Members c. 28,000 | Website www.upd-usc.net | |
Established 1913, reorganized in 1924 | ||
The University Student Council of the University of the Philippines Diliman (Filipino: Ang Konseho ng Mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman) is the official student representative body of the Philippines' premiere institution of higher learning. As such, it represents the interests of the students within and outside the University. The University Student Council, also known as USC, exists to represent UP students in various affairs of the University, acting as the voice of students in the local, national, and international issues.
Contents
- Membership
- Governance
- Finances
- The UP Student Council 1913 1950
- The UP Student Council 1951 1968
- Notable Former Chairpersons
- References
As the highest student representative body in the university, the USC is composed of members elected amongst the student body, mandated to organize and direct campaigns and activities to defend and promote students’ rights, and improve the students’ general welfare. Furthermore, it provides direct services to the student body.
Membership
Reflecting the collegiate nature of the University of the Philippines itself, USC is both an association of UP's more than 28,000 individual students and a federation of the different college student councils in UP that represent all undergraduate and graduate students.
The current members of the USC, serving for Academic Year 2016-2017, are as follows:
University Councilors:
College Representatives:
Governance
The USC is composed of the following officers: Chairperson (who serves as chief executive officer), Vice Chairperson (who serves as convenor of the League of College Councils or LCC), and twelve (12) University Councilors, all elected at large. In addition, each degree granting college is represented in the USC by a College Representative(s).
The chairperson supervises the standing and special standing committees of the USC.
The standing committees of the USC, which shall be headed by only University Councilors are:
As of USC 2015-2016, the following are the special standing committees of the USC and its corresponding head:
Finances
The USC is financed by the compulsory Student Fund generated from the fees collected from students upon registration, sponsorships from the activities and donations. It also receives grants for specific projects and activities.
The UP Student Council 1913-1950
1913: The Student Council of UP was instituted under the auspices of UP President Barlett. Manuel Tabora of the UP College of Law was the first Chairman of the Student Council.
October 6, 1913: The USC participated in the popular demonstration in honor of Governor-General Harrison.
December 15, 1917: First student protest against a Manila police captain and his men for arresting Victoriano Yamzon during the first University Day. The police have mistaken the 1st Editor of College Folio as part of an unruly crowd.
March 12, 1918: First protest of Freshmen. They petitioned to Board of Regents to extend their scholarship
July 17, 1918: Students led by Carlos P. Romulo and Jose Romero held a rally from UP to Sta Cruz Bridge at The Manila Times office to protest the editorial of the newspaper criticizing UP President Ignacio Villamor
January 21, 1921: The Executive Committee (EC) of the University approved a memorandum embodying the idea of creating an inter-collegiate student council.
1922: The EC approved the adoption by the student body of a so-called "bill of rights of the USC." It would take two more years before the constitutional convention for the creation of a USC would take place.
Bill of Rights:
September 27, 1924: UP President Rafael Palma revived the University Student Council (USC). The student fund was Php 1.50. The first projects of the USC were the establishment of the post office building and awarding of scholarships and medals to outstanding students.
January 31, 1926: USC initiated the first meeting of students from different colleges and schools ever held in Manila at the Zorilla theater. The USC then was composed of 96 members with each class of every college entitled to two representatives. The USC also published the Philippinensian.
1927: The USC passed a resolution radically reducing the number of USC members to 24.
1929: The USC protested the increase of fees and the rigid rules of the Department of Physical Education
January 18, 1933: Demonstration in students in support of the Hare-Hawes Cutting Act. President Quezon disapproved of the rally saying that students should be studying for their examinations and should not participate in political affairs.
Students also held a rally at the same year protesting the bill that will reorganize government personnel except legislators. Lawmakers who visited the university were booed and heckled.
June 1935: Both USC candidates for the position of President received equal number of votes even after two hours of repeated deliberations. The candidates agreed to divide the term upon the behest of the council adviser. Thus, the deadlock was broken.
1937: UP students and faculty campaigned for the right of Filipino women to vote
February 5, 1939: The USC petitioned the BOR that it be given the power to elect the Editor-in-Chief of the Philippine Collegian. The USC reasoned that since it is the highest governing student body, it must be given control over the official student organ.
1940: USC office located in 2nd floor of the newly built Alumni Hall with the Philippine Collegian, Philippinensian and Institute of National Language. USC also started to elect a Vice-Chairperson not from UP Los Banos Representatives. Instead they elected a student from Veterinary Science to be the Vice-Chair.
1946: USC was revived after World War II together with other student organizations notably the Junior and Senior Student Councils. USC passed a resolution affirming faith in UP President Gonzales amidst rumors university not satisfied with administration.
April 1948: USC President Villanueva observed that a major problem in the university was the deficiency of the students in their command of English.
1950: Huks attacked PC Detachment in Balara sending dorm residents to take cover in basements and in the Law building.
The UP Student Council 1951-1968
Marcelo Fernan, Homobono Adaza, Randolf David, Delfin Lazaro, Miriam Defensor – before they became prominent public figures, they were members of the UP Student Council during this period.
March 29, 1951: First UP Diliman student rally to Malacañan Palace led by the USC, Senior Student Council, Junior Student Council and the Woman's Club to express support for UP President Gonzales who invited Claro M. Recto, arch critic of President Quirino, to deliver commencement address at UP graduation. Vidal Tan eventually replaced Gonzales. But the students won the right to listen to Recto on their graduation and have Gonzales sign their diplomas instead of President Tan.
November 30, 1952: USC Chair Rafael Salas led the students to a rally in Malacañan Palace protesting the policies of President Elpidio Quirino.
August 4, 1955: USC Chair Fernando Campos held an emergency meeting expressing support for three members of the Board of Regents (BOR) and planned a rally demanding ouster of Fr. John Patrick Delaney from UP for interfering in university affairs
November 1955: The UP Student Catholic Action (UPSCA) and the Upsilon Sigma Phi Fraternity war flared anew when four UPSCA USC members filed charges against Campos, an Upsilonian. The charges were illegal alteration of USC Resolution of August 4, grave abuse of power, and shameful conduct unbecoming his office. Campos countercharged that the complainants were conducting a systematic campaign of vilification against him. Both charges were dropped by the University Committee on Student Organizations and Associations.
June 22, 1956: UPSCA takes full control of USC defeating Upsilon from top post to minor posts.
December 16–17, 1957: "Peaceful and spontaneous" strike of students led by USC on inaction of the BOR to elect a new UP President. The University Council (UC) was forced to declare an early Christmas Vacation. On the third day of strike, students held a victory motorcade around Quezon City and Manila passing Malacañan Palace.
January 2, 1958: Executive Committee (EC) of UP dialogued with student leaders to discontinue future strikes.
January 20, 1958: Students Johnny Antillon, Emmanuel Santos, Epifanio San Juan, Jr., and Romulo Villa petitioned to expel USC Chair and Vice Chair Lagua and Adaza first for the illegal and immoral use of the Philippine Collegian to malign the BOR and the UP administration; and second for inciting a thousand university students to join the student strike.
March 30, 1958: EC sustained recommendations that Lagua be suspended for nine months and dropped as USC Chair. Adaza permanently dropped from the rolls of the university. The two were required to apologize in writing to the BOR. Senator Emmanuel Pelaez spoke in behalf of the two and declared that they had suffered from serious miscarriage of justice.
June 24, 1958: UP President Vicente Sinco issued Administrative Circular no. 1 which limited the representation of any student organization to one representative only in each of the student councils (to counter the dominance of the UPSCA). UPSCA said the circular was "illegal, discriminatory, unreasonable, undemocratic and arbitrary." They filed a case in court. Supreme Court dismissed the petition on technical grounds saying that UPSCA should have exhausted administrative remedies within the university. The decision came only in 1960. In effect, there was no USC from 1958-1960.
January 1961: BOR approved Article 448 which was the Circular no. 1 of Pres. Sinco. It also approved Article 437 which provided for a Student Union which would take charge of cultural and social programs and activities of the student body.
March 14, 1961: Investigation of the Committee Against Anti-Filipino Activities (CAFA) on 10 UP Professors for their alleged involvement in communistic activities. A thousand UP students held a demonstration in Congress to denounce the witchhunt in the university.
January 6, 1962: The Student Union protested President Macapagal's offer to Carlos P. Romulo to become UP President. The Union said "UP is not an auction bloc at Macapagal's personal disposal."
January 12, 1962: Union Chair Enrique Voltaire Garcia led the UP students to a rally in front of Quezon Hall affirming support and trust in BOR, the only sole body tasked to choose UP President.
January 18, 1962: Student Union met for two hours to pass a resolution calling Macapagal to withdraw the offer of the University Presidency to Romulo "in order to that the independence and prestige of the state university may be restored." Thirty-eight Union members voted "yes" for the resolution, only three voted against.
June 1962: USC restored by UP President Romulo. USC presented former UP President Sinco a plaque during his resignation for his " commitment to the preservation of the free and secular nature of the university."
July 1963: President Romulo proclaimed Academic Year 1963–1964 as the Year of the Student.
AY 1964-65: USC initiated the jeepney campus boycott until the fares for campus rides were reduced to five centavos from 10 centavos.
December 1964: The Student Cultural Association in UP (SCAUP) made a float with Jun Tera in the stance and uniform of a Vietnamese guerilla during the Lantern Parade. Instead of Christmas Carols, the students sang the Internationale.
September 11, 1966: USC Chair Voltaire Garcia led a mammoth demonstration at the Palace to protest the senseless shedding of Filipino blood for a foreign power and cause.
October 24, 1966: The USC led a historic hike of students from Quezon City to Manila Hotel where the Manila Summit was held. 5000 students were protesting the continuing American intervention in the Vietnam War. Police violently dispersed the protesters. Sores were hurt. The USC called for an inter-university indignation rallies. The October 24 Movement was formed.
The USC called for a National Students’ Congress for the advancement of nationalism to be held in Diliman. 500 student leaders attended the event.
July 1968: The USC, Philippine Collegian, Katipunang Makabansa, Pagkakaisa, and the Partisans led 14 busloads of students to the Congress building to oppose the Second Philippine Civil Action Group bill on the involvement of the country in the Vietnam War.
August 16, 1968: Metrocom dispersed a rally led by UP students at US Embassy and Malacañang to protest the "Special Relations" between the Philippines and USA. Five UP students suffered bruises.
September 1968: Senator Lorenzo Tañada, head of the Movement for the Advancement of Nationalism (MAN) protested the Americanization of UP. USC started to lead demonstrations against the Vietnam War, Philippine participation in the war, oil monopolies, implementation of the retail trade nationalization laws, and US imperialism.