Three years after its anticipated release, the new edition of the Student Handbook was finally unveiled last May 15. The last iteration of the handbook, its 2018-2021 edition, came out belatedly in 2019. Recalibrating its policies and ideologies in the last five years, DLSU scraps its old standards, reorganizes its systems, and introduces new rules in its latest handbook revisions.
New policies
The new handbook introduces several major changes, particularly in the rules governing academic progression. For instance, it has seemingly removed rules that barred upperclassmen who accumulated 15 units of failure at the end of the academic year (AY) from continuing their studies.
Likewise, the policy that freshmen who incurred at least 18 units of failure are ineligible to continue is also no longer present.
For shiftees, failures from courses in the previous program will also no longer be counted toward the number of accumulated failures, though they will still appear on the transcript and be included in the cumulative grade point average (CGPA) computation.
Graduation rules were also changed. To be eligible for the Jose Rizal Honors Society award, a student must graduate “within the prescribed number of terms.” The old handbook only listed grade requirements.
Notably, a new trimestral award was added alongside the Dean’s Honors List: the University Honors List. This distinction is awarded to students who have completed at least six terms at DLSU and maintain a CGPA and term grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.400.
The Student Charter saw pertinent inclusions, as well. A force majeure clause was added, granting students the right to “recommend and negotiate necessary adjustments to academic and classroom policies to accommodate the immediate needs of students.” The University Student Government (USG) also now has the explicit right to meet with DLSU’s administration councils, while the student body has the right to know the purpose behind the various surveys employed by the USG.
In terms of financing, the new handbook now allows students to avail of a loan every term so long as previous loan balances have already been settled. Previously, it was limited to once every AY.
New conditions in providing distinctions between undergraduate and graduate processes were included. While undergraduate students who plan to shift to another program must wait for at least two terms in their current program before applying, graduate students may now shift after only
one term.
Specific requirements have also been outlined for eligibility for both undergraduate and graduate student government positions: USG aspirants should be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units, except graduating students who may have fewer units available; while Graduate School Government candidates now have to be enrolled in at least one academic course and maintain at least a 2.000 CGPA.
The guidelines for processing complaints through the Student Discipline Formation Office also saw several changes. A noticeable update is the relegation of some responsibilities to the Lasallian Center for Inclusion, Diversity, and Well-being (LCIDWell), which was formed in 2020. LCIDWell is now in charge of conducting psychological assessments and providing mental health support whenever needed. The new handbook also expounds on a mediation process whereby parties can enter into a compromise agreement instead of proceeding with a case.
New rules around offenses were also introduced to comply with the Anti-Hazing Act of 2018 and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Cosmetic, formalized policy changes
Though some changes are new, many revisions only incorporate changes to school policies that were introduced over the years. One major change is the removal of the Dress Code Policy in favor of a more “inclusive and equitable” University Attire Policy, which was announced last year.
Likewise, the Mental Health Policy and the Safe Spaces Policy were rules implemented in 2020 in response to the passing of the Mental Health Act and the Safe Spaces Act, respectively.
In March 2022, DLSU announced a revised organizational chart that, among other things, dissolved the Office of the Chancellor. Support to the Office of the President was split with the reclassification and promotion of the Vice Chancellor for Academics and Vice President for Finance to the Office of the Provost and Office of the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration, respectively. Consequently, all references to the former positions were updated to reflect their new replacements.
The same treatment was given to the January 2023 announcement that renamed the Tañada-Diokno College of Law to Tañada-Diokno School of Law (TDSOL).
The new handbook also lists new schools in the University, such as the School of Lifelong Learning, established in 2021, and the School of Innovation and Sustainability, which is the new name of the college wing of the Laguna Campus as of 2023.
While it does not include the Campus Development Council anymore, the handbook formalizes in writing as well the establishment of LCIDWell and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee.
Minor degree programs and free electives were also enshrined in the Student Charter. Both options were made available to students in 2020.
Other revisions include rearrangements of the Appendix, with the addition of sections on Student Media and an itemized list of related laws. Payment options were also expanded, partly due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Confusing provisions, minor errors
Despite being three years in the making, the new handbook is still host to some unusual errors. Under Student Media, a provision that previously required editorial board members to resign if they intend to run for student government positions now says that they “should assist the Coordinator for Training and Operations in preparing and implementing media and journalism workshops.” The misplaced clause correctly appears a page later as part of the responsibilities of the Student Media Council. Similarly, the definition of “Major Student Media Group” is erased entirely from the handbook, though the definition of “Minor Student Media Group” remains.
Under Chapter III of the Student Charter, a section that once said students should “strive for academic excellence” and “abide by school rules and regulations” no longer exists after section 1.1.6.1, which states students should “develop their potentials” (sic), is incorrectly duplicated in section 1.1.6.2.
Meanwhile, some provisions are not as straightforward as others. A disclaimer still notes that TDSOL has a separate handbook, though a footnote in the General Directives still specifies that students who are “required to comply with the provisions of the Student Handbook” include those enrolled in TDSOL.
Regarding student groups, the handbook says that the University “does not sanction student membership in non-DLSU accredited organizations.” However, the new handbook now includes a rule that the University “does not allow student membership in non-DLSU accredited organizations within DLSU.” Together, the policies seem to suggest that students will not be sanctioned for being part of an unaccredited organization so long as the group does not claim to be part of DLSU.
The University’s Student Handbook is typically revised every three years. Given that the new volume is supposed to be in use from 2021-2025, the student body should expect the release of a new version next year.
With reports from Frank Niccolo Santiago
This article was published in The LaSallian‘s June 2024 issue. To read more, visit bit.ly/TLSJune2024.
