USG reports first term progress in Town Hall meeting

The University Student Government (USG) held its first town hall meeting last August 4 to present the different activities and advocacies the USG has accomplished during the first term. The projects of the five Executive Board (EB) units were highlighted during the town hall meeting, along with updates on the ongoing student handbook revisions.

The 401

The EB units, the Office of the President (OPRES), Office of the Vice President for Internal Affairs (OVPIA), Office of the Vice President for External Affairs (OVPEA), Office of the Executive Secretary (OSEC), and Office of the Executive Treasurer (OTREAS) enumerated the activities they offered to their constituents during the first term.

The OPRES focused on activities that will increase national issues awareness of Lasallians. The said unit spearheaded the live telecast of President Benigno S. Aquino’s 5th State of the Nation Address at DLSU. Different in-campus and off-campus events and partnerships were offered by both the OVPIA and OVPEA. OVPIA organized this year’s Animo Rally, while OVPEA offered the Condo Assist Program, a disaster preparedness program for Lasallians who live in condominiums and dormitories along Taft Ave.

The OSEC pursued scholarship granting activities during the first term, while OTREAS launched the Green Purse Bonus. OTREAS, in partnership with OVPEA, opened the applications for the Lasallian Exchange Scholarship Grant. The grant aims to encourage more students to participate in the different foreign exchange programs offered by the University. The executive treasurer’s unit also reported that the annual budget of the USG will be approved this week.

The USG’s Judiciary also took the floor to discuss its plans for the year Chief Magistrate Angel Pascual took the opportunity to remind members of the USG, both elected and appointed officers, the non-partisanship nature of the USG. She cited an example of sharing or liking a political party member’s photo on social networking sites. Such action could be misinterpreted and could lead to possible disunity in the USG according to Pascual.

In retrospect

During the last term of the previous academic year, the executive branch of the USG started researching about top student concerns that should be addressed during the student handbook revision process. USG President Carlo Inocencio reminded that it’s necessary to start the revision efforts as early as possible in order to effectively target all student life issues.

Inocencio also shared the methods the USG utilized during the summer term to further expand the scope of the student handbook revisions. USG officers conducted online surveys, approached students personally, and posted about the revisions on social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter to get more student insights.

The Legislative Assembly (LA) has started drafting the student handbook resolutions since the start of this academic year. From May to July, they focused on data gathering and student consultations to finalize the resolutions that would be forwarded to the Student Handbook Revisions Committee. Starting this month until December, a multi-sectoral committee composed of student representatives, faculty members, and administration representatives would be deliberating on the provisions that will be included in the new student handbook for 2015.

Inocencio stressed the importance of holding town hall meetings in disseminating information to students.