USC House Rules

Rule I – MEMBERS

1. The members of the Council are the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, the University Councilors and the College Representatives.

Rule II – COMMITTEES

1. Type of committees, defined:
   1. Standing Committees are those specifically provided for in Article VII of the USC Constitution:
      • Secretariat Committee [Art. VII, Sec 3(e)];
      • Finance Committee [Art. VII, Sec 4(f)];
      • Ways and Means Committee [Art. VII, Sec 5(c)];
      • Mass Media Committee [Art. VII, Sec 6(d)];
   2. Special Standing Committees are those created by the Council to perform functions during the entire course of the Council’s term. Special Standing Committees shall be created through the submission of Committee proposals at the start of the Council’s term, following rules specified by the Council Chairperson or the Council, and upon approval by the Council;
   3. Ad Hoc Committees are those created by the Council Chairperson or the Council, at any time during the course of the Council’s term, to perform specific functions for a specific, limited period of time.
2. Chairpersons of the different Committees shall be chosen as follows:
   1. Chairpersons of Standing and Special Standing Committees shall be chosen through elections by the Council.
   2. Chairpersons of Ad Hoc Committees shall be appointed by the Council Chairperson, with the consent of the body.
   3. Only University Councilors my head the Standing Committees of the Council.
3. The Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson of the Council shall sit as ex-officio members of all the Committees. They are not required to attend all the meetings of all the committees. The Committee Chairpersons must inform the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson of the progress of their committees’ workings.
4. No member of the Council shall be the Chairperson of more than one Standing or Special Standing Committee. All Council members must be a member of at least one Standing Committee and one Special Standing Committee.
5. Committees shall have the power to create Sub-Committees and delegate to the latter such functions as may be necessary. A Sub-Committee report or recommendation, enjoying the unanimous support to the Sub-Committees, which is submitted to the Committee, shall be adopted by the latter. However, the Committee may still vote against the adoption of such report or recommendation.

Rule III – SESSIONS

1. Unless the Council orders otherwise, the regular General Assembly shall be held at the University Student Council Office, Vinzon’s Hall 2nd flr, at 5 pm every other Wednesday of the month.
2. A majority vote (50%+1) of the Council members as a whole shall constitute a quorum. Only when a quorum has been reached can a formal session commence and proceed.
3. The sessions of the Council shall be in public, except when otherwise provided in these rules.
4. Non-members of the Council cannot participate in Council deliberations, except when endorsed by a Council member, and only when the point to be raised is in the context of the meeting.
5. The Council reserves the right to hold closed-door sessions, upon a motion to close the doors, and upon showing that the subject under discussion will be better resolved in such manner; provided, that there shall be at least 2/3 majority vote of those present in favor of such motion.
6. Only Council members shall be admitted to such closed-doors sessions.
7. Council members walking across the session hall or texting/ using cellular phones or other electronic devices that may disrupt the session shall be reprimanded.
8. Council members who wish to leave the session room during sessions, must inform the Secretary, in the least disruptive manner possible, of his/her request to leave the session and give his/ her reason. The secretary shall record the time of Council member’s departure from and return to the session hall and the reason thereof.
9. No Council member is allowed to smoke during General Assemblies. Likewise, no council member must busy him/herself with texting or using cellular phones.
10. Sessions shall not be suspended or adjourned except by a majority vote of the Council in session.
11. The exact time of opening and adjourning the session shall be entered in the minutes.

Rules IV – ORDER OF BUSINESS

1. The daily Order of Business shall be as follows:
   1. Roll Call
   2. Reading and approval of the minutes of the previous session
   3. Report of the Chairperson
   4. Report of the Vice-Chairperson
   5. Reports of the College Representatives
   6. Financial report
   7. Committee reports
   8. Unfinished business
   9. Business of the day
2. The minutes of the proceedings of the sessions of the Council shall be presented to the Chairperson for examination and approval before they are submitted to the Council for final approval.
3. Upon notice and approval by the Council, the reading of the minutes will be dispensed with.
4. The Council Chairperson must include in his/her report to the General Assembly of the Council performance reports on each Committee Chairperson.
5. The Secretary General must report on the standing of each Council member, particularly on delinquencies related to absences/ tardiness.
6. Committee Heads must include in their reports performance reports on each committee member.
7. All resolutions shall be submitted to the Chairpersons and the Secretary General at least two days prior to a special or regular meeting.
8. Any member may deliver a privilege speech before the body, but s/he shall be limited to only ten minutes, subject to one extension of ten minutes by a majority vote of Council members present and voting. Any member desiring to deliver a privilege speech must inform the Chairperson and the Secretary at least two days before the scheduled meeting when s/he is to deliver his speech.
9. The consideration of the unfinished business in which the council will be engaged at the time of the adjournment shall be referred to committees, and so on each succeeding meeting until such business is deposited to.
10. After all pending business is disposed of, the Chairperson shall commence the business for the day.
11. After the commencement of the business for the day, the Chairperson shall proceed to the unassigned business. S/he shall first request council members wishing to discuss a particular business to manifest it before proceeding to discuss each matter. The secretary shall make notice of the order of each manifestation.

Rule V – AGENDA

1. Any member who desires any matter to be included in the agenda must inform the Chairperson and the Secretary at least two days before the scheduled meeting, either personally or by written communication, unless there are meritorious circumstances deemed by the Chairperson, in which case, the member shall inform the Chairperson and the Secretary at least two hours before the scheduled meeting.

   If either the Secretary General or the Chairperson desires to have any matter included in the agenda, they shall also inform each other in the method described above.

   If these rules are violated, the matter shall not be taken up except by a majority vote of the members present. Even then, it shall take the least priority.

2. The agenda shall be posted and distributed among the Council Members not less than one day preceding the session, unless there are meritorious circumstances under Sec. 1.

Rule VI – USE OF THE USC NAME

1. All incoming, outgoing, internal and external communications, transactions, official businesses and functions, projects and the like must be approved by the Chairperson and noted by the Secretary-General. As such, those that are not duly noted and approved shall be considered invalid and the Council Member causing such invalid communication or transaction will be sanctioned.
2. All official USC statements shall be made by the Council through the Mass Media and Education & Research Committees. Members of said committees are to participate in the drafting of the statement. This does not preclude other council members from participating. Statements shall be posted in the email groups at least two days before publication. Statements shall be ratified by a majority of all Council members. A lack of objections equivalent to an implied consent.

   However, urgent USC statements, as determined by the Chairperson may be posted at least 24 hours before publication. Notice of such statement shall be forwarded to the Chairperson and Secretary-General. A hard copy of the USC statement shall be left in the USC office. A USC statement will not be published if a majority of the council objects to its publication within 24 hours after a copy is left in the office.

   Released statements which violate the above provision shall not be recognized by the USC.

   Any valid objections to the statements shall be duly noted and recorded in the logbook.

3. All USC projects must be approved by a majority of all the USC members present. Projects not approved will not be recognized by the USC.

Rule VII – MOTIONS AND THEIR PRECEDENCE

1. Every motion made to the Council shall be entered in the Journal with the name of the member making it unless it is withdrawn during the meeting.
2. When a motion has been made, the Chairperson shall state it to the Council and it shall then be considered as having been brought to the attention of the Council but it may be withdrawn at any time before a decision is arrived at.
3. When a question is under a debate, no motion shall be entertained, except to adjourn, to declare a recess, lay on the table, to postpone to a certain date (which motions shall be decided without debate), to efer, to amend or to postpone indefinitely.
4. No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.
5. Amendments to a title of a measure shall not be in order until after the text thereof has been perfected. Amendments to the title may be open for debate.
6. A motion to read any part of these Rules is equivalent to a call to order or question and shall take precedence of any motion other than to adjourn.

Rule VIII – QUESTIONS OF PRIVILEGE

1. Questions of privilege are:
   1. Those affecting the rights of the Council collectively, it safety, dignity and the integrity of its proceedings;
   2. Those affecting the rights, reputation and conduct of the members, individually, in their representative capacity.
2. Questions of privilege shall have precedence over all other questions, except motion to adjourn.

Rule IX – THE SUSPENSION OF HOUSE RULES

1. Kind of meetings, defined:
   1. Regular meetings – are those explicitly provided for in No. 1, Rule 3 of these House Rules;
   2. Special meetings – are those meetings, other than the regular meetings, which shall be agreed upon and set by the council;
   3. Emergency meetings – are those meetings aside from the regular and special meetings, which shall be called by the Chairperson to consider impotents maters that require immediate Council attention.
2. No motion shall be entertained to suspend these Rules except on emergency meetings.
3. These rules or any of its provisions may be amended only by an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the members of the council present and voting. Provided that notice of the proposed amendment must be submitted to the Chairperson and the Secretariat Committee at least three days before the meeting in which it is to be considered.

Rule X – DECORUM AND DEBATE

1. The Chairperson shall be the presiding officer. He shall preside over all meetings of the council, provided that in case he desired to take part in the debate, he may name the vice-chairperson or, in the absence of the latter, any member of the council to take the chair.
2. When two or more members rise at once, the Presiding officer shall name the member who is to speak first and the order of the subsequent speakers.
3. If any Member, in any speech or otherwise, shall transgress the Rules of the Council, the Presiding Officer shall on his/her own initiative or at the request of any Member, call him/her to order, the Council shall, if appealed to, decide on the case. If the Council’s decision is in favor of the member who is called to order, s/he shall be at liberty to proceed.
4. While the Presiding Officer is addressing the House or putting a question, no member shall walk out or across the hall.
5. Every member wanting to leave the room must inform the Secretary, in the least disruptive manner possible. The Secretary must record the time of departure and the reason.

Rule XI – VOTING

1. Voting may be in the form of silent assent, viva voce, by show of hands, by secret ballot, or by roll call.
2. When voting by show of hands, the Presiding Officer shall put a question in this form, “As many are in favor (as the question may be), please raise your right hand.” After the affirmative voice is expressed, counted and recorded, “As many are opposed, please raise your right hand.” If there are any doubts or another division is called form the House shall again divide.
3. When deciding on issues or the Council’s official position on an issue, voting shall be by roll call so that the Council and the public may know where each member stands on an issue.
4. All votes shall be recorded. Should any member request to explain his/her vote, s/he may do so.
5. No motions, except one regarding the presence of a quorum, shall be entertained during voting.
6. In case of a tie, the motion shall either be lost or carried depending on the vote cast by the Presiding Officer.
7. Any member who arrives after a motion has been deliberated and put to a vote, may not participate in the voting.
8. Election in absentia is not allowed.
9. Voting by proxy is not allowed as well.
10. At all times, the Council must strive to build a consensus decision among Council members.

Rule XI – ROLL CALLS & ABSENCES

1. In calling the roll of the Council, the Chairperson and the Vice Chairperson shall be called first. Afterwards, the Councilors shall be called alphabetically by their surnames. Finally, the name of the College Representatives shall be called alphabetically by the name of the college they represent.
2. Any council member who arrives after the roll shall be marked late. Any council member who leaves before adjournment shall be marked as having done so and considered in the same way as one who has arrived late. Four unexcused cases of tardiness shall be counted as one unexcused absence. Council members who have arrive late must submit their excuse slips or letters for consideration by the Secretary, not more than 3 days after the session.
3. Three consecutive absences from regular Council sessions without valid excuses shall merit a memo or warning from the Secretary. Four consecutive unexcused absences from regular Council sessions shall mean automatic dropping of the Council member from the roll of the Council. S/he shall cease to be a member of the Council and shall be informed by the Secretary of the fact. Failure to attend at least 60% of the regular sessions per semester shall mean automatic dropping of the concerned Officer from the roll of the Council. S/he shall cease to be a member of the Council and shall be informed by the Secretary of the fact.
4. An activity may be declared as a mandatory USC activity by a majority vote of the members present.
   It shall be considered as a regular council session under the preceding section.

5. The Secretary shall inform the dropped council member of his/her status and the reason therefore. The Secretary shall include the notice a statement that if the Council Member wishes to return, s/he should explain and justify his or her side on the next General Assembly following the receipt of the notice. With the affirmative vote of 2/3 of the council members, the drop council member shall be reinstated.
6. The Secretary and Chairperson shall determine the validity of the excuse slips, provided that should the Secretary be in question, the chairperson shall decide. The concerned Council members shall submit their excuse slips, for consideration by the Secretary, no later than three working days after the session, in cases of absences. Excuse letters submitted late will not be honored. In case of absences or tardiness due to health reasons, a medical certificate shall be required.
7. Rule 12, Sec. 1 and 2 shall apply to Committee Meetings and Executive Committee Meetings.

Rule XIII – OFFICE RULES

1. Smoking shall not be allowed inside the USC office.
2. Use of the office facilities shall be available to all students of the university provided that USC officials shall have priority over such use. Students who wish to use such facilities must register at the counter.
3. Councilors are required to spend at least 5 hours a week insider the USC office. College representatives are required to spend at least 3 hours a week inside the office.
4. Littering inside the office shall be severely punished.

Rule XIV – OTHER MATTERS

1. 1.The Committees, as they dispose of their business, shall have the papers relating there to be delivered and kept and preserved in the general files of the Council for future reference. Committee heads must submit to the Secretary the minutes of the meeting and regular performance reports on each committee member two days after every committee meeting.
2. The Secretary of the Council shall, within three days after adjournment of a meeting, take charge of keeping and filing all resolutions, petitions and other papers referred to , together with all date evidence and reports gathered by such committees during sessions, which have not been reported to the Council, and at the adjournment of the last meeting of the council, all papers still in the possession of any committees shall be delivered to and preserved in the general files, and all papers of a confidential nature with Committees concerned, or the Council may order to be considered confidential shall be placed in the confidential files.
3. The Secretary shall submit a synopsis of the Council meetings (including records and absences and tardiness) to the Philippine Collegian for publication.
4. The Secretary shall post the minutes of the Council meeting (including records of absences and tardiness) on the USC Billboard outside the USC office, and in the College Billboards of the College of Engineering and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy as well as in any other College that may request so.
5. Any violation of these rules shall constitute a ground for suspension or expulsion from the council.