University-town: An analysis of the coping mechanisms of the UPV-generated stakeholders to the effect of academic calendar shift

Abstract

The University of the Philippines in the Visayas-Miagao (UPV Miagao) occupies a large part of the municipality of Miagao’s land area. Its population of students, teachers, and staff also comprise a big chunk of the town’s total population. The university has also assumed an important economic role in Miagao by generating jobs for the locals and providing additional tax income to the local government. The university and the municipal government of Miagao have developed ties and communication, which has become a vital element of this town-gown relationship. To strengthen the bond, activities like the UPV-Miagao Friendship Day is even celebrated. However, when the university shifted its academic calendar for the school year 2014-2015, creating a four month-break and affecting the UPV-generated stakeholders, no formal communication was exchanged between the two parties. Using the university-community framework by Martin (2002), the research will start by analyzing the major stakeholders of the university. In reference to the academic calendar shift, this study will analyze the effect of such shift on the tricycle drivers, boarding house owners, business owners, laundry service providers and the municipal government. The study will also examine their coping mechanism to the said change. The paper will employ survey, interviews, focus group discussions and field note observations to gather all necessary data.