Text of the Policy Paper on Student Organizations’ Demands

Reclaiming the Rights of Student Organizations in the University of the Philippines

Background

At the height of the Marcos dictatorship, the Iskolars ng Bayan were able to force, through collective yet militant struggle, the re-establishment of student councils, publications and organizations in the University of the Philippines. Among the rights won in the aftermath of the students’ successful campaign included the beneficial use and possession of tambayans for various student organizations and student offices for the University Student Council, the Philippine Collegian and college student councils and publication. The tambayans and the student offices were used for free and provided basic amenities such as electricity and typewriters, in the presumption that student activities play a very important role in the learning process and training of UP students as future leaders and managers of different fields and professions of the country. On the other hand, student councils, publications and organizations were afforded the free use of different university and college facilities and equipment such as auditoriums, theaters, conference halls, overhead projectors, in pursuit fostering greater student involvement in university and national affairs. The procedural restraints of student organization recognition were also relaxed, with the university and its student leaders encouraging all types of student organizations to re-establish their university presence and engaging many others to found their own organizations based on their own interests and activities.

The Situation of Student Institutions Today

Almost three decades hence, the situation of student councils, publications and organizations are in a dismal state, despite token pronouncements by successive UP Administrations of its affirmation of the importance for these student institutions. In AY 2006-2007, the already constricted funding of the Philippine Collegian was subjected to administration intervention, causing the Collegian to default in publishing important news and analysis on the status of the newly implemented tuition increase. At present, no student elections have been held in UPLB, due to the forcible insistence of UPLB Chancellor Rey Velasco to impose his own anti-student version of the UPLB USC Constitution that betrays the principle of student autonomy, as the standing UPLB USC Constitution has long been followed by the students in more than a decade of student council elections.

The Worsening Conditions of Student Organizations

The Need for Tambayans

Nonetheless, equally disadvantaged are student organizations in the university. In UP Diliman, only about sixty tambayans are currently occupied by university-based student organizations, leaving more than half without tambayans in which to hold general assemblies, consolidation activities, and prayer meetings, among many other organizational tasks. However, those fortunate enough to receive tambayan assignments after a rigorous yet unreasonable process are not afforded a fully-functional tambayan. As most of these tambayans are not provided with electricity for low-wattage lighting, affected student organizations are forced to cease their tambayan activities upon nightfall. On the other hand, those tambayans provided with electricity are found to suffer from leaking roofs, flooding corridors, poor ventilation and the threat of demolition and displacement, precisely because of the unsound structural integrity of their tambayans as a result of years of university neglect in repairs.

While there are remarkable instances of fully-functional tambayans such as in the School of Economics, the College of Law, the College of Business Administration and the National College of Public Administration and Governance, these are very few in a sea of neglected yet important student facilities, notwithstanding the fact that very supportive college administrations were key indicators in ensuring such a fortunate predicament for their college student organizations.

We submit that tambayans are integral in the operations of student organizations, in the same manner that student councils and publications need their offices for their various activities. It is in tambayans, dilapidated or not, that student organizations plan their different activities, consolidate their members, engage in study sessions, and secure important organizational documents, among many other organizational tasks.

It is therefore imperative that the University Administration provide all student organizations fully-functional tambayans in the soonest possible time, with electricity for low-wattage lighting the first order of the day. We also demand that colleges extend tambayan hours until 8pm.

The Need for the Free Access to University Facilities and Equipment

Aside from the dismal tambayan problem, student organizations are faced with the issue of exorbitant rental rates in the use of university facilities and equipment for their different activities. For example, in the College of Mass Communication, the per-hour rate of the dilapidated CMC Auditorium is pegged at PhP3000/hour, while the average UP Diliman-wide per-hour rate of the use of LCD projectors amount to about PhP300/hour. Even the supposed UP student center, Vinzons Hall, require student organizations to pay about PhP100/hour for the use of any of its severely dilapidated student conference rooms, whether for general assemblies or activities. While student councils are granted the right of requesting Administration to waive the use of facilities and equipment, the same is not given to student organizations, with Administration asserting that extra-curricular student activities must pay market rates for the use of university facilities and equipment. As a result, student organizations encounter difficulties in holding many of their activities due to the high rental rates of facilities and equipment, especially when most of these activities do not need corporate sponsorships but simple activities such as acquaintance parties, general assemblies, academic forums, prayer meetings, leadership seminars and the like. It is therefore common to witness student organizations gathering in college lobbies and forming circles for their different meetings, precisely because of high rental rates of facilities and the corresponding lack of tambayans.

We submit that the university policy on the extra-curricular student use of facilities and equipment is misplaced, as it unnecessarily precludes student organizations from fulfilling their organizational goals and objectives, all of which are presumably in line with university goals and principles as well. We assert that while student organizations essentially engage in extra-curricular activities, these activities are fully subsumed in the holistic learning process that the university seeks to impart on its students, especially its student leaders. It is in these student activities that student organizations are able to validate in practice much of the theories learned in the classroom, particularly in the fields of accounting, management and leadership, economics and politics, among many other fields that are expressly or impliedly employed when students engage in student organizations. While we concede that these definitely constitute a cost to the university, the University Administration must view these as beneficial costs in pursuit of the holistic academic development of its students.

Therefore, we demand that the University Administration remove rentals rates for the use of all its facilities and equipment not only to student councils and publications, but to student organizations as well. In the immediate, we demand that the possession and the free beneficial use of student conference rooms of the Vinzons Hall be transferred to the control of the UP Diliman University Student Council. We also demand the immediate construction of the College of Education Student Center without the conditions set by the UP Diliman Chancellor that the College of Education Student Council provide the University a Centennial Professorial Chair worth PhP1.5M.

Corollary to this the students’ demand for the immediate construction of more bulletin and publicity boards in conspicuous places in the University, whether inside academic buildings or along its sprawling grounds, notwithstanding a need to relax regulation requirements in the proliferation of publicity materials for student activities. This problem is most apparent in larger UP campuses such as Diliman, Los Banos, Mindanao and Visayas, where there is no close proximity of academic buildings, thus, hampering publicity, campaign and recruitment efforts of different student organizations.

Moreover, we demand that concerned offices in control of university facilities and equipment exhibit flexibility in scheduling the use of its facilities and equipment, especially on student activities involving urgent matters of university or national importance, as endorsed by the Office of the Student Regent or the respective University Student Councils of each UP unit.

The Problem with UP Administration Regulation on Student Activities: On the Organization Recognition Process and the Right to Assembly

The tambayan and rental rates problems notwithstanding, another problem articulated by the student organizations is the rigorous yet taxing recognition process of student organizations. Emerging student organizations such as CMC’s PRAD encounter serious difficulty in getting their organizations recognized because of the fifteen-member quota imposed by the recognition process. Long-standing organizations such as the UP Education Society are under threat of failing to be recognized this year because of mere procedural limitations, such as failing to schedule interview dates on time. These are only among the many issues raised by student organizations on the procedure of organization recognition.

However, one of the bigger issues raised by student organizations is the full and continuing control of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and the Office of Student Affairs on the recognition process, where no student representatives are included in the organization recognition committee, notwithstanding the propensity of the OSA to determine the classes of student organizations being recognized in the University. In CMC, political organizations are banned from recognition on the mere basis of the orgs’ political nature. On the other hand, the League of Filipino Students in CSSP was recently denied recognition by the College Student Affairs Coordinator on the mere basis of duplication of recognition between the university-wide LFS chapter and its CSSP-based chapter. Clearly, this non-duplication requirement is not among the requirements for organization recognition as per the Student Handbook, notwithstanding the arbitrary demand by the CSSP College Student Affairs Coordinator for the submission of an essay to “justify the existence” of the LFS-CSSP.

The worst case of this would be the situation of student organizations in UPLB, where there is absolute administration intervention, not only in the organization recognition process, but also in the determination of what classes of student organizations are permissible in UPLB. As a result, religious organizations including Muslim and Christian organizations are under threat of non- recognition on the puny excuse that the University is a non-sectarian public institution, as per the Separation of Church and State. Varsitarian (Provincial) organizations are under threat of non-recognition in the premise that provincial organizations breed regionalism and preclude the establishment of national unity and identity. Moreover, fraternities and sororities are under threat of non-recognition in the premise that fraternities and sororities amplify the existing gender biases and prejudices among sexes.

It is clear in all of these that the organization recognition process by the University Administration in its different UP units are being used to curtail the students’ constitutional right to self-organization by fully controlling the process itself and even determining unilaterally which organizations deserve recognition by the University.

Nonetheless, we demand that the UP Administration follow the recognition process in UP Manila, where the Office of Student Affairs convenes and coordinates the student committee for org recognition which is composed of representatives of the University Student Council, College Student Councils and different student organizations. It is this process that upholds student autonomy in student affairs and it is one of the continuing hallmarks of the struggle of the students decades prior in claiming the rights of student organizations in the University.

In line with this, we demand, as a policy, that organization recognition be liberally construed in favor of student organizations and not on the strict implementation of recognition guidelines and procedures to enable a greater number of student organizations to enjoy the rights and privileges of recognized student groups.

Most importantly, we demand that the right to self-organization of students be preserved in the University of the Philippines, where the University Administration shall not dictate the classes of student organizations that may be recognized by the University, in the presumption that student organizations all engage in lawful and noble activities in pursuit not only of specific organization objectives, but for the development of the UP community and the country as well.

Another important consideration with regard to UP administration regulations involves the constriction of the right to assembly of student organizations particularly on university issues such as the tuition increase, and national issues such as the economic crisis. Student councils and organizations are prevented by faculty and college administrations from entering classrooms to discuss pressing issues while college-wide protest assemblies are disallowed in some colleges.

On this matter, we demand that the right to assembly of student organizations and councils be respected at all times in all UP units, subject only to coordination between college or university administration and the student councils or organizations concerned. Coordination shall be construed as mere notice to university or college administration, and shall not be the basis to prevent the students from the exercise of their right to assemble.

The Need for Democratic Representation of Students in Different Levels of University Affairs to Further Protect Student Rights

The more than twenty year experience of the Office of the Student Regent in representing the students in the Board of Regents is the paramount testament of the need for democratic representation in different levels of university affairs. It is this grant of right to the Student Regent that has enabled the highest student institution to steadfastly defend the different concerns of the UP students in the Board, from the expression of militant dissent on tuition increases and the submission of independent and critical policy papers for the better management of the university bureaucracy. On the other hand, the Colleges of Arts and Sciences in UP Manila and Social Work and Development in UP Diliman also recognize the right to representation of students in crafting their respective college policies by allowing a representative of their college student council to sit as a member of their college executive committees. Through the years, both college administrations and their students had achieved mutual benefit and cordial relations as a result of this, as each party’s differences in policies and perspectives are discussed at the onset, precluding unnecessary tensions and fostering an amicable yet principled atmosphere in these colleges.

It is this same principle and policy that the students seek to implement in different levels of university administration. As such, we demand that a member of the college student council be given a seat in the executive committees of their respective colleges in the UP System, following the CAS UP Manila or the CSWCD UP Diliman model of student representation. The student representation demanded shall also extend at the UP autonomous unit level, where a member of the University Student Council shall be given a seat to the autonomous units’ executive committee.

The Necessity of Collective Action by the Student Organizations and Students

In the history of the University, the Iskolars ng Bayan have always sought to let our voices be heard by the UP Administration and the Board of Regents whenever we present reasonable demands, especially as we celebrate our Centennial year and the existence of UP Charter provisions affirming the role and rights of students in the University. In this regard, we submit this policy paper in the hope that the UP Administration and the Board of Regents favorably consider the demands presented above.

We wish to state unmistakably the general sentiment of our student organizations on the entire matter –

At the center of this entire democratic rights campaign and policy paper is our deep concern on the tacit yet insidious effects of these student org policies, particularly the pacification of critical dissent of students in the University, not only on university issues such as the tuition and lab fee increases, but also on national affairs such as the present economic crisis felt by the Filipino people today.

By precluding student organizations from meeting with fellow students in large assembly areas such as theaters and auditoriums due to high rental rates, the flow of collective unities and criticisms of policies are not as efficient as it had been in decades past. By precluding student organizations from gathering in their tambayans and offices, the requisite consolidation, planning and empowerment of org members are not substantially met. By precluding student orgs from being recognized, its existence as trailblazers of change and reform are ultimately stunted by a seemingly interventionist administration.

In the ultimate analysis, the only way for the students to decisively win this struggle is by uniting with each other in principle and action, and assert its rights to the UP Administration and the Board of Regents.

We refer back to the story of the UP students in the late 70s and early 80s, when in the darkest days of the dictatorship, they stood up and struggled united in reestablishing the student councils, publications, and organizations and affording all these institutions indispensable rights and privileges that are now being systematically reversed by the UP Administration.

Today we shall stand up again. As we celebrate UP’s Centennial year, there is no better time to act than now.

Manifesto on the Acad Oval Policy

Below is a manifesto prepared by the University Student Council’s Community Rights & Welfare Committee under CSWCD Rep. Carmela Lagang seeking for a moratorium on the “One-Way Acad Oval” traffic policy of the UP Admin.
 
MANIFESTO OF UNITY AGAINST THE UNDEMOCRATIC IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ONE-WAY ACADEMIC OVAL POLICY
University Student Council (Community Rights & Welfare Committee)
All-UP Workers Union (AUPWU)
Office of the Student Regent (OSR)
Samahan ng mga Manininda sa UP (SMUP)
All-UP Transportation Forum (AUPTF)
All-UP Academic Employees Union (AUPAEU)

We believe that the history of our University proves that as a community, we have a proud tradition of taking part in the struggles of the people in and out of the University. Different sectors of our community, from the students to the residents of the various communities in campus, to the jeepney drivers and operators, contribute greatly in the everyday flow of activities in our university. As such, it is our role to be acquainted with each other’s demands regarding our issues and concerns as a community.
At the last week of March this year, the UP Administration imposed a “one-way policy” around the Academic Oval inside our campus. The rationale behind this policy is to lessen the pollution in campus and the volume of vehicles inside. However, this kind of scheme does not significantly reduce the number of vehicles that enter the university every day and it may even produce more vehicular emissions due to lengthened routes for public and private vehicles.

This kind of policy has affected the livelihood of UP transport groups, especially the drivers and operators of the Toki and Katipunan franchises. There have been no formal consultations between the transport groups, the students, and other affected sectors of the UP community by the UP Administration before the implementation of the policy. The “one-way policy” of the UP Administration adds more to the diminution of their income and has also created lengthened routes that force additional consumption of oil in a time when oil price hikes are relentless. According to the jeepney drivers, their incomes have not been enough to sustain an average family size of six members, as there is also a prevailing economic and political crisis in our country.

Aside from these predicaments, various student organizations and individuals were also consulted by the University Student Council and has expressed the inconvenience that the policy has brought them. Because of the lengthening and limitations in transport routes, it has taken many students a longer time to go to their classes and other important destinations in campus.
We, members of the different sectors of the UP community, recognize the services jeepney drivers have rendered to us and to our community for many years. We are one with the UP transport groups in opposition to this “one-way policy” of the UP Administration and in the campaign to bring back the drivers’ previous routes. We demand for: dialogues with the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs for the democratic consultation with consent from the affected sectors of the UP community; proper representation of jeepney drivers and students in the transport committee of the UP Administration; and the immediate resolution regarding the various conflicting issues on the implementation of the “one-way scheme” around the Academic Oval.

Manifesto Against 30 CMC Lab Fee Hikes

Below is a manifesto petition being circulated in the College of Mass Communication (CMC) by the CMC Student Council and the Student Alliance of the Advancement of Democratic Rights - UP CMC (STAND-UP CMC) with regards to the new laboratory fee hikes to be implemented in the college.

We, students of the College of Mass Communication, strongly condemn the railroading of the laboratory fee hikes in 10 Broadcast Communication subjects and 4 Broadcast Journalism subjects last March 12, and oppose similar impending hikes in at least 23 Film subjects. We take these recent moves as an assault to the principle of democratic consultation of the studentry and a clear indication of the commercialization route that our university is currently taking.

The proposed 16 new courses under the Broadcast Communication program also brought with it a fresh batch of laboratory fees ranging from P200 up to P1,000. As for the film courses, the proposed hikes during the first consultation last March 28 include the laboratory fees of both lecture classes (from P200 to P1,200) and production classes (from P800 to P3,200).

We stand firm and united against these anti-student policies that further render quality education as inaccessible, as this recent maneuver will set the trend in other degree programs in the college.

We also question the procedures and conditions which the approval of lab fees in Broadcast Communication subjects have undergone, and warn future tricks of a more scathing dissent from the broad number of uninformed or ill-informed students.

Rather than subscribe to the faulty logic of better facilities from greater lab fees, we remain steadfast in preserving democratic access to such mass media courses and in upholding the interest of the broad number of financially underprivileged students who will be severely hit by such increases.

The need to upgrade and replace some of the existing equipment and facilities in the college is unquestionable. However, we do not see the laboratory fee hikes as the panacea to the long-standing problem of the college in meeting the capital needs of equipment-intensive courses. Instead, we see the hikes as a counter-productive measure that will seriously limit the cultivation of skills of the broadest number of students, since costs always impose limits. This is a glaring truth especially in the context of worsening living conditions in the country.

In the interest of the Iskolar ng Bayan suffering under the harsh economic conditions engendered by the disregard of the Arroyo regime for the basic rights and needs of the people, we are determined to take effective steps to halt the impending lab fee hikes and to boldly assert that the new laboratory fee hikes in Broadcast Communication was railroaded. We persist in our call for greater state subsidy and demand the re-channeling of the people’s funds from widespread corruption to social services such as education.

No to Lab Fee Hikes!
No to Commercialization of Education!