Assistant to the Rector for Student Affairs (OSA) Cristina Castro-Cabral sees toughening the implementation of rules and regulations on the student handbook as a safeguard to student’s safety in and out of the campus.
“This is to ensure the welfare of the students whether they are in the campus or even when they are out,” Cabral told the Varsitarian.
Cabral said that she felt that the implementation of rules was not strict in the previous years especially when student organizations arrange activities in and out of the campus.
Laxity in the strict implementation of rules led to the death of Mountaineer and graduating Nursing student Prana Escalante in 2004 during UST Mountaineering Club’s expedition to Mt. Halcon. Cabral said that that activity was not sanctioned by OSA.
Cabral said she will enforce the uniform policy, but will leave the haircut policy to the respective deans.
“Some students from Fine Arts and Design or Arts and Letters are allowed to sport Afros, dreadlocks, and are allowed to color their hair because these are part of their artistic expression,” Cabral said.
The former head of Public Alumni and Affairs Office (PAAO) added that the students would still have the upper hand in organizing events.
“As the OSA head, I will just support the students on the socio-political issues that they want to organize,” Cabral said. “Hopefully, I can tap responsible student leaders, mold them to become models to other students, and eventually they can become outstanding leaders in the future.”
Cabral said she will hold leadership trainings for student leaders of the different colleges.
“I also want to reach out to the students so that they would know me personally,” Cabral said. “I make sure that if I have free time I will attend student activities, talk to people, and get feedback from them which I can use to better our service.”
To ensure student’s safety outside the campus, Cabral said she had coordinated with the Local Government Unit (LGU) on dormitory and food conditions.
Last June, the Office of the Manila City Administrator closed down several dormitories in the University Belt for failure to meet safety requirements.
