THE PAMANTASAN  ng Lungsod ng Maynila formed an Online Education Committee to identify and address issues encountered by the community amid the shift to distance learning.

PLM President Emmanuel Leyco issued Administrative Order 17-ACA s. 2020 to formally create the body, led by Executive Vice President and concurrent Vice President for Public Affairs Maria Auxilliadora Libertine Chavez-Amor as chairperson, and University Secretary and Vice President for Legal Affairs Atty. Carlo Florendo Castro as co-chairperson.

Members of the committee include Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Flordeliza Ferrer, Vice President for Administration Prof. Roberto Dela Cruz, Vice President for Finance and Management Luzviminda Landicho, Vice President for Information and Communications Technology Engr. Evangeline Lubao on the part of the administration.

The representatives of the committee composed of  PLM administration, faculty, staff, and students, convened its first formal meeting last Friday to set up house rules and identify feedback mechanisms two weeks into the online learning experience.

According to the university, all college and school deans are automatically part of the committee, along with one faculty representative.

On the part of the student body, the president of the Supreme Student Council and presidents of respective college student councils are also part of the panel.

To air the concerns of university employees, one first-level and one second-level staff representative will join the body. The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs will serve as secretariat and will provide the administrative support, it added.

“The Online Education Committee was formed to ensure that PLM is responsive to the needs of students, faculty members, and staff as we move to the ‘new normal,” President Leyco said.

“This is all new to all of us, so we would like to remain flexible and responsive to any concerns that arise from this major shift. We are striving to improve the virtual learning experience of our students, as well as for our professors, instructors, and employees,” he stressed.

The committee can also identify areas for improvement and recommend policies or strategies to the Office of the President to address such issues.

PLM opened its virtual campus last October 5 for undergraduate students, while students from the College of Law and College of Medicine migrated to new platforms last September.