Long Overdue

“Old habits die hard” – Mick Jagger

The first semester of S.Y. 2012-2013 ended with students and parents flocking in front of the Accounting windows to settle their dues, making one of the most secluded areas in the campus a blockbuster hit. The long line meant rows of chairs and an extension of standing people all the way to the Admin Lobby. However, the line is not the only thing that has raised eyebrows and tempers; it is also how long a transaction takes to get done. It seems that receiving payments and issuing receipts require much time that a student spends as much as 3 hours waiting for his or her turn. It came to a point that a movie screening was held to make it less of an ordeal. We have just seen the longest and slowest-moving line in years, which still continues until this semester. What could have contributed to this scenario?

Of course, we can quickly point out that the cashiers are not doing their job well. Classic behind-the-glass stories of these people surfing the Internet and chatting idly while at work come out faster than showbiz gossip. Also, Araullians complain that they are not exactly warm and accommodating when dealing with them. Aside from this, the usual excuse of glitches in the school management system (SMS) also plays a part in the lengthy transactions. Instead of speeding the process up, the SMS has proven to be a culprit in slowing things down with its constant technical troubles. The quality of service does not seem to welcome profits and stakeholders (students, parents), driving them away instead. 

On the other hand, students can also be blamed for the congested lines. We are given three terms to pay for our tuition fees and yet, most of us choose to procrastinate and settle dues towards the end of the semester. This has led to weeks of clearing old accounts and shelling out more money for completion forms. What does this say about us? Some might argue that no one can really anticipate when financial difficulties will arise but then again, it might just be that we are not responsible enough to perform our duties as Araullians. If this habit persists, it might infect our attitude towards our studies, and in the long run, our work.

AU-PHINMA and its children appear to be taking opposite directions when it comes to all aspects of university life.  However, in this matter, both appear to be at fault in giving their best for quality service, which is crucial in providing quality education. What can we do to meet halfway and realize this?

We all know what to do. It is already long overdue. Ma. Gladys Repollo