The Dodge

I FEEL embarrassed for two of my committee members. It's very obvious--to me at least--that they merely skimmed through my drafts of chapter 4 and 5. Perhaps because they have such busy schedules or perhaps because that is the full extent of their critical reading skills.

My one female committee member on the other hand has concise and insightful comments. Often, she brings up points in my draft that I have wondered about or worried about myself. I know and I am sure she has read my draft thoughtfully and responsibly.

I sit there and I think to my two male committee members, 'Tut-tut!' I've done that dodge before as a graduate student in English studies. In my Feminist Literary Criticism class to be exact, where we had to read one or two novels a WEEK. I have also seen the dodge too many times when I was a reporter. Seen it from politicians, lawyers and policemen when asked direct questions they obviously had to answer but did not want to answer.

I have also had the good fortune to have the sharpest readers as professors in the University of the Philippines; the late Franz Arcellana, Butch Dalisay, Jing Hidalgo. And of course, I've had the sharpest readers as editors, unflinching journalists who attack a draft with such glee: Chato Garcellano, Letty Magsanoc and yeah, ok, those other male editors.

So, here, I don't know if my two male committee members have an idea how much they are failing in my eyes. It hits me. Well, what would I expect from a non Ivy-league school? Excellent professors do exist in UMD. But so-so, run-of-the mill state college level professors also exist here. And they were sitting right in front me.

Suddenly, mas lalong bumango ang UP sa akin. Hey Third World doesn't mean third world in education excellence. Linchak! Mas maraming magaling na profs sa UP kesa sa UMD.