For three years, I've been spared the sordid fate of being the victim of UP's inefficient, failure-prone bureaucracy. All my grades have been faithfully transcribed into the College's records, and all my units have been properly accounted for. I'm in the right path towards a hassle-free graduation. Thank heavens for that.

Or so I thought.

I recently applied (er,paid) for a true copy of grades (TCG), a requirement by some of the companies present in last month's Engineering Job Fair. It was nothing important, really; the paper would just serve to confirm my first and only stint as a College Scholar a few sems back (let me see that personal-best 1.68 GWA!). Of course, I unabashedly proclaimed the said 'achievement' on my resume, and I needed the TCG to back it up.

But disappointment of disappointments, I wasn't a College Scholar! The TCG sneered so. Mistakenly.

The reason? I had a 5.0 in CWTS 1, of all the subjects in the university. And what's more painful is that I practically didn't take the damn course!

I did finish a CWTS class,but it was CWTS 1 and 2, the one offered by the College of Business Administration. I got a passing mark on that (no numeric grades there, just P or F), the product of me and my groupmate's welfare work and fund-raising for Boystown Manila. That subject was also faithfully reflected in the TCG, all right, but alongside my supposedly ‘flunked' CWTS 1 subject!

The latter was the "rappeling ”course offered by the College of Engineering and Kampo Uno, of which I was an original enrollee. But after being enticed by the CBA's CWTS 1 and 2, I applied for a change of matriculation (change-mat). It was of course promptly completed, signed and authorized by both the Eng'g and BA parties. So, after all the hoopla, I was OFFICIALLY dropped from the Engg CWTS and OFFICIALLY enrolled in the BA CWTS.

According to the TCG, the last half of that last line is correct, but the first is NOT.

So, what was the purpose of my going through that systematic application for an OFFICIAL change-mat, if in the end it was still going to be screwed up?

The College has advised me to dutifully approach both of my teachers in the Eng'g and BA CWTS classes, and dutifully obtain the confirmation that I had dropped the former and passed the latter, so that I can dutifully pay for another OFFICIAL true copy of grades, this time with the right grades. I was also advised to believe in the excuse* that it was the CRS' fault, for it was the source of the TCG.

I am dutifully rendered exhausted.

Was it my fault in the first place?

*Forgive me if I'm wrong and the College's right; I'm not a CRS guy, after all.

posted by corsarius_phil

The View Layer

”It 's just a matter of perspective.”
--http://www.engg.upd.edu.ph/cs,(old version)

I've never seen the Department like this before. I mean more than my physical, oh-so comfortable, practically superfluous familiarity with it. I wasn 't always like this; now that I am, though, I'm glad. I wish people would see it the way I do. So many great things are happening ‘round the CS block that watching it all play out is sweet enough an eye candy:

UP CURSOR, overall third place once more last Engineering Week ‘04, is sponsoring inter-university events Java Cup, Quizzardry and UGotGamePro.

UP Parser, now back with flair thru a rebirth volume, has released four issues, each a fine formula of journalism, good taste, and CS love.

CRS, more reliable than ever, has released a convenient second round scheme for pre-enlistment.

CS Student Assistants, not just paid errand-runners, are training to be the hardware and network specialists that Engineering departments can depend on.

UP ACM, first ever Student Chapter in the Philippines, has been formally launched reaching over 80 members within a one-month membership period.

UnPLUG, pioneers of Open Source in the University, will be launching Halalan, the computerized web-based voting system for this year's USC Elections.

CS Network, brainchild of 04-05 CS Representatives, sets out to unite all the orgs and special units of CS.

Prof.Evangel P. Quiwa, probably the most loved CS teacher throughout the years, is now the College Secretary.

DCS, winner of the Christmas tree-making contest at the Eng 'g fun days, will migrate to the third floor of the new Engineering Library and launch a new GE subject (CS 1) in the near future.

It would be impetuous to declare 2005 as the "Year of the CS.” After all, we haven't gotten to "Best Department ” status yet. We can start, though, by letting CS Week become the occasion to change how we see our Dept. Show that these superficial labels and awards are also products of how our Dear Comp Sci has brought us up. Discover the 2-to-the-something possibilities. The Department is not only a set of rooms where you enlist, get your class cards, do your MP demos, or hang out in just ‘cause it's air-conditioned. It's where your favorite sentimental advertisement slogan (or song, maybe) applies. A bit along the lines of Love ko ‘to, Kasama ka, At Home Ka Dito, She Will Be Loved, Ikaw Nga and You 'll be Safe Here .

Look closer.

posted by aoikoorikaze