As the election season resumes its annual cycle, new candidates press forward to their potential constituents their ideas, new and old, that they believe will address student concerns within the University.
The LaSallian sits down with the incumbent University Student Government (USG) Executive Board (EB) to take a look back at the promises made by the outgoing executives under the spotlight of last year’s election season.
Tangible results
As the USG carried on through the academic year 2018-2019, it seemed to spend time weathering crisis after crisis: the Special Elections, moratoria on student activities, vacancies in offices, lackluster ratings, and still unclear fates of the USG’s Judiciary branch and other organs. Yet, for members of the USG’s EB, there are victories that can be enjoyed.
Vice President for Internal Affairs Adrian Mendoza champions the Pre-enlistment system as a major success for the USG. “[Pre-enlistment] is something that we worked on, as we believe that our enlistment problems could be solved by this system being adapted by other universities,” he says. Despite hitches during actual runs, Mendoza believes that the system can be further improved alongside providing “innovative student services”.
Executive Secretary Justeen Kaye Sy meanwhile showcases the USG Performance Management System, which aims to improve the performance of the executive branch by setting accountability systems such as Executive Progress Checks, the Office Monitoring Board, and the USG Grading System.
The USG also remained active during the 2019 national midterm elections. Through Boto Lasalyano, Sulong Pilipino, Vice President for External Affairs Adrian Asoy narrates that the executives were able to help in educating voters. “We were also able to provide information packets on the senatorial candidates and be the first student government to make complete information packets on the party list system,” he elaborates.
Executive Treasurer Adi Briones, also backs the efforts made for University Research Week. The program looks to trying to understand the different facets of student life.
#OurUniversity: Inclusivity in the University meanwhile has been the focus of Executive President Gabbie Perez. She says that the program aims to promote inclusivity on campus for marginalized sectors.
Recovering expectations
Perez contends that new regulation hampered the effectiveness of the USG. “Due to the stricter rules implemented on off-campus activities, as well as the difficulties with the procurement process, these activities were set aside,” she explains.
Briones confesses that the USG lacked avenues to properly talk to students. “We have relied heavily on the collection of data, that we have lost the essence of listening to personal encounters,” he explains. Personal consultation with students, according to Briones, should be a focus of the next set of EB officers.
