By: Lovely Jane D. Semodio
After the successful ratification of the University Student Council Constitution and By-Laws 2011, the University Student Council, as the highest student governing body in the University of the Cordilleras, trailblazed a student-centered governance.
In photo: the Elected USC Officers for the Academic Year 2024-2025.
In the exercise of the USC’s powers and duty to represent the student body as part of the policy-making bodies of the university administration whenever matters and policies directly affect the USC, the university, and the students, they moved to convene the College Representatives. Based on Section 10, Article V of the USC CBL 2024, College Representatives serve as a liaison between the USC and the College Student Councils; they form part of the Parliamentary Proceeding of the Council, the policy decision-making venue of the council.
In the parliament of the USC conducted on March 23, 2024, a discussion on the institutionalization of an inclusive decision-making process of the university, centered on heightened student participation, was pursued and approved by the parliament. This includes the following provisions established in Article V, Section 1 of the USC Constitution and By-Laws:
(c) Coordinate with the university administration to maintain ideal conditions conducive to learning. Towards this end, the USC shall endeavor to promote cordial relations between and among students, members of the faculty, and the school administration.
(d) Represent the student body as part of the policy-making bodies of the university administration whenever matters and policies directly affecting the USC, the university, or the students are considered for adoption or enforcement.
(e) Express disagreement in a legal and professional manner to any policies or decisions of the University that shall or may affect the common interest of the student body.
(f) Present and make recommendations, which shall directly or indirectly affect the general welfare of the students, to the respective University Authority.
As the academic year progresses, a new set of USC Officers for the Academic Year 2024–2025 were elected on July 19, 2024, aiming to foster student representation through student-servant leadership. Together with the election of the new officers, new sets of the League of Governors, composed of the Governors from the College Student Councils; the Office of the Ombudsman, a body acting as the judicial branch of the council; and the College Representatives, were elected, bolstering a renewed and stronger commitment to student representation in every decision-making process in the Council and in the University.
