Seacrest may close scholarship program

The Seacrest Maritime Foundation of Southwestern University (SWU)) may close its “study now, pay later” program after more than 100 maritime students staged a walkout Tuesday to protest alleged “exorbitant” fees.

“We might stop the program by the end of the year,” Andrew Aznar told Cebu Daily News.

Aznar, president of the Seacrest Maritime Foundation of SWU, said they may have to end the program after the “bad publicity” caused by the walkout.

Aznar, a board member of the family-run university, said the board of directors earlier gave him until April 2012 as an ultimatum to prove the sustainability of the program.

“After the incident, I don’t think the board would still allow the program to continue,” he said.

However, Aznar said, there is still no formal announcement about a closure as he still has to meet with the board next week.

Aznar said the “study now, pay later” program benefits around 700 students.

If the scholarship program stops, the students would have to pay their tuition balance.

Students who joined the walkout last Tuesday would no longer be accepted in the university, Aznar said.

“They put the program in jeopardy. There’s no point for them to come back,” Aznar said.

Based on their student registry, about 70 students who joined the walkout won’t be able to continue with their scholarship.

Several students returned to the campus Wednesday noon to get their belongings.

They signed a waiver attesting that they would continue with the program but Aznar said the school would give the students their Transcript of Records so they can find another school.

Aznar said he was disappointed with those who left their classes in protest.

He said they should have raised their grievances to the school administration first.

“They were just being used, without realizing this impact on the program,” Aznar said.

Lawyer Joyce Moran, one of the lawyers who assisted the students in the walkout, said the students are now staying in a private house in Cebu City.

Moran said they are sharing expenses for the board and lodging.

Moran said that they, the lawyers, are set to meet with the students’ parents today to discuss their next moves.

She said they are considering filing charges against the private school.  Reporter Candeze Mongoya