For the First and Second Semester of AY 2021-2022, the 15-week schedule is retained as well as the 7-week schedule for Midyear 2022 (OVPAA Memo 2021-89, OVPAA Memo 2021-122).

The First and Second Semester AY 2020-2021 were shortened to 14 and 15 weeks respectively while the Midyear 2021 was extended to 7 weeks (OVPAA Memo 2020-143, OVPAA Memo 2020-68).

Given the extraordinary stresses we are all experiencing at this time (2nd Semester AY 2020-2021), please:

1. allow students to submit work after the deadline until the end of the semester (end of finals week), through the LMS and/or through email; and,

2. on a case-to-case basis, grant consideration to students who are unable to meet deadlines due to their particular contexts.

Guided by the expected learning outcomes of the course, faculty members are enjoined

to review the course requirements for the remainder of the semester and ensure that only those that are most essential are required.

Some students opted to enroll in 18 to 21 units this semester, even when the regular student load was reduced to 12 units. Please urge students who seem unable to cope with their workload to seek advice from their adviser/instructor. They may opt to drop the course. ‘DRP’ will be annotated in the Transcript of Records as a grade obtained in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic (OVPAA Memo 2021-61, OVPAA Memo 2021-61A)

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Attendance in synchronous classes should not be required in AY 2021-2022 and AY 2020-2021, given the unequal access of students to reliable internet providers and the country’s limited internet infrastructure vis-à-vis those of its ASEAN neighbors. Recordings of the synchronous classes should be made available to students for the whole semester. No graded activities should be held during synchronous classes.

Assessments such as examinations (written or oral) may be scheduled during class time. Item 4 of OVPAA Memo No. 2021-61 does not disallow this.

(OVPAA Memo 2022-09, OVPAA Memo 2021-122, OVPAA Memo 2021-61A, OVPAA Memo 2021-61, OVPAA Memo 2020-143, OVPAA Memo 2020-139)

The recommended class size is 25 for an undergraduate course and 15 for a graduate course subject to the nature of the course and the availability of faculty resources of the academic unit (OVPAA Memo 2022-09, OVPAA Memo 2021-122, OVPAA Memo 2021-89, OVPAA Memo 2021-19).

Considering the issuance of IATF Resolution 148-G allowing face-to-face classes in all programs in areas under Alert Level 1 and the issuance of CHED-DOH JMC 2021-004, the residential campuses of the University of the Philippines will gradually re-open for the Second Semester AY 2021-2022, specifically for courses in the curriculum for which F2F classes or activities are necessary to achieve the stipulated learning outcomes. These courses are those that were:

• listed in the submission to CHED requesting that F2F activities be allowed for the delivery of courses to be offered in the First Semester AY 2021-2022 per OVPAA Memorandum No. 2021-84, which was expanded to include the courses to be offered in the Second Semester AY 2021-2022 and Midyear 2022 per e-mail communication to the CU’s Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs on 6 September 2021, AND

• identified as non-negotiable in the online faculty survey conducted per OVPAA Memorandum No. 2021-163 as long as the unit faculty agree that it is so. The Identified courses for each College will be sent through the Vice-Chancellors for Academic Affairs.

(OVPAA Memo 2021-169)

OVPAA Memorandum 2020-108 issued on 12 September 2020 laid down the guidelines for face-to-face activities and other residential activities exempted from the remote learning policy for AY 2020-2021. The following guidelines aim to ensure the safety of 1) classes granted official exemption from the remote delivery in the First Semester AY 2020-2021, particularly those entailing face-to-face (F2F) meetings or community-based or workplace-based activities requiring F2F interaction; as well as 2) individual students granted permission to complete course requirements (e.g., laboratory experiments for thesis/dissertations). The University is exerting all efforts to protect students and faculty from being infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, it is mindful of the imperative to remind students, faculty, and staff that containing the COVID-19 pandemic requires a whole- of-society, whole-of-government, prevention-focused and proactive approach. While the University may be kept safe, it has no control over the student, faculty, or staff’s exposure to the virus at home, in the community, in commercial areas, or while commuting. For this reason, it underscores the importance of constant reminders of minimum health and safety standards that every member of the UP academic community is enjoined to practice every day.

It is important to also bear in mind that these Guidelines are based on the most current available scientific evidence and may be subject to change depending on new scientific knowledge about the Coronavirus and its transmission and updated recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Health (DOH), Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and the Local Government Unit (LGU) where the UP Constituent University (CU) is located.

On 15 February 2021, OVPAA issued a memorandum on additional guidelines for the remainder of AY 2020-2021 (OVPAA Memo 2021-19A). It includes guidelines on the completion of course requirements for courses that require face-to-face activities.

● If said course was taken in the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 and First Semester AY 2020-2021, then the grade will be deferred and will remain to be so until the immediate term when face-to-face is already allowed and the student is allowed to complete the requirements of the course.

● If said course was taken in the First Semester AY 2020-2021 and a grade of INC was submitted, the faculty is to process an administrative withdrawal of the INC. The course will effectively have a deferred grade until the immediate term when face-to-face is already allowed and the student is allowed to complete the requirements of the course.

● If said course was taken in the Second Semester 2018-2019 and in the First Semester AY 2019-2020, and a grade of INC was incurred, then said course may be completed until the immediate term, when face-to-face is allowed and the student is allowed to complete the requirements of the course.

● If the student is graduating during the term when the said course has a deferred grade, then s/he is deemed to be in residence until the term when face-to-face is already allowed and completes the requirements of the course. Upon completion of the requirement of the said course, s/he may be recommended for graduation during the term when the course with the deferred grade was enrolled in.

● The OUR will facilitate the identification of these courses and send a list to the academic units for verification and confirmation.

On 29 March 2021, the OVPAA issued a memorandum on alternatives to complying with course requirements that entail face-to-face interaction, following CHED-DOH Joint Memorandum 2021-001 and IATF Resolution No. 106-A, Series of 2021 (OVPAA Memo 2021-57). The memo says that all academic units are enjoined to discuss alternative requirements for the completion of the courses that entails face-to-face interaction and for them to consider bridging activities for the acquisition of specific skills or competencies that might not have been fully honed because of the pandemic even after the students have graduated.

The faculty are reminded that providing feedback to their students is an important aspect of learning. While isolated, there have been instances of students complaining to CU officials or through social media about receiving neither feedback for their coursework nor responses to their emails or messages. Please make sure to:

1. provide timely feedback through the learning platform/s or through email;

2. give timely responses to any email/message that students send;

3. reach out and consult students regarding their current status; and, be available for consultation (faculty availability for consultation is expected to have been indicated in the course guides).

(OVPAA Memo 2021-61)

Courses in the AY 2020-2021 will be delivered REMOTELY. Any exemption from this policy must be approved by the CU Chancellor, subject to strict compliance with the guidelines set by the country’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and Local Government Units, and the CUs, as well as the situation of students in the class the unit endorses for exemption (OVPAA Memo 2020-133, OVPAA Memo 2020-100, OVPAA Memo 2020-68).

Reading/wellness breaks--1 week in the First and Second Semesters and 3 days in the Midyear--were integrated.

For students, this is the time to do advanced reading or to simply take a break from grappling with heavy course demands, on the one hand, and a high level of COVID19-induced anxiety, on the other. For faculty members, this break may be a time to further reflect on adjustments to be made in course delivery and assessment, if any, or to rest from close monitoring of learning among students with differential access to Internet connectivity and telecommunication signals.

During the reading breaks, we enjoin our faculty to refrain from conducting synchronous sessions and/or asynchronous activities and assessments; and setting deadlines for course requirements during the break (OVPAA Memo 2020-117).

For coupled courses, such as those having lecture and laboratory components in one course, grades may be deferred if one of the components is going to be delivered in the Second Semester AY 2020-2021 (OVPAA Memo 2020-97).

A student enrolled in a course in the First Semester/Trimester AY 2020-2021 that is a prerequisite to another shall be allowed to enroll in the latter course for credit in the Second Semester/Trimester AY 2020-2021, despite having a grade of INC (OVPAA Memo 2021-19, OVPAA Memo 2020-143, OVPAA Memo 2020-139).

A student who enrolled in a course in the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 that is a prerequisite to another, shall be allowed to enroll in the latter course for credit, despite having a ‘Deferred Grade” for the prerequisite course. The department/institute/unit shall offer bridging programs to enable the student to catch up with the course in the First Semester 2020-2021 (Implementing Guidelines of the UP System Policy on the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 in the Time of COVID-19).

The regular load of faculty for the whole academic year is 24 units. The faculty may opt to divide their teaching load to 9 units in the 1^st and 2^nd Semesters and 6 units in the Midyear (9-9-6), or 12 units in both semesters.

For both the AY 2020-2021 and AY 2021-2022, the rule on the regular course load of students is suspended. For both academic years, the regular course load is 12 units. In the Midyear 2021, students may enroll up to 9 units of course credits (OVPAA Memo 2021-89, OVPAA Memo 2021-19, OVPAA Memo 2020-143, OVPAA Memo 2020-139, OVPAA Memo 2020-92).

Since the K-12 transition years end in AY 2020-2021, the cap in the number of units taught by lecturers is suspended (OVPAA Memo 2021-89)

For courses that require face-to-face activities for the completion of requirements (OVPAA Memo 2021-19A):

1. If said course was taken in the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 and First Semester AY 2020-2021, then the grade will be deferred and will remain to be so until the immediate term when face-to-face is already allowed and the student is allowed to complete the requirements of the course.

2. If the student is graduating during the term when the said course has a deferred grade, then s/he is deemed to be in residence until the term when face-to-face is already allowed and completes the requirements of the course. Upon completion of the requirement of the said course, s/he may be recommended for graduation during the term when the course with the deferred grade was enrolled in.

Courses enrolled in the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 with deferred grades may be completed until the end of the Second Semester AY 2020- 2021 (OVPAA Memo 2021-19A). Student not need to enroll for residency when completing course requirements with deferred grade (OVPAA Memo 2020-81).

For courses in the 1st Semester AY 2020-2021:

If a course that requires face-to-face activities for the completion of requirements was taken in the First Semester AY 2020-2021 and a grade of INC was submitted, the faculty is to process an administrative withdrawal of the INC. The course will effectively have a deferred grade until the immediate term when face-to-face is already allowed and the student is allowed to complete the requirements of the course (OVPAA Memo 2021-19A).

An INC incurred for a course in the First Semester AY 2020-2021 that is not completed within the prescription period of one year will remain an INC and annotated with "due to COVID-19 pandemic” (OVPAA Memo 2021-19A).

For courses in the AY 2018-2019 & AY 2019-2020:

If a course that requires face-to-face activities for the completion of requirements was taken in the Second Semester 2018-2019 and in the First Semester AY 2019-2020, and a grade of INC was incurred, then said course may be completed until the immediate term, when face-to-face is allowed and the student is allowed to complete the requirements of the course (OVPAA Memo 2021-19A).

Students who incurred an INC or 4.0 in the First Semester / Trimester AY 2019-2020, may be allowed to complete the INC or remove the 4.0 up to the end of the Second Semester / Trimester AY 2020-2021, correspondingly. This is in view of the shortened Second Semester AY 2019-2020 and Second / Third Trimester AY 2019-2020 (OVPAA Memo 2021-19).

A student who incurred an INC during the Second Semester AY 2018-2019 shall be allowed to remove the INC until First Semester AY 2020-2021. A student who incurred a 4.0 during the Second Semester AY 2018-2019 shall be allowed to remove the 4.0 until First Semester AY 2020-2021 (Implementing Guidelines of the UP System Policy on the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 in the Time of COVID-19).

The deadline of submission of grades for the 1^st Semester AY 2020-2021 is extended to 22 January 2021. The extension is intended to give students more time to accomplish requirements and the faculty to grade them (OVPAA Memo 2020-139).

Given the circumstances of the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 i.e., the University’s shift to remote learning without much preparation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the end of classes on 30 April 2020, numerical grades earned in that semester are not for inclusion in the computation of the weighted grade average (OVPAA Memo 2021-19A).

If the student is graduating during the term when the said course that requires face-to-face activities has a deferred grade, then s/he is deemed to be in residence until the term when face-to-face is already allowed and completes the requirements of the course. Upon completion of the requirement of the said course, s/he may be recommended for graduation during the term when the course with the deferred grade was enrolled in (OVPAA Memo 2021-19A).

For courses in the 2nd Semester AY 2019-2020 (Implementing Guidelines of the UP System Policy on the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 in the Time of COVID-19):

While UP is ending the semester for all students, graduating students as well as those meeting personal timetables—e.g., students who need to graduate in a succeeding semester to begin earning for their families, those applying for graduate admissions, those on scholarships, etc. may opt to complete the requirements of the semester following the adjusted syllabus and the deadlines set by his or her Constituent University.

Graduating students completing the requirements by the deadline set by the CU for the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 shall be endorsed for graduation to the BOR when it meets to approve the candidates for graduation in June or July 2020.

Graduating students as of the end of the semester with deferred grades who complete their requirements after the deadline set by the CU for the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 shall be endorsed for graduation to the BOR in the semester when the student has completed the requirements for graduation. However, the student shall be deemed graduated as of the Second Semester AY 2019-2020.

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There will be no honorific scholarships - College Scholar and University Scholar – for the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 (OVPAA Memo 2021-19A).

To enable students to add courses after the period of registration in the 1st Semester AY 2020-2021, change of matriculation will be allowed from 10 – 14 September 2020. Students are strongly encouraged to have a final schedule on the start of classes, 10 September 2020, due to the logistics of remote learning (OVPAA Memo 2020-97).

Given the remote mode of teaching and learning, students may be allowed to cross-register course/s in other CUs even if they are enrolled in their home unit, subject to University procedure on cross-registration (OVPAA Memo 2020-99).

Students will be allowed to drop a course or file for leave of absence up to the end of classes of the Second Semester AY 2020-2021. Previously announced deadlines are retracted (OVPAA Memo 2021-61A).

The deadline for dropping and filing of leave of absence in the 2^nd Semester AY 2019-2020 was suspended (Implementing Guidelines of the UP System Policy on the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 in the Time of COVID-19).

The First and Second Semester of AY 2020-2021, as well as the Second

Semester AY 2019-2020 will not be counted towards the Maximum Residence Rule (MRR)

This is because it is the first time for students to do remote learning and they will still calibrate the course load that they can manage, especially for graduate students who are working from home and for other students who have a workload outside of their school work ((OVPAA Memo 2021-89, OVPAA Memo 2020-143, OVPAA Memo 2020-139, OVPAA Memo 2020-92, Implementing Guidelines of the UP System Policy on the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 in the Time of COVID-19).

The following rules on scholastic delinquency are suspended for the First Semester/Trimester AY 2021-2022, AY 2020-2021 and Second Semester AY 2019-2020:

1. Warning

2. Probation

3. Dismissal

4. Permanent Disqualification

(OVPAA Memo 2022-09, 2021-122, 2020-143, Implementing Guidelines of the UP System Policy on the Second Semester AY 2019-2020 in the Time of COVID-19)

Rules on Residency, as stated in Articles 408 and 412 of the University and approved by the Board of Regents on its 1359th meeting, now read as follows:

Article 408: No students shall be graduated from the University System unless the student has completed at least one year of residence work, which may, however, be extended for a longer period by the proper faculty. The student must have been in residence in the semester of graduation.

Article 412: Students who are candidates for graduation with honors must have completed in the University at least 75% of the total number of academic units or hours for graduation and must have been in residence in the semester of graduation.

(OVPAA Memo 2021-89)

Degree program retention rules are suspended (OVPAA Memo 2022-09, 2021-122, 2021-89).

OVPAA Memo 2020-91 issued on 17 August 2020 provided guidelines and FAQs in using and incorporating copyrighted materials in course packs. In addition to the said guidelines, the Technical Working Group for Copyright curated and developed guidelines and resources, specifically on fair use, obtaining third party permissions, and copyright ownership and licensing. These guidelines are available at https://ttbdo.up.edu.ph/policies/copyright-guidelines/.

1. Course packs will be made accessible to students mainly through the CU Learning Management System. For students with low or no connectivity, the course pack may be sent in a flash drive and sent to them via courier. For students with no computer or gadget for digital access, the course pack may be sent to them in printed form via courier. Completed course packs — composed of a course guide/detailed syllabus and learning resources with study guides, assignment and/or activity guides — should be uploaded in the CU Learning Management System or distributed through USBs or as printed material, as needed, by the 1 March 2021 start of classes for the Second Semester AY 2020-2021.

2. Examinations and quizzes are not part of the course pack.

3. Faculty members with more than two (2) full course packs to prepare may make available at least half of the course pack for each of these courses, covering the first half of the semester, by 1 March 2021, and the remaining half by 5 April 2021.

4. The OVCAA and/or the CU Committee on Remote Learning is tasked to coordinate the mechanism for the distribution of the course pack to the students, as needed.

5. The academic unit will determine the completeness of the course pack.

6. The OVCAA is tasked to coordinate with the respective CU University Library to establish a mechanism for requesting copyright permission for materials that are in the learning resources of the course pack, procuring e-books, and accessing other library resources for faculty and students.

7. If the need arises, slight changes or modifications may be made in the course pack during implementation provided that it is not disruptive, and the students are duly informed ahead of time.

8. The OVCAA is to submit to the OVPAA the list of faculty eligible for the course pack incentive with corresponding amounts by 16 October 2020 subject to the certification of completeness by the academic unit.

9. The faculty may apply for credit load incentive instead of honorarium subject to the approval of their home unit. If approved, the credit load incentive may be enjoyed in the Second Semester AY 2020-2021.

10. Suggested notice to be placed in the course packs:

Note that the course pack provided to you in any form is intended only for your use in connection with the course that you are enrolled in. It is not for distribution or sale. Permission should be obtained from your instructor for any use other than for what it is intended.

(OVPAA Memo 2021-19, OVPAA Memo 2020-99)

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Courses that were only offered in the 2^nd Semester/Trimester AY 2020-2021 and have not received any incentive are eligible for the course pack incentive. For courses that were offered in both the 1^st and 2^nd Semester/Trimester AY 2020-2021 and have not received any incentive are eligible for 50% of the incentive this 2^nd Semester AY 2020-2021.

An honorarium of 9,000 per course pack prepared for a 3-unit course shall be given, pro-rated among faculty involved in the preparation. When more than one faculty is involved in the preparation of the course pack, the honorarium will be pro-rated based on the number of faculty who collaborated, with each faculty receiving not less than Php -3,000.00. However, the total honorarium paid for a course pack should not exceed Php 15,000.00. In instances when more than five faculty are involved in the preparation of a course pack, then the Php15,000.00 will be pro-rated among the faculty.

Multiple course pack preparations for the same course will be treated as a collaboration, and the grant of the course pack incentive shall be pro-rated.

In instances when the faculty still needs to fulfill the required total load credit (TLC) for the semester, a credit unit incentive of 1.5 unit per course pack prepared for a 3-unit course may be applied, subject to the approval of the academic unit and contingent on the available faculty resource vís-a-vís courses that need to be offered for the semester. The credit course incentive may not be used for deloading or for overload.

Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Teaching Fellows (TFs) are not entitled to an honorarium; they may be given only the credit load incentive.

Lecturers who are involved in the preparation of complete course packs may be given honorarium commensurate to their involvement in the course pack preparation as outlined above.

(OVPAA Memo 2021-19, OVPAA Memo 2021-52).

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