Nang Mag-treasure hunting si Nardo...

Ito si Nadine. Senior Writer at Secretary ng Publication. These pics were taken at friendship Homes, Valencia. Tingnan mabuti ang larawan at ikaw na ang bahalang humusga kung ano ang ginagawa niya.

Note: Ang pics na ito ay candid at hindi staged.

Ang nais lang namin ay maging malaya...

Kalayaan sa pamamahayag. Ito lang ang aming minimithi. Kalayaan na ilabas ang katotohanan, ang bawat panig ng balita. Kalayaan na ipaglaban ang karapatan ng mga estudyanteng walang lakas ng loob na ipaglaban ang kanilang sarili. Kalayaan. Yun lang...

Kung sa pagpapalabas ng mga balita, masasabing malaya kami. Marahil ay isa kami sa pinakamalayang student publication sa Pilipinas. Isa rin sa pinaka maswerte. Hindi pinapakialaman ng administrasyon ang anumang balita na ilalabas namin. Malaya kaming maglabas ng kahit na anong lathalain na gusto namin.

"The NORSUnian is free to publish everything..." sabi pa nga ng university president namin.

Tama nga naman yun. Malaya kaming magpublish ng KAHIT NA ANO. Kahit pa laban ito sa administrasyon. Kahit pa, nasa delikado ang aming mga grado. Malaya kami.

Pero, talaga nga bang malaya kami?
Marahil ay hindi kami nagkaka problema kung balita ang pag-uusapan. Kung articles lang, malaya. Pero, paano naman sa ibang aspeto ng publikasyon? Malaya pa rin kaya kami?

Sa tingin ko, hindi.

Una, nasa eskwelahan ang budget ng publication. Minsan ay ginigipit kami pag nagrerequest kami ng pera para sa mga activities ng publikasyon. Minsan din ay masyadong pinapatagal ang proseso. Inaabot ng ilang linggo ang ilang araw lang sanang proceso. Bakit kaya napakatagal pumirma ng mga taong ito?

Pangalawa, kagaya ng ibang mga sangay ng gobyerno, dumadaan din kami sa bidding. Yun naman kasi talaga ang tamang proceso. Ang problema, kahit pa mahigpit ang guideline na ibinigay namin ay ang administrasyon pa rin ang nasusunod.

At dito na pumapasok ang problema.

Sa ngayon ay ilang linggo na rin kaming walang nairelease na isyu. Iyon ay dahil na rin sa problema namin sa printing. Hindi kasi nagustuhan ng publikasyon ang quality ng printing ng bagong printing press na inaprubahan ng administration. Masyado itong marumi at binago ang napakaraming part ng paper.

Malayong malayo sa nakasanayang newspaper ng mga estudyante. Nagreklamo kami. Binabayaran ng mga estudyante ang publication fee at dapat lang ay makontento sila sa quality ng ibibigay namin sa kanila. Kung kami nga mismo ay hindi kontento, sila pa kaya?

Medyo nag kagulo ng kaunti dahil dito. Napigil na naman ang printing namin. Ngayon ay kalaban na namin yung may ari ng printing press [na sa kamalas-malasan ay instructor ko sa Mass Com].

Ang gusto lang naman namin ay mabigyan kami ng kalayaan na magserbisyo sa mga estudyante ng buong-buo. Yung serbisyo na tama lang sa ibinabayad nila.

Aminado ako, parte ng publication fee na ibinabayad ng mga estudyante ang honorarium na tinatanggap namin sa publication. Kasama din dito yung scholarship na ine-enjoy namin sa staff. Kaya nga, gusto ko lang na worth naman sana ng pera nila yung newspaper na ibibigay namin sa kanila.

Matatapos pa kaya ang problemang ito? Sana...dahil nakakahiya na talaga.

Sori na ha...

Nais ko lamang ipagpaumanhin ang aking naipost kaninang madaling araw. Ako po ay nabigla lamang sa kapangitan ng aming newspaper kaya naisulat ko ang mga iyon.
Patawad po, bigla ko lang naalala na hindi pala dapat nagmumura ang isang prinsesa kahit pa siya ay isang prinsesang palaka na may homicidal tendencies.

Kaya binabawi ko lang po yung lahat ng four-letter words starting in "S" na naisulat ko. Sori na ha...
All the same, hindi ko pa rin binabawi ang sinabi ko na hindi dapat nakikialam sa publication ang mga taong walang kaalam-alam sa mga dapat gawin dito. Magpuyo unta ang walay labot ba...

Sori na ha. Isa lamang akong hamak na palaka na isinumpang maging tao. Isa lamang akong prinsesa na isinumpang maging maganda. Aw!...hehehe...

galit pa rin ako sa mga taong nakialam sa newspaper namin. Galit pa rin ako na sinira nila ang napakaganda na naming layout. Oo, sasabihin kong maganda talaga ang paper namin dahil pinaghihirapan namin yun. Ilang gabi kaming walang tulog para lang makapagbigay kami magandang serbisyo sa mga estudyante na siyang sumusweldo sa amin.

Pasalamat sila at naging prinsesa ako. Pasalamat sila at mababait kaming mga froglets. Pasalamat sila at hindi ako sociopath o psychopath. Pasalamat sila at wala kaming lahing killer.

ONLINE NA KAMI!!!===ulit!!

After a year [a year na ba] without the interactive...we are now officially back!!!
It's just so nice that after everything there is still part of the publication that still works...

Congrats to the webmasters and to the EIC...
the people who tirelessly worked for the website. Congrats..nagbunga na po ang inyong mga paghihirap. Congratulations!!! Ang galing niyo!!!...
tapos na ang mga gabing walang tulog at mga araw na walang ligo ni Pauldo...

guys..visit the norsunian website here!

Where then is our Freedom?

The Student Publication should be independent of the Administration for it to fully fulfill its mission as a defender and voice of the students. The NORSUnian, is just one among the many student publication in the country and is one among the few [or many depending on which side you are in] whose budget is held by the Administration and not the publication itself.

Though ideally, the budget of the Publication should be with the Publication and not with the admin. The administration should not have the right to control or hold the budget of the publication because the money is not owned by the school but by the students. The admin may supervise the use of the money to ensure that it is used in the right way and not abused by those holding it but the finances of the Publication should not rely on the signatures of those people in the administration.

Though the university student publication is one among the freest in the Philippines, it is still unfortunate that we could not have the final say on one of the most important part of our existence; our printing.

It is not only important but imperative that we give the students their money's worth. Aside from the articles printed in the publication, the printing quality should be of highest caliber also. The students are paying for the publication and they should be given a publication which they would not regret looking into. Who won't be disappointed if you are paying for the right amount and you will be given something which is truly well below the standard?

Yes, it is understandable that as a public institution we will have to undergo a bidding process and we can only be served by the lowest bidder. However, part of that bidding process is a set of specifications that should be meet by the bidders in order for them to qualify.

The student publication has set a guideline specifying the expectations of the publication from the possible winner. These specifications should be met because quality is very important. We are serving the students and we want to serve them the best way we can.

Our pacing in the publication has already been greatly affected because of the bidding process. We have been delayed already and the students are already clamoring. What face could we possibly show them if, after an 8 weeks delay, we will only give them a copy that is very poor in quality?

Shouldn't we at least be given the right to award the printing of the paper to a more suitable bidder? Or do we have to contend ourselves with a low class, poor quality type of printing just because the law specifies that price is more important than the quality?

I wish I am a lawyer so I could argue with the legalities of this. I wish I understand the law more so I could somehow find a justification of this. But I am not. I am only a writer who wishes to serve the students who pay us to guard for their rights. I am only a student who does not know much about the technicalities and legalities of the bidding process. I am only a student journalist who wishes that we would be given the freedom to do it our way, serve the students while still abiding with the policies and laws. I am only a Filipino who has finally realized why public properties are substandard and easily damaged.

We are one of the freest student publication in the country and I wish we have enough voice to make those in power see reason. I wish our voices are enough to explain to the students that no matter how much we want to give them an excellent newspaper, we have no choice but to abide by the law and print with the bidder chosen by the Bids and Awards Committee and approved by the University President.

I just hope the students will understand.

There is such a thing as FREE FOOD!

But only in TN.
...and it's not even everyday, but its better than nothing.
It's usually after the biweekly meeting, if we have the budget that is. Most of the time, we do have free snack [we even used to have free dinners] but because we are in a state of poverty [yes, even TN experiences this poverty] we sometimes have to go home in an empty stomach.

We also have free snacks of bread and coffee [and milk for those who do not drink coffee] during overnights but, again, only if we have the budget.

Seminars and other official publication activities are worth mentioning also. Its not only the fun and the performance of every member but TN seminars and IPRs are notorious for overflowing food and drinks. Just love it, really.

You can always forget your diet during these seminars. The foods were superbly cooked and always enough for everybody. You have to loosen your belts after though.

Unfortunately, TN is not rich enough to feed us always. It can only treat us from time to time. But then, who cares? Its, surely, better than nothing at all. Besides, for students on a budget, Free meals are always welcome.

LOL!

Panag-sinuoray 2008

These are the people that makes my life in Dumaguete both hard and easy. =)
My Student Publication Family....

Responsibility makes me mean

They say that leadership can be applied in so many ways, that you can be responsible in various ways. For two months now that I had been in the position entrusted on me, I could honestly say and admit that I am dissatisfied with my work. I don't think I've lived up to the standards expected of me.

I could go on and rationalize that I did my best, because I truly did. But then, I could also admit to myself that the best I could give is still not enough to reach the standard I have placed on my self.

I am a goal oriented person and I when I set myself to do something, I expect and force myself to reach it. I only want the best for the student publication and I had been trying very hard to give the best that I can to reach the standard I set for myself.

In my dream of improving, not just the stories that we publish but, the attitude of the writers as well, I am starting to see myself as a tyrant whose only worth in life is to make the life of the writers miserable. I grip them so hard because I know that even if they think that they are already giving their best for the publication, they could still do more.

In my attempt to reach the standard I set for myself and give justice to the responsibilty given to me, I hurt people in the process. I know that, I am aware but I can't help it.

I don't want to hurt any of them because, unbelievable it may seen, all of them are important part of my life that I had grown to love and treasure.

I tried being good, a bit lenient, understanding every excuse, giving them more time to accomplish their tasks. But it doesn't work. I realized that they had grown so familiar with me that sometimes they already tend to forget that even though we are friends, I still have the authority over them.

Don't get me wrong. I don't like this authority and I am never happy reprimanding the writers.

I never wanted to become an editor. That is the truth written in my heart. I never wanted the responsibility that goes with it but I had been chosen and so, I have to stand by the responsibility given to me. No matter what the people around me will say, deep inside me I still believe that I am not worthy of the position because I still have to know more. I lack the skills, the knowledge and the patience.

Responsibility and leadership are the two most important values in my life. When a position is given to me, I take it seriously. I take it seriously not to impress the people around me but to reach the goals I had set for myself, live up to what is expected of me and prove to myself that I can actually do it. Every leadership position is a great challenge to me because I had always been a failure in it. I never see myself as a leader, I am too perfectionist to be one.

For the past months now I had tried, and failed, to be more relax with the writers. I consider them my equal and I don't relish the idea of reprimanding any of them because of it. I know I am not greater or better than them despite the position given to me. I think I only snagged it because of my seniority, there are others who are fitted for the job but were not chosen only because they are new.

I tried then and again to be more understanding yet everytime I see them sitting idly around the office or dating while their articles still undone, my temper would rise. I pity those who do their works on time because they are being reprimanded with the others.

I am a mean person and I know it. I hate leadership positions because it makes me meaner and nastier. When I see those under my care fail, I know I have failed too. I hate failures, so I drive them really hard to avoid it.

But no matter how much I try to become a good leader or a good editor, I know I could never be one. I could just go on and keep on trying and failing all over again. Leadership only makes me mean and hurt people around me even if I never wanted to.

I know, I am the most hated person in the office. I know I drive them mad everytime I demand that they pass their articles and gie them strikes when they pass it after the deadline. I know and could more than imagine what they are saying behind my back. I know they resented me for being so demanding and for always reprimanding them. I know but I can't do anything about it because I have to.

I can't just sit in a corner and wait for them to move. I can't just smile at them and tell them its okay everytime they tell me that they cannot pass their articles because if I do, we could never publish at all. I want them to be responsible and know the importance of their works. I want them to have passion in their write-ups. I want them to be the best journalists. I want them to be disciplined people because I don't want them to be like me.