MONTHS AFTER the 7-Eleven photo fiasco, the UST Office for Student Affairs (OSA) will be seeking feedback and suggestions from recognized student organizations and councils on policies and guidelines related to their campus activities.
OSA officer-in-charge Asst. Prof. Jaezamie Ong gave an assurance that different voices and perspectives of student organization leaders would be heard during the dialogue on April 15.
“This dialogue presents a valuable opportunity for you (student councils and organizations) to share your insights and contribute to shaping policies that directly impact student life and engagement on campus,” Ong said in a memorandum dated April 3.
“This collaborative exchange of ideas will be instrumental in informing [technical working group’s] recommendations and decisions moving forward.”
A technical working group formed by UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang O.P. has been “diligently reviewing” all student-related policies and guidelines, the memorandum said. Ong has been designated to lead the group.
Last month, UST said the Campus Journalism Act, which protects the rights of student journalists, would be considered in the policy review. It also vowed to “foster an environment conducive to learning and responsible development.”
The University is reassessing its policies on student activities following an intense backlash triggered by OSA’s order for campus media entity TomasinoWeb to take down one of its photos. The photo showing two information and computing sciences students entering a 7-Eleven store in their type B uniform supposedly caused “public ridicule.”
OSA’s issuance of show-cause notices to students associated with “non-recognized” organizations has also been criticized by groups who accused the office of having a “bureaucratic, repressive and outdated system.”
Under the code of conduct of the 2018 student handbook, students are prohibited from joining organizations that are not recognized by the University.
“The students shall join or form only student organizations whose objectives uphold the vision and mission of the University. Students shall join only organizations duly recognized by the University,” a provision of the handbook read.
In an earlier interview with The Flame, Ong admitted that the definitions in the handbook could raise problems as there are “no issues” with students joining non-recognized organizations as long as the groups’ names do not contain references to UST.
RELATED: OSA officer-in-charge says no issue with students joining non-recognized orgs but…
Controversies hounding OSA reached Congress, with Kabataan party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel filing a resolution seeking a probe on the censorship against TomasinoWeb and “other violations of student democratic rights.”
READ: House reso seeks probe on TomasinoWeb censorship, ‘democratic rights violation at UST’
According to the memorandum, the dialogue will allow representatives from each student cluster to discuss their collective concerns with the technical working group on April 15.
The dialogue with college-based organizations will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m, while that of university-wide organizations will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Both are represented by the Student Organization Coordinating Committee Board of Directors.
The technical working group’s meeting with central student council officers and local student council presidents will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. F
