'University of Pila’: Online registration system fails in UPLB

MANILA, Philippines – The new online registration system of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) conked out about 3 days before classes start on Wednesday, August 3. 

On Saturday night, July 30, about 500 UPLB students camped out in the UPLB campus to enlist in subjects using the Student Academic Information System (SAIS).

Many students criticized the failure of the new system, claiming that is is inefficient and inaccessible.

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<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Women&#39;s Residence Hall is also being used for enlistment. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JunkSAIS?src=hash">#JunkSAIS</a> <a href="https://t.co/3DLv2R5c4j">pic.twitter.com/3DLv2R5c4j</a></p>&mdash; UPLB Perspective (@uplbperspective) <a href="https://twitter.com/uplbperspective/status/759434223178485760">July 30, 2016</a></blockquote>

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SAIS is a comprehensive data management system that covers the entire student lifecycle: from admission, registration, to enrollment, to graduation and alumni tracking.

It was introduced by UP President Alfredo Pascual with the promise to obtain, process, retrieve, and update student, faculty, and alumni information, as well as academic master data such as curricula and course information. 

However, according to UPLB students, SAIS has even made their ordeal during the enlistment period even more difficult.

“For the past few days, students have experienced troubles with the supposed smooth-flowing SAIS registration. This included crashes, a discriminatory 'caste system', and non-permission of students with holds-to-enroll, among others,” said UPLB University Student Council chairperson Merwin Jacob Alinea on Sunday, July 31.

"While failing to come up with a contingency plan, this is clearly a manifestation that this system, one of eUP’s core components, is doomed to fail,” Alinea added.

#JunkSAIS

Other UPLB enrollees took to Twitter to express there disappointment over the new system, which was supposed to improve the enlistment process for the first semester of the incoming academic year 2016-2017. Poor internet connection made their ordeal even worse, they said. 

Sympathy for the students who camped out in the campus spread online, pushing their call #JunkSAIS to the top of the trending topics list in the Philippines past Saturday midnight and into early Sunday, July 31.

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<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HappeningNow?src=hash">#HappeningNow</a> <br>Students forced to camp out to enlist subjects through SAIS. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JunkSAIS?src=hash">#JunkSAIS</a> <a href="https://t.co/J7C2FRl32P">pic.twitter.com/J7C2FRl32P</a></p>&mdash; UP Los Baños USC (@UPLBUSC) <a href="https://twitter.com/UPLBUSC/status/759418629377052673">July 30, 2016</a></blockquote>

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<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">From University of Pila to University of Problema real quick. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JunkSAIS?src=hash">#JunkSAIS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhatIsWork?src=hash">#WhatIsWork</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoodMorning?src=hash">#GoodMorning</a>  <a href="https://t.co/6eEi3hkG9K">https://t.co/6eEi3hkG9K</a></p>&mdash; Professors of UPLB (@uplbprofs) <a href="https://twitter.com/uplbprofs/status/758816000720592897">July 29, 2016</a></blockquote>

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<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;I hate this part right here...&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JunkSAIS?src=hash">#JunkSAIS</a> <a href="https://t.co/6sZgzUAa1b">pic.twitter.com/6sZgzUAa1b</a></p>&mdash; myrra (@myrrazenkate) <a href="https://twitter.com/myrrazenkate/status/758694472985088000">July 28, 2016</a></blockquote>

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<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I hope this SAIS issue gets fixed as soon as possible. Stay safe UP friends!! Keep fighting for what you deserve!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JunkSAIS?src=hash">#JunkSAIS</a>!!!!!!!!</p>&mdash; #JunkSAIS (@MillennialOfMNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/MillennialOfMNL/status/759447367263236096">July 30, 2016</a></blockquote>

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<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHAT THE FCK? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JunkSAIS?src=hash">#JunkSAIS</a> <a href="https://t.co/eHtXDXR2Ul">pic.twitter.com/eHtXDXR2Ul</a></p>&mdash; #JunkSAIS Juan (@Iamnumberjuan_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Iamnumberjuan_/status/758694921540820992">July 28, 2016</a></blockquote>

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<center><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A mom sent me this message earlier. Now I&#39;m sure we&#39;re doing the right thing. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JunkSAIS?src=hash">#JunkSAIS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SystemOneMoreChance?src=hash">#SystemOneMoreChance</a> <a href="https://t.co/lTKyluwVFn">pic.twitter.com/lTKyluwVFn</a></p>&mdash; Jason del Rosario (@fauxillustrado) <a href="https://twitter.com/fauxillustrado/status/758901623372455936">July 29, 2016</a></blockquote>

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The SAIS and eUP teams apologized and gave assurances that the UPLB administration and ePLDT "are all doing our best to resolve issues in the system as soon as they are detected and reported."

"We are also continuously attending to all support requests received through our official channels.” 

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– Rappler.com