5 May 2020

To: The College of Law Academic Community

From: VIRGILIO R. DE LOS REYES

Dean

Re: Second Semester, Academic Year 2019-2020, Graduating Students (+ Reminders for
Non-Graduating Students)

On 6 April 2020, the Vice Chancellor for Academics issued the amended calendar for the
College of Law, particularly for those students who are not graduating in Academic Year 2019-
2020. The April 6, 2020 memorandum stated that:

“There will be a different set of policies that will be issued for those
who plan to take the bar exams in November 2020 and have enrolled
in all the courses necessary to graduate. We understand your
difficulties and we will continue to find ways to assist you. We shall
issue a separate memorandum on this matter.

However, if the bar exams are re-scheduled, these academic policies

shall apply to students who have filed for graduation.”

The Supreme Court issued Bar Bulletin No. 11, Series of 2020 re-setting the bar exams from
November 2020 to a date to be determined later. The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) issued the
rules to be observed in areas under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ). Under the IATF,
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in areas under a GCQ cannot conduct classes in the campus
but may adopt flexible learning arrangements to finish Academic Year 2019-2020. Currently,
Metro Manila is under an Enhanced Community Quarantine. There is a possibility that we will
not be able to convene classes in our campus in July 2020.

To allow graduating students to finish their studies and to start their review for the 2020 bar
exams, the Academics Council of the De La Salle University, in the meeting on 5 May 2020
approved the proposal of the College of Law on the process of finishing the 2nd Semester for
graduating students.

1. Final Exams

The submission of grades for ALL graduating students will be on 15 June 2020. The exams
may be scheduled by agreement of the professor and the students at any time between now and
June 13. A separate memorandum will be issued to all professors on the manner and procedure
of conducting the online exams.

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 2. Thesis Defense

There will be no thesis defense panel that will be convened. The assessment of the thesis will be
undertaken by the thesis adviser. All students should coordinate with their advisers. Submission
of the soft copy of the thesis shall be sent to the adviser (with a copy to Ms. Juliet Medina, on or
before 13 May 2020, 2359. The thesis adviser may ask the student to undertake revisions. After
consultation and revisions, if the adviser is not satisfied with the submission, the student may
avail of the option stated below. The thesis adviser shall submit the grade to the Office of the
Dean on or before 15 June 2020.1 A hard copy of the thesis must be submitted when the situation
allows us to do so. This is a requirement and your credentials may be withheld if you do not
submit a hard copy. Do not expect Ms. Medina to print these for you.

3. Inability of Students on the JD Thesis Program to Submit a Thesis

Considering the exigencies of the time, the College of Law requested the Legal Education Board
(LEB) to allow students on the JD Thesis program to graduate without submitting a thesis and
still follow the JD Thesis curriculum. Acting on such representation, the LEB issued LEB
Memorandum Circular No. 56, Series of 2020, stating that:

“Law schools offering the Juris Doctor (J.D.) thesis curriculum

may waive the thesis requirement in light of the prevailing
circumstances, provided that they duly notify the LEB of such
action in a timely manner. The degree to be granted shall still be
J.D. under the same curriculum, but the waiver shall be notated on
the applicable student Transcript of Records.”2

Students on the JD Thesis program who choose or cannot submit the thesis must send an email
to: 1)their thesis adviser; 2)Associate Dean (), 3) Ms. Juliet Medina (); and 4) Ms. Rochelle
Tabirao signifying their availment of this option on or before 5 June 2020.

4. Grades
Considering the unusual situation, we are in, and as a reiteration of the earlier memorandum, no
student shall receive a failing grade in this term. If you wish to discuss your options, please email
Ms. Macaraan, Ms. Grace Perez, Sr. Rosarie Ollano, Anthony Peralta, or me for consultation
schedule.

1
Submission of grades for the thesis may be changed depending on the availability of the systems.
2
Sec. 7(3)
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A student who cannot complete the requirements (paper, exams, other requirements) has the
option to request for a deferred grade. If you are not ready OR unable, for WHATEVER reason
I suggest you take this option.

There is no need to state any reason. The only requirement is that students must inform their
professor (via email) on or before 30 May 2020 if they wish to avail of this option. The student
will have one academic year to complete the requirements or take the exam in the next offering
of the course in the coming term/s. The student will not have to re-enroll in the coming term/s,
but they must inform the Academic Programming Officer of their intention to complete the
requirements prior to the beginning of the term. There is no guarantee that the course will be
offered in the 1st and 2nd semester of the coming academic year, or that you will have the same
professor. Our recommendation is that you complete the requirements at the earliest possible
time. We can discuss these when we can hold regular office hours.

A student who submits all requirements or takes the final exams but does not meet the minimum
standards set by the professor shall get a grade of W or withdraw. The student will have to
enroll in the coming term/s. This is not a failing grade.

We will maintain the numerical grades of 1.00 to 4.00. This will give all students an indication
of the professor’s assessment and the remedial measures they may need to take in preparation for
the bar exams of 2020.

5. Summer Term
There MAY be a limited online Summer Term. We are still working with professors who
willing to teach online. This is an optional term designed for these extraordinary times. Priority
will be given to those who are eligible to take the bar exams of 2020. If you enroll in this term,
you will need a computer, robust internet access and time. It is likely that you will not be able to
meet in the campus. This is scheduled to begin on June 8, but this may be postponed by a week
to allow for full course development.

6. Bar Review/Bar Operations

We will begin the bar review operations for those taking the 2020 bar exams immediately after
the submission of grades.

7. Reminders for Non-Graduating Students

The schedule remains the same for the sections/classes with non-graduating students. Professors
can give special exams for the graduating students if they wish to do so.

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If in the assessment of the professor, the coverage of the course is finished, the professors and
students agree to hold exams PRIOR to the scheduled reconvening based on the 6 April 2020
memorandum. In this case, if there are graduating students in the class, there will only be one
exam for all.

After 30 May 2020, online classes will cease, except for the conduct of the final exams.
However, if the students and professors wish to exchange materials (videos, notes, digests,
guides) or conduct consultation you are free to do so. These are in preparation for the integration
period in June/July 2020.

If we can reconvene on campus, the schedule issued on 6 April 2020 shall be maintained.
However, the academic community is advised that based on all indications, we may not be able
to hold classes in campus by July 2020. We may need to adopt the same measures outlined
above. This means that the integration sessions and the exams may need to be conducted online.
For us to be able to plan, the deadline for submission of grades for ALL other sections and
students is on 20 July 2020, 1930.

We are assessing the options on how we can begin the first semester of the next academic year.
We are mindful of the interests of the students who plan to take the bar exams in 2021. We
cannot begin late since this will affect their review for 2021.

8. Announcements
The Office of the University Registrar (OUR) has issued several announcements. Please make
sure that you are updated, and you read the Help Desk Announcements. You are bound by these
announcements. We are considering the current circumstances, but we need you take the extra
step. Please do not wait for individual emails addressed to you or announcements on the FB
pages of the LSG or the CoL.

Given the circumstances, I advise you to make sure that in using the online filings you follow
ALL the steps (like pressing “submit”) and you take all measures to obtain confirmation.

Just like all other offices (public and private), while the ECQ is in place, there is no
administrative staff to attend to your needs. We are exploring ways to reactivate office work as
soon as we can but taking into account the safety of our staff.

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The contact details of the persons listed above are:

maryrose.macaraan@dlsu.edu.ph

rosarie.ollano@dlsu.edu.ph

anthony.peralta@dlsu.edu.ph

juliet.medina@dlsu.edu.ph

rochelle.tabirao@dlsu.edu.ph

virgilio.delosreyes@dlsu.edu.ph

9. Conclusion
These are not normal times and we are all trying to find ways to minimize disruption to our lives. We are
making sure that we can help each other. There has been talk about the meaning of the often-used phrase
of no-student(teacher)-left-behind. It does not mean that all of us should stay behind if some of us are
under some constraint. It does mean that our community will take all steps to take care of the person/s
with constraints. This is what we have been trying to do.

Our almost 8 weeks of online learning (and teaching), may lead us to conclude that it is not an ideal
mode. Legal education conducted online IS NOT the preferred mode. Personal interaction is necessary.
However, we must consider that: 1)online learning was not designed to be used without planning or a
rigorous course design; 2)used by professors and students who are confined to their houses for 8+ weeks;
3) in the context of a pandemic. If we continue to use some form of online learning (or blended) to
address the challenges, we hope it will be in better circumstances.

Moving forward, we will continue to update you on developments. We are assessing the options for the
1st semester. The whole community (staff, faculty, students) are in these, together.

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