Chalk boards on the fifth floor of Saint Joseph Hall (SJH) building were replaced with white boards following an initiative spearheaded by the School of Computing (SOC), citing health concerns and campus development efforts, January 5.
According to SOC Dean Dr. Marlon Tayag, the installation aims to create a more conducive learning environment for both students and faculty, particularly with the recent installation of air conditioning units (ACUs) in SJH classrooms.
“Kasi ‘yung blackboard, health risk ‘yan. Everytime na nagpapagpag ng chalk, ’yung mga particles, nasasagap ng mga estudyante at faculty. So, I made it a point na dapat mapalitan,” Dr. Tayag said.
Tayag also noted that SOC faculty members, including those who teach General Education courses, were “happy“ and have expressed positive feedback on the transition.
In partnership with the Campus Services and Development Office (CSDO), the SOC Dean stated that the project planning and proposal discussions were conducted during the first semester of Academic Year (AY) 2025 – 2026.
Installation began during the Christmas vacation and was completed in all 10 rooms on the fifth floor by the time classes resumed. The initiative is expected to continue with the upgrading of other SOC-utilized rooms in SJH.
The School of Education (SEd) and the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS), which are among the college departments housed at SJH, have affirmed in continuing the initiative.
SEd Dean Dr. Alma Natividad also expressed Dr. Tayag’s sentiment, stressing the need to install whiteboards due to health concerns over chalk dust in closed, air-conditioned classrooms.
She further stated that the initiative has already been coordinated with the CSDO for the SEd and will be implemented through a phased process.
Meanwhile, SAS Dean Dr. Alfred Santos said he was not initially aware of the installation but welcomed the upgrade. He emphasized its benefit to the wider student population, as SAS handles most general education subjects conducted at SJH.
“What is happening is that we shared resources through this building lalo na sa mga General Education. They [SOC] were able to request kasi most students were able to utilize this whether they are major subjects or minor education subjects,” Dr. Santos added.
He also noted that the initiative is an “open idea” for SAS, wherein Dr. Santos describes the white boards as an upgrade to improve the learning of students and teaching of faculty.
The SJH building is shared among three departments, with the sixth and seventh floors allocated to SOC, the fifth floor for General Education and lecture classes, the fourth floor for SEd, and the second and third floors for SAS.
