RFID: For better or for worse? (By: Apilado, Jasmin D. & Sulpico, Rezilmie S.)

          The evolution of technology is truly evident as the RFID has come to reality. The RFID or the Radio-Frequency Identification is a new access control measure implemented in Bukidnon State University. This is to help in managing the continuing increase of the number of students in the said institution. It took years for the school to study, review, and fund the project before it was initially implemented last school year. Thus, students are then encouraged to upgrade their ID. In that period of implementation, the effects have been witnessed by everybody, especially by the students as primary affected by the project. These reflect that there are many things to consider regarding the implementation. It is important for the school administrators to give it another thought. Therefore, they should consider the students’ concerns about it.

          BSU is known for its tag line “a special place for teaching and learning. Thus, the administration together with the staff and the faculty are doing their best to provide student a meaningful learning experience. To this, the first factor to consider is to ensure the safety of the students. This encouraged the university to pursue the RFID project. The main goal of the RFID implementation is to provide students security. This is to prevent unauthorized entrance especially that there were incidents already wherein non-students had freely enter the school premises that alarmed the school administrators. The thought that outsiders can come in and out of the campus feared them for the possibility that they might harm and affect the students.

          The aim of the RFID is truly convincing. However, after months of implementation, we see how it causes hassle to the students. Most affected students are those who have 7:30 am class schedule. This rush hour always causes the students to cram full at the entrance gate. It is not surprising anymore that you will be greeted with a crowded gate every morning  and expect for 5 minutes delay or more before you can actually enter in the school and be on class. The annoyed faces of the students are proof how the project affects them. No wonder, students often heard say “traffic na pud, dugay-dugay raman na oi!”

          Another problem is the very obvious fact that the new identification system does not ensure the safety of students, realizing that outsiders can still go in and out at the school campus. As long as they have the RFID that they can possibly steal or borrow from BSU students that can give them the access to do their business inside the university. Who could ever forget the stealing incident inside the campus? That was remarkably alarming when one time, an individual wearing BSU uniform was caught on act stealing student’s cell phone and he was not able to present an ID when asked by the school guard; only to find out he was not a student of BSU. It is definitely frightening that there are these people who are capable of doing evil things inside the campus in spite of the security measures the university is implementing because anyone can still enter in the school premises even with false identification.

          The main reason that could also be blamed on this so called entrance traffic is the gate that does not correspond to the needed space for such project. There are only 3 RFID detectors that could only let four students to enter at the same time. If only the school could have a gate that could allow many students to enter to evade the passage delay of the students then this issue could have been avoided. In implementing this project, it would be much better if there are more than 8 way in to accommodate the entrance of almost 10, 000 population in the institution. This only shows that the school is not yet capable of administering the RFID system.

          Truly with the purest intentions of the RFID implementation regarding the security of the students for better services, it may be a good idea to come up with this kind of system. However, the outcomes of the project that greatly affect the students are evidence that the school is not yet capable of implementing the identification system. So, think about it and reflect: RFID is it for better or worse?

Are Monetary Fines ‘fine’?

            In support to the idea that students must be provided with opportunities where they can take active roles for institutional development, a number of clubs and organizations have formally been recognized by Bukidnon State University provided that their club and organizational names would be seen active in the list. To do this, clubs and organizations conduct regular and even emergency meetings. However, some clubs and organizations impose sanctions to club members who fail to attend meetings through monetary fines – which become the opening ground of the controversy. Are monetary fines a just consequence for individuals who fail to attend meetings of the clubs or organizations where they belong to? Many have spoken, and they speak differently. However, an idea stands out: monetary fines should not be the element used for binding up a group.

         Involved clubs and organizations that impose monetary fines believe that fines would motivate their members to not be absent during meetings. They further see monetary fines useful for producing more and more quality club projects. For them it is just because in the very first place, it is their members' obligation to join meeting or otherwise face the consequence for failing to do so. As existing evidence to it, a record of attending members is seen to be increasing accordingly when clubs and organizations such as Amicus Sophia, Brain Teasers Club, Computer Society and Alpha Omega Beta are asked.

         Nobody claims that what clubs and organizations are thinking is incorrect. Yet, it is of great value if we examine the factors behind imposing fines. Firstly, monetary fines add burden for students' economic condition. While clubs and organizations continually proposing the idea that fines collected would be used for clubs' projects, this is to remind that their club members already have paid membership fee in the very first place. Clubs' projects should be coming from the amount paid by the students intended for it. If the amount basically isn't enough for putting up quality projects, then it is about time for them to work hand in hand and conduct fund-raising. However, this idea is rarely practiced. Some groups pursue on imposing club fines thus, members would be carrying a much heavier economic burden.

         Secondly, monetary fines should not be made as motivation for members to attend meetings. If club and organization leaders are truly active themselves, they should have had thought of activities and other social bonds for their members to be intrinsically motivated to join. Being motivated because of avoiding punishments and being motivated because of intrinsic force are two different things. People shall have to see which works best.

         Lastly, but in no way the least, monetary fines cause students to withdraw themselves from the club in the long run. Losing its people is the least thing a club or an organization would want to happen. Hence, they must do something to protect their people from deciding to quit. Unfortunately, some clubs and organizations fail to see this propensity. Eventually, a number of instances are heard when students shifted to another academic course due to this cause tough they hesitate to name involved clubs and organizations due to utmost confidentiality.

         Monetary fines can be perceived differently by different minds. However, careful analysis prior to its imposition must be thoroughly done. With all the main reasons proposed above, the publication says that such fines are fine, not to be pursued, but to be eliminated.

         The publication has just spoken. Yet, you have the final say.

Ridiculous Riddles

Compiled By: Vanizza Lucenta

13.  What causes the death of a lot of people?- Coffin

14. How do you make seven an even number?- take ‘s’ off.

15.  What can you hold without touching?- breath

What a Joke

by Philip Adams Ana Patrice Newell

(Compiled by: Vannizza Lucenta)

1.  What do you call a penguin in the desert? – LOST

2. What did one math book say to anothermath  book ?

          - I’ve got more problems than you

3. Teacher: Johnny, I hope I didn’t see you looking at Mary’s work then.

 Johnny: I hope you didn’t too ma’am.

4. What’s the difference between a teacher and a train?

- A teacher says, “spit out that chewing gum! While train says, chew, chew!

5. Teacher:  ok ,  Johnny, give me a sentence with the word “indisposition” in it.

Johnny: I always like playing center forward because I like playing indisposition.J

6. Teacher:  Sally put gruesome in a sentence.

Sally: I was short once then I gruesome.

7. Teacher: Sally,your work is in your father’s writing.

Sally: I know ma’am. I borrowed his pen.

8. Teacher: Now Katherine, can you spell kangaroo ?

Katherine: C, A, N, G, A, R, O,O

Teacher:  that’s not the way the dictionary spells it.

Katherine: You didn’t ask me how the dictionary spells it.

9. Teacher: Now, who can name five animals that live in the jungle ?

Johnny: One lion. . ..and um….um… four elephants.

10. Teacher: Cath, you missed school yesterday, didn’t you ?

Cath:  No teacher, I didn’t miss it at all!

11.  What did the monsters say when introduced?

-  Pleased to eat you.

12.  Why aren’t vampires welcome in the blood bank?

-Because they only make withdrawals.