Response to the
Unsigned Statement:
“The Dictator of UP Law”
I have been handed an unsigned and undated flier accusing me (because there is no other Dean of Malcolm Hall at the moment) of being a dictator and adverting to many other character flaws.
I welcome the unsigned and undated flier as a concrete manifestation of freedom of expression though I certainly do not agree with its contents. I intend to respond in more detail upon receipt of the signed and circulated petition that the anonymous author/s of the fliers promised would be handed to me on Tuesday. I hope that the petition will contain the bases of the action and also make reasonable suggestions that we can productively discuss.
At the moment, it will suffice to point out that what is contained in the fliers are irrelevant past matters when I was still in the Office of Legal Services. The allegations are hearsay, half-truths or outright lies.
More specifically, the flier also adverts to my supposed special treatment extended to two students during the full faculty meeting. This was a decision deliberated, discussed and voted upon by the full faculty, making it a collegial decision, no longer a personal one. The faculty of law of the University of the Philippines is a body that certainly cannot be dictated upon even by its presiding officer.
Those who have dealt with me from the time I became Dean know that my door has always been open for anyone. It remains open now to those who disagree with me on many things. It is opened wider for those who would resort to calling me a dictator.
I encourage all the stakeholders in this process of governance—faculty, students, staff, and alumni—to let me know how we are doing. I am a visit, phone call, text, an email or a facebook status away. Principled and candid dialogue is always productive, name calling and character assassination are not. I have acted positively upon suggestions made by students, faculty and staff using any of these media. In many cases I have accepted that there were better approaches to certain issues. In some cases, I maintained that the approach that we took was more reasonable and legitimate.
With the rest of the administration of this College, we are taking extraordinary steps to maintain/uphold the academic excellence of this College. Some of these reforms—especially those pertaining to academic delinquencies--may have been painful, but in the light of our present situation and our considered judgment they are necessary.
We have implemented the University’s rules on the overloading of graduating students. We have consulted with student representatives on the new rules of the college and taken efforts to inform everyone concerned. This took the form of a faculty student dialogue, meeting every batch of each year level to personally explain the changes, including the revisions in the first year orientation program, and many other mechanisms.
We are from UP Law and our traditions of excellence rest on principled advocacies, reasoned action and fearless resolve—not on unsigned fliers circulating half-truths, misleading distortions and outright falsehoods. The unsigned flier notwithstanding, if the authors wish to reveal themselves, I am most willing to respond.
November
13, 2009
Marvic
M.V.F. Leonen
Dean
and Professor of Law
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