Villaruz stresses ‘social responsibility’ on possible face-to-face classes
West Visayas State University (WVSU) has always lived up to excellence. At this time of pandemic, the WVSU excellence goes beyond just the academics. Dr. Joselito Villaruz, President, stands firm on the University’s social responsibility by providing support to students, faculty, and staff in every possible way.
With the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Joint Memorandum Order indicating that selected Health Professions Programs are allowed to return to face-to-face classes, Villaruz said during the University ‘s Crisis Management Committee meeting, “This is a time of pandemic, we have a responsibility.” As a medical doctor himself, Villaruz stressed that the University as one of the vaccination centers for Iloilo province, for example, is part of commitment to health and safety.
Stricter protocols and policies are implemented and developed as WVSU prepares for its application for limited face-to-face instruction for College of Medicine levels I-III students and College of Nursing students from 3rd year to 4th year. The University is one of the 24 Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) who passed the assessment conducted by CHED, the Department of Health and the local Covid-19 Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
As early as lockdown was declared in March 2020, WVSU has been involved with essential health activities including shifting into 100% online learning modalities, with asynchronous classes. “We are not risking our students and faculty,” Villaruz said.
As another challenging feat involves students and faculty, the University does not settle for less. Self-assessment/readiness, retrofitting of classrooms, and setting of entrance with wash basins and temperature checks and separate exits, have been started. The President also rolled out a memorandum to download StaySafe.ph, an app that aids in contract tracing in the University. Evaluation and monitoring of student health is also set in place.
Furthermore, an isolation/holding room and a quarantine facility will be available in the campus. No conduct of extracurricular activities will be allowed and students will be required to have their own medical insurance. Transparency will also be addressed if there are Covid-19 cases, in coordination with the University’s base hospital, the WVSU Medical Center.
The University President raised the importance of simulations and drills for student mobility going in and out the campus. Biosafety lectures were started for the students and faculty and there will be more series of these to ensure everyone in the WVSU community is aware of protective measures. Covid-19 vaccines orientation was also conducted. Vaccination of faculty and staff is seen to be of priority, as CHEd has moved the faculty and staff of HEIs to the A4 list, which includes frontline personnel in essential sectors identified by the Inter-Agency Task Force.
A meeting with the University stakeholders will be scheduled by April for further details and developments. -CILPI