Atlanta, where she was picked up in a squad car on the tarmac — with a towel covering her head — to avoid the media. There were no family members at the airport to greet her, but her stepfather and an uncle had flown to Albuquerque to escort her home, authorities said. Wilbanks decided to call her fiance and police with the story about the kidnapping when she found herself broke in Albuquerque, according to authorities.
In her 911 call, Wilbanks sounds frantic and confused, telling an operator she was kidnapped from Atlanta by a man and a woman in their 40s who were driving a blue van. Through sobs, she tells the dispatcher they had a small handgun. At one point, the operator asks if Wilbanks knows what direction her captors went after dropping her off in Albuquerque. "I have no idea. I don't even know where I am," she says. Moments after the word came Saturday that Wilbanks fled town and hadn't been kidnapped, most of the police who'd been guarding her house since Tuesday night pulled away. Fliers with Wilbanks' picture were pulled down from local store windows. Some residents removed yellow ribbons they'd put on their mailboxes. Many were visibly angry Saturday.
"There should be some responsibility for all this expense to the police," said Jo Cripps, eating boiled crawfish at a downtown Cajun restaurant. "Certainly she owes an apology to all the people who came out and volunteered." Another resident, Amanda Melby, called the disappearance "a disgrace." But some marriage counselors said running away was an extreme but understandable reaction to the stress of the wedding and the fear of disappointing others by backing out. "Sometimes it's like being stuck in a river getting whisked over a waterfall," said Dr. Charles Raison, a psychiatrist and Emory University instructor. "The current is so strong, you can't fight it."
After police reported the hoax, the mood outside Wilbanks' home went from jubilant to somber. Family members ducked inside and the blinds were drawn. They later expressed relief that she was safe. "Sure, we were all disappointed, maybe a little embarrassed, but you know what, if you remember all the interviews yesterday we were praying, 'At this point let her be a runaway bride,'" said the Rev. Alan Jones, who was to perform the wedding. "So God was faithful. Jennifer's alive and we're all thankful for that."
---Any comments on this? Thank you. God bless...
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