lame ean = yt) ae REGENT Report of the Student Regent (June-July 2015) Submitted to the 1309" Board of Regents Meeting 22 July 2015 40" General Assembly of Students Councils and annual KASAMA sa UP National Congress The system-wide search of the 33% student regent was successfully concluded during the 40" General Assembly of Student Councils (GASC) held last June 20 to 22 at the University of the Philippines Visayas main campus, Miag-2o, lloilo The Codified Rules for Student Regent Selection or CRSRS was upheld and served to be effective, as shown through the swift attainment of a consensus. With me are Mr. Raoul Daniel Manual of UP Visayas and Mr. John Carlo Lorenzo of UP Manila as second and third nominees, respectively, Several resolutions were submitted to, deliberated upon, and unanimously passed by the General Assembly. These are, as follows: (@) No. 1, introduced by UP Manila University Student Council, urging the passage into law of Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill, pending before the Philippine Congress; (b) No. 2, introduced by UP Manila College of Arts and Sciences Student Council, urging support for the "Kabataan, Tayo ang Pag-asa” national campaign of the Kabataan Partylist; and () No. 8, introduced by UP Diliman University Student Council, urging support for the campaigns and activities of the Rise for Education Aliance. ‘The KATIPUNAN NG MGA SANGUNANG MAGAARAL SAUP or KASAMASAUP—as the largest, broadest, and sole alliance of student councils in the university system— held its annual National Congress also in Miagao from June 17 to 19. There, the election of the new National Executive Council for the ensuing academic year was successfully held. The Alliance is now led by National Chairperson Raoul Manuel—likewise elected on a consensus— vice Eduardo “Eds” Gabral of UP Diliman Student Agenda and List of General Demands The Student Agenda and List of General Demands (SAGD) was successfully compiledand approved during the 40" GASC. As the SAGD will be raised in our meeting in due course, after itis finalized, we humbly request for an audience with President Alfredo Pascual to discuss the matterand address the immediate concemns raised in the agenda. As already reported during the previous student regent report, we too hope for the administration to welcome the SAGD and take affirmative steps in favor of the demands set out, to further empower and protect the studentry, Year-end system-wide policy review initiative The OFFICE OF THE STUDENT REGENT initiated a system-wide assessment of the Social Tuition (ST) System and the academic calendar shift, as well as the Student Academic Information System or SAIS, wherever applicable, one year after their implementation. This initiative is made possible through the university and local student councils and we look forward to receiving their responses. At the outset, nonetheless, from our initial consultations with students and other university stakeholders, we see that the currently used academic calendar has no direct benefit to the students and has not contributed significantly to the overall quality and accessibility of education that are seen as the foremost problem of our educational system, STSystem, on the other hand, has been reformed multiple times throughout history. Yet, itis still prevalent that these reforms do not address the root cause of the students disdain with mis-bracketing and ultimately expensive education beyond the reach of the common Filipino. Upon the compilation and completion of the unit reports submitted by councils a comprehensive report regarding the said policies will be submitted at the soonest possible time to the Board of Regents for immediate action. President Pascual's on-screen statement regarding UP’s accessibility On 14 July, President Pascual appeared on television in an interview, claiming that less than 10% of the students in the national university pay at least 18,000 PHP per semester. We find this appraisal somehow underwhelming, given the qualms we have repeatedly heard mostly from students who are directly affected by the university's policy on tuition and other school fees The OFFICE OF THE STUDENT REGENT therefore respectfully urges the president to clarify this matter and, in fact, substantiate this claim by releasing for public scrutiny the comprehensive and accurate data with regard to the results of the reformed tuition system. TrayPhilippine Student Leaders Forum ‘The OFFICE OF THE STUDENT REGENT is pleased to work with the UP administration along with its offices in organizing the first Philippine Student Leaders’ Forum (PSLF) on 23 to 24 July. Regional integration within Southeast Asia, being the main talking point of this forum, is crucial for the Filipino youth and leaders to be critical as we develop as student leaders into leaders of the nation. As the University and our scholars learn from this opportunity and experience, it is our hope that we become more capable of hosting our neighbors in the region during the ASEAN Student Leaders’ Forum in the year to come—the most successful and progressive one yet. We value the help of the chairpersons of the UP Diliman, Manila. Los Bafios and Baguio University Student Councils in helping us organize the event. Directorship of UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga We have received a copy of a letter addressed to Chancellor Michael Tan regarding the concerns in UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga (DEPP) with the continuing delay in the search process of the extension campus’ new director. We are deeply concemed with the delay's negative consequences and demands urgency from Chancellor Michael Tan, as well as President Pascual and this Board, to be swift in resolving these concerns andselecting finally a qualified director with the capacity to lead and unite the DEPP faculty, staff, and students. For the students and the people, \ , NEILL JOG. MACUHA MIGUEL ENAICC A.) PANGALANGAN ingStudent Regent Student Regeht-s: