GENERAL SANTOS CITY, July 26 – Executives, senators, and ex-officios of MSU-GSC's Supreme Student Council (SSC) presented various plans and projects to be implemented in the upcoming academic year during their first semestral planning last Thursday, July 25.
The council discussed plans such as budgetary requirements and the flow of projects such as new Students' Rights and Welfare (STRAW) initiatives and a sports development group.
The executive members were appointed to specific committees, where each of them presented their project proposals for the upcoming semester.
Ramzel Delloro, from the STRAW committee, introduced a new initiative that aims to amend the student handbook through alignment of college-bound program (CBP) admissions with student preferences, and a more gender-responsive dress code.
"We want the admission to be more innovative and inclusive. For the CBP, we want them to be admitted to their desired programs, and the dress-code policy to be more gender responsive," Delloro stated.
According to Delloro, they will disseminate surveys to gather the opinions and inputs of the students and will send it to the concerned offices.
The other projects of the STRAW committee that were retained from the past administrations include the 'Kaagapay 4.0' a stipend initiative, 'Libreng Sakay' program, and the STRAW desk.
According to Delloro, the Kaagapay 4.0 program "was also a good demonstration of solidarity", pertaining to how vatious colleges also pledged a higher amount of contribution for the expansion of the project along with having similar projects in their own councils.
Re-establishment of IPSA
On the other hand, Angela Torbolento, the committee chair for internal and external affairs, wanted to push through the re-establishment of Indigenous People Students Association (IPSA).
According to Torbolento, this will benefit students that are members of the IP community stand for their rights.
"There is an immediate need for the IP students to be empowered for the reason that IP students are often marginalized and their rights aren't fought well. We are a tri-people university but IP students often experience discrimination," Torbolento stressed.
Meanwhile, the senator also expressed that she wants to initiate the Sports Development Group (SDG), a new student-led organization which will also open a student-led avenue to create programs and projects, particularly in sports.
"This will be a student-led organization for them to conduct programs. The university athletes are under the administration of SDO but there is no student governing body yet in the organization," she stated.
According to the senator, The SDG could suffice the needs of the student athletes for programs and provide privileges.
Looking ahead
In a statement by Leonard Tucjayao, the SSC president, he expressed his gratitude to the members of the board for presenting and planning various projects and looks forward to a more student-centric council.
"This semester will be filled with strategies and projects to assert student rights and spaces, especially in the fight towards IP rights and environment conservation," Tucjayao said.
Meanwhile, other topics that were not discussed thoroughly during the semestral planning are yet to be tackled during the first General Assembly of the upcoming academic year, which will also be conducted by the council.
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