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that had been assigned to her.[12] The reason she gave was that auditing, not
accounting, was her specialization. Another lecturer took over the course, and
respondent spent the rest of the semester without a teaching load.
On 1 March 2006, Alemaya University Academic and Research Vice President Tena
Alamirew (Vice President Alamirew) circulated a memorandum[13] addressed to the
college faculties and Filipino teaching staff. It stated that the Ministry of Education
required the university to evaluate the credentials of the Filipino teaching staff and
suggest an academic rank for them pursuant to the national norm. Later, on 15 March
2006, another memorandum[14] was issued lowering the ranks of most of the Filipino
teaching staff and asking them to sign a new contract reflecting a change in rank and
salary.[15] In particular, respondent's designation was lowered from lecturer to assistant
lecturer[16] with a monthly salary of USD 600.[17]
Respondent refused to sign a new contract. Together with her affected Filipino
colleagues, she went to the Ministry of Education on 17 March 2006 to protest the reranking.[18] They also asked for an audience with Vice President Alamirew on 27 March
2006.[19] During the meeting, respondent raised her hand in order to be acknowledged
to speak. However, Vice President Alamirew told her, "You are not allowed to speak
before this meeting. Alemaya University does not need your services anymore, you are
terminated, you are fired."[20]
Later that afternoon, Vice President Alamirew apologized to respondent for the retort,
[21] saying that she thought the latter was the leader of the protest before the Ministry
of Education. Nevertheless, in a letter[22] dated 28 March 2006, respondent requested
Vice President Alamirew to issue a notice of termination to her "in order not to prolong
[her] agony."[23]
A memorandum[24] dated 4 April 2006 was issued by Temesgen Keno, Head of the
Department of Accounting (Mr. Keno). He informed the Faculty of Business and
Economics that due to a students' petition, another instructor had been assigned to
replace respondent in Auditing II. The latter was again left idle. Attached to the
memorandum was the class compliance on the performance of respondent, together
with the individual signatures of the students.[25] Respondent checked the signatures
and found that some had signed twice, while two were not in her class.[26]
Another memorandum[27] of the same date was issued by Workneh Kassa, Dean of the
Faculty of Business and Economics (Dean Kassa) addressed to Vice President Alamirew.
Dean Kassa indicated that the qualification of respondent had been highly debated as
the faculty had never approved the recruitment of expatriate staff who were bachelor's
degree holders. He noted that this was the second time that the Department of
Accounting had to replace respondent in her course assignment, because "she has
never handled any course effectively."[28] Dean Kassa requested Vice President
Alamirew to take the necessary action, because keeping an idle expatriate staff was
unacceptable.
elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/60760
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