2009: The 2009 Draft Code of Student Conduct was released. Given ambiguous provisions that curtail the basic rights of the students, ALYANSA launched the BREAK THE CODE Campaign. Recognizing every institution’s absolute right to establish rules and regulations governing university-student relations and recognizing the imminent need for changes in the existing rules governing student affairs, the BREAK the CODE Campaign sought to engage the administration to review and revise the 2009 Student Code of Conduct. Along with multiple organizations in the University also pushing for its revision, ALYANSA submitted a 10-page position paper that sufficiently explains contentious points while providing clear and sensible alternatives to the proposal: With the aim of protecting every student’s rights and welfare, ALYANSA called for the removal of the following provisions that are contradictory with our constitutionally guaranteed rights to free association and due process:- Art. IV, No. 32 | Sec. 3.1, Art. VI: 0.5% Membership Requirement for Organizations
- Sec. 1.3.1.d, Art VI: The No-Freshmen Recruitment Rule
- Sec. 3.1.d.4, Art. VI: Academic Activity Requirement for Organizations
- Sec. 1.2.1, Art VII, Sec. 2.6, Art. VII, Sec. 3.6.5, Art. VII: Rule on Summons
- Sec. 3.6.7, Art. VII, Sec. 4.5.3, Art. VII, Sec. 4.6.3.3, Art. VII: Counsel for Respondent not permitted to argue before SDC/CDC
- Sec. 2.3.a, Art VI: Misconduct
- Sec. 1.3.1.a, Art VI: Harm to Persons
- Sec. 1.4.c, Art. VI: Inappropriate Behavior
The formation also called for the inclusion of the Bill of Students’ Rights that gives explicit and specific mention to particular liberties, benefits, and entitlements that the UP Administration must respect, protect, and guarantee. Concrete mechanisms for consultation on policies that ultimately affect the students were also strongly demanded to ensure that the crafting of policies are genuinely representative and responsive to the needs of the stakeholders.
2010: With the call: “Break the Code of Student Conduct! Oppose repressive and reasonable restrictions! Push for progressive and pro-student provisions!”, the 2009 campaign bore positive results. Majority of the provisions reviewed and suggestions forwarded by the formation along with organizations who boldly took a stand on the issue were taken into consideration on the 2010 Draft Student Code of Conduct. However, rooms for improvements on the 2010 Draft were still possible- and thus forwarded:
- The formation maintains its position that a tambayan is not merely a privilege but a right, in pursuit of the University's goal towards a holistic humanitarian education, as well as a manifestation of our right to join organizations for purposes not contrary to law
- Instead of the disciplinary body inviting “students as resource persons in the conduct of proceedings”, the accused should be the one to have the power to request for the presence of such.
- The requirements for organizational recognition are still not clearly manifested.
- The formation maintains its stand on the inclusion of the Bill of Students’ rights in the Code of Conduct.
Iskolars para sa Bayan, our call for a progressive Student Code of Conduct has not yet come to an end. We are faced with the challenge to be involved in the making of the Student Code of Conduct, and this we should not take lightly. We have definitely broken the code, but what comes next? We craft it. We strengthen it. We uphold it.
Iskolar Para Sa Bayan, kasama ka sa pagpapatibay at pagtatanggol ng ating mga karapatan.
Kasama ka sa ALYANSA.
June 14, 2011
