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Draft of 2015 approved by the Magna Carta Congress on July 12, 2015
Article I. General Provisions
Section 1. Title. This document shall be called the UP Diliman Students
Magna Carta.
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. To fully realize the potential of each student
to contribute to the shared vision of building a national university geared
towards research and public service, it is the policy of the UP Diliman
Students Magna Carta to define, defend, promote, and enforce students
rights and welfare. It is recognized that the enforcement of this Document
is indispensable in nurturing a community of scholars that upholds honor
and inspires excellence, which mark and distinguish UP Education.
Section 3. Coverage. This document shall be enforceable against any
member of the UP Community for violation of any student right defined
herein, committed within or outside the premises of the University.
Section 4. Definitions.
a. A student is any individual admitted to and registered in a degree or
non-degree program, or cross-registered in any course of the
University on a regular or part-time basis, including one who is
officially on leave of absence; and who has not yet been separated
from the University through either transfer, graduation, honorable or
dishonorable dismissal, expulsion, or expiration of the period allowed
for maximum residence.
b. A registered student is any student with a Form 5A approved in
accordance with the rules of their program.
The UP Community shall consist of students, the teaching personnel, the
non-teaching personnel, and anyone under the administrative supervision of
the University.
Article II. Fundamental Rights
Section 1. Every student shall, at all times, be treated with dignity and
respect by all members of the UP community.
Section 2. No student shall be deprived of due process and the speedy
standards that will be applied in any course for which they are enrolled.
The University shall also provide complete and comprehensive university,
college, and program orientations.
Section 3. Every student has the right to an academic adviser.
Section 4. Every student has the right to access the course syllabus before
enrollment. He or she shall be formally informed in writing of the academic
standards that will be applied in any course for which they are enrolled.
Within the first week of the semester, the instructor shall provide students
with the full course description, the learning objectives, the course
requirements, the grading system, deadlines and academic consequences,
and acceptable make-up sessions.
Section 5. Every student shall have the right to enroll in a course required
in the curriculum. The University shall take steps to account for and assure
that the demand for subjects is met.
Section 6. Every student has the right to remain enlisted in a class provided
he or she has been validated for the semester. If there be cause justifying
the student's removal from the class list, he or she shall be consulted.
Section 7. The University shall ensure that classes are conducted within
school hours and as scheduled during the semester.
Section 8. Every student shall be able to leave classroom premises without
academic repercussions if the instructor has not arrived after 1/3 of the
class time has elapsed, provided, that the professor failed to inform the
class of his late arrival.
Instructors shall provide tangible and appropriate instructions to the
students whenever the former will be absent.
Section 9. Every student shall have the right to know the specific coverage
for an exam.
The result of the exam and any other academic requirement shall be
released within a reasonable time, provided that the deadline for dropping
or for grade submission is met as the case may be.
Every student shall have the right to fair, transparent, and objective
evaluation and reevaluation of his or her academic performance as well as
access to his or her class standing and grades breakdown at any time.
Section 10. The instructor shall not prejudice any student for any absence
based on a valid excuse.
No student shall be dropped from the subject, unless the number of hours
lost by absence reaches 20% of the hours of recitation, lecture, laboratory,
or any other scheduled work for the subject, provided, that an instructor
may prescribe a longer attendance requirement to meet special needs.
Section 11. Every student shall be entitled to regular consultation hours
during which instructors shall be available.
Section 12. Every student shall be given the opportunity, without fear of
reprisal, to evaluate faculty performance and course delivery, the
curriculum, and the course syllabus.
Section 13. A students academic freedom shall consist of, but shall not be
limited to, the following rights:
a. To choose a field of study from among existing curricula, given the
specific conditions and requirements for acceptance in a certain field.
b. To conduct research and to freely discuss and publish their findings
and recommendations as long as they present them as their own.
c. To be afforded due process, as provided for in existing rules governing
students, faculty, and staff, for the redress of academic-related
grievances.
Section 14. Every student shall have the right to continue their course
therein up to graduation, except in cases of academic deficiency or violation
of disciplinary rules.
Every student shall be personally informed of any matter or circumstance
directly affecting his or her academic status.
Article IV. Right to Adequate, Accessible, and Safe Facilities and Services
Section 1. The University shall provide and maintain operation of adequate,
accessible, and safe campus facilities, spaces, and services such as:
a. academic facilities
b. housing facilities and services
c. health and medical facilities and services
d. sports facilities
e. facilities for extra-curricular activities
f. student centers and organization spaces
g. spaces for free exercise of religious beliefs
h. food facilities and services
i. waste management facilities
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Section 2. The University shall endeavor to provide for the use of these
campus facilities, spaces, and services free of charge.
Article V. Right to Representation
Section 1. Students shall have the right to establish and run structures of
self-governance, mechanisms for advocacy, and systems of decision-making.
To this end, the University shall support and facilitate the creation and
operation of student councils and student publications.
Section 2. Students shall have the right to represent themselves in decisionmaking, policy-making, and adjudicatory bodies as well as to participate in
or influence the governance of the University.
They shall have the right to examine existing school policies, initiate
appropriate amendments and appeal decisions of policy-making bodies .
This shall also apply to college-level decisions or any sub-unit of the college.
Section 3. Beyond student representation in different committees, students
shall have the right to be consulted before any school rule affecting them is
approved and implemented.
Consultations shall be in the form of focus group discussions and student
assemblies. Reasonable time shall be given for students to decide on the
matter. No vote in an assembly shall be valid unless there is attendance of
at least a simple majority of the students in the college or unit.
Section 4. The students shall have the right to be consulted, as provided in
the preceding section, on any proposed increase or creation of school fees
and apprised of their respective justification. There shall be systemic
dissemination of adequate information regarding tuition and school fees.
The Board of Regents shall act on a proposal to adjust school fees only after
sufficient and proper consultation with the students prior to the academic
year when the increase or creation of school fees is to take effect. A school
fee approved in the first semester shall take effect in the first semester of
the next academic year. A school fee approved in the second semester shall
take effect in the second semester of the next academic year.
Any necessary adjustments and objections shall be discussed in consultative
meetings which shall be properly documented and circulated. In justifying
any proposed tuition increase or creation of school fees before the Board of
Regents, the School Administration shall be required to present the
pertinent financial statements for the last five (5) years immediately
preceding the proposal for such increase or creation of school fees. These
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financial statements must include, but shall not be limited to, the proposed
budget, the fund allocated by the government and the self-generated funds,
and the breakdown of the expenses of the college or unit involved.
Section 5. No involuntary contributions shall be exacted from students
except those approved by their own organizations or student governments.
Section 6. Students shall have the right to establish student publications
consistent with existing statutes on campus journalism. All publications
produced by students shall be self regulated. School authorities shall not
unduly sanction members of campus press and media.
Section 7. Students shall have the right to initiate the formulation,
modification and rejection of a school policy affecting students by making
proper representation to official bodies.
A student initiative that succeeds in securing the support of at least 10% of
the student population, in the university-level, college level, or unit-level, as
the case may be, may compel the concerned administration to deliberate on
the school policy at issue . At least two (2) representatives from the
concerned initiative shall be allowed to participate in the deliberations.
A student initiative may furthermore directly enact, modify, or reject a
school policy; provided, that a signed petition of at least 20% of the student
population of the university or college level, as the case may be, is
submitted to the OVCSA; provided, further, that the petition shall be
subjected to a student referendum. The referendum shall be officially
conducted by a body specifically appointed by the OVCSA upon the
expiration of a 60-day period, which shall begin 10 working days from
submission of documents showing compliance with the formal requirements
to the OVCSA.
Section 8. Student leaders, including members of the school publication,
shall be assured of security of tenure in their positions for the duration of
their term, unless removed due to academic cases, disciplinary cases,
impeachment, resignation, or death.
Article VI. Right to Organization
Section 1. Students shall have the right to form, assist, join, and participate
in organizations, fraternities, sororities, societies, formations, and alliances
in the University, in the pursuit of common purpose, principles, interests,
and other lawful goals.
The University shall recognize the choice of the student as to which
organization to join and when he or she decides to join.
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Community.
A petition for enforcement may be filed by any student or group of students
who wish to invoke particular provisions of the Magna Carta, there being no
palpable violation thereof by any member of the UP Community.
Section 2. Magna Carta Tribunal. A Magna Carta Tribunal shall receive
complaints and petitions for enforcement. The tribunal shall be composed of
the Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs, who shall be an ex officio member, a
representative from the University Student Council, a representative from
the Law Student Government, a representative from the student body
nominated by the USC, a representative from the teaching personnel, and a
representative from the non-teaching personnel.
Section 3. Complaint; how commenced. A complaint or incident report in
writing shall be submitted to the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Student
Affairs. It shall contain the acts committed, the specific provision of the
Magna Carta violated, and the identity of the defendant. Other pieces of
evidence supporting the allegations shall be attached to complaint or
incident report.
Section 4. Response. Within five (5) calendar days from receipt of notice of
the complaint filed against him or her, the defendant shall submit a
response in writing, serving a copy to the complainant.
Section 5. Finding of the Magna Carta Tribunal. Upon the finding of a prima
facie violation, the Tribunal shall recommend that the Chancellor issue a
formal charge against the respondent/s. Otherwise, the complaint shall be
dismissed. In all cases, the Tribunal shall submit its report to the Chancellor
or dismiss the complaint within five (5) days from the date it is convened.
Section 6. Hearing Committee; when constituted; composition. Upon
recommendation of the Magna Carta Tribunal to the Chancellor that a
formal charge should be issued, the Chancellor shall constitute a committee
for the purpose of hearing the case. There shall be, at least, one member
each from the student body, the teaching personnel, and the non-teaching
personnel.
The members of the hearing committee shall be obtained from a pool of
nominees submitted by the members of the Magna Carta Tribunal upon its
constitution. They shall be formally appointed by the Office of Chancellor.
Failure of a hearing committee member to attend to his or her duties shall
warrant disciplinary action as determined by the internal rules of the
Tribunal.
Section 7. Proceedings and prohibited actions. The Hearing Committee shall
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of existing laws.
Article X. Final Provisions
Section 1. The Magna Carta shall be construed in favor of the students. Its
provisions shall be self-executing.
Section 2. If any provision of this act is declared invalid, the remainder
thereof shall subsist.
Section 3. The provisions of this Magna Carta shall take effect in the regular
semester after its approval.
Section 4. The Magna Carta may be amended four (4) school years after the
semester in which it has taken effect, unless justifiable causes warrant
amending it outside the prescribed timeframe. Any sector of the University
of the Philippines Diliman, through its official representatives, may propose
amendments through the University Student Council.
Section 5. The Board of Regents, as the highest policy-making body of the
University, shall be the final interpreter of the Magna Carta.