DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 Sept)—The four department chairs of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at the University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UPMin) have called for the resignation of Jhoanna Lynn Cruz as their college dean, following a vote of non-confidence and a loss of trust.
The University of the Philippines-Mindanao campus in Davao City. MindaNews file photo by BOBBY TIMONERA
Cruz, in a statement issued on Tuesday, dismissed these allegations against her as “unfounded and baseless” and that calling for her resignation will not address the problems.
The complaints against Cruz stemmed from some “administrative and ethical grounds” that transpired after she took over as college dean of the state university.
In a letter dated Sept. 2, the department chairs representing the whole CHSS raised with Prof. Annabelle U. Novero, UPMin vice chancellor, their concerns and dissatisfaction over the deanship of Cruz.
The letter was signed by Asst. Prof. Jezreel M. Abarca, PhD, chair of Department of Kinetics; Asst. Prof. Andrea Malaya M. Ragragio, chair of Department of Social Sciences; Asst. Prof. Ryan C. Songcayauon; and Assoc. Prof. Dennis John F. Sumaylo, PhD, chair of Department of Humanities.
It said that the their collective call is part of their pursuit for a “flourishing CHSS atmosphere worthy of our University of the Philippines name, norms, and ideals.”
The complaints imputed against Cruz included gravely misrepresenting the college as conflict-ridden and discordant; railroading unilateral decisions while being non-responsive and non-consultative to college questions and concerns; ongoing inaction and incompetence vis-a-vis crucial college plans/ directions, namely, Mindanao Studies Center; untrustworthiness and prevarication; and casting doubt on college members’ abilities and integrity, with demoralizing results; and the detrimental impact of her Deanship to the physical and mental wellbeing of college constituents.
The letter included an exhaustive narration of instances involving Cruz that prompted the department chairs to file complaints against her.
The letter stated that Cruz, for instance, made grave misrepresentation when she claimed that the college “needed a strong team-building component to the strategic planning because it was ‘magulo’ and there was ‘discord’.”
It added that the current dean also did not act on and demonstrated “incompetence” when she insisted on deferring discussions about the college’s directions for the Mindanao Studies Center (MSC).
“There have been no substantial discussions about the MSC under her term for almost a year now; the formal discussions so far have only been about the MSC website and the benchmarking activity,” the statement read.
It said that the “Dean does not depict the College in the best light and instead foregrounds the problems” and fails to live up to her actual responsibilities.
“Members of the College—both teaching and non-teaching—did not lack in advising the Dean, via formal or informal means, when the issues were only still beginning to manifest,” it said.
It added that the chairs have supported her when she assumed as dean of the college but added that she “continued to deflect concerns and disavow the root cause and magnitude of the College’s current problems.”
“Our present resignation call is a result of our firm assessment that her continuing in the Office has now become a major blockage in our college directions and healthy dynamics. This is especially important as we are potentially at a crucial juncture of UP Mindanao history,” it said.
It said that the “present Dean has wasted time and resources” allegedly due to her inactions and mis-actions.
Cruz, in a statement released on Sept. 17, said that she is aware of the call for her resignation as dean of the CHSS and that she respects their right to air grievances.
She maintained that the accusations were “unfounded and baseless,” and that she is working with lawyer Magno R. Britanico to determine their sources.
“Personally, I am against filing cases in any court or tribunal for organizational matters like these but if need be, I will also have to defend myself. I hope this will be the first and last statement I will be making regarding the call for my resignation. We will face the complaints, if there are any filed, with the truth and nothing else,” she said.
She added that as dean, her priority is to improve the college.
“In two meetings with the department chairs, I have expressed willingness and commitment to address some of their administrative concerns as areas of improvement for the greater good of the college. To call for my resignation will not fix the problems, to work with me to improve it, will,” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
