THE CONSERVATORY of Music Student Council (CMSC) has begun the process of amending its constitution amid budget cuts that had forced the college to reduce departments to seven from 14 this academic year.
The council will gather its officers and student senate composed of all department officers and class presidents every Tuesday from Jan. 20 to April 14 for a constitutional convention, according to a memorandum by Music Dean Raul Sunico.
CMSC Vice President Czen Reganit said the new constitution would accommodate the newly implemented seven-department scheme.
“Balak naming ayusin [kasi] nga nagbago ‘yung departments so isasakto na namin sa bagong departments [‘yung constitution] saka ililinaw din namin ‘yung ibang kulang,” Reganit told the Varsitarian.
CMSC President Mary Rose Luzande said the new constitution would also make clear the duties of an elected officer and fix various “loopholes” in the 2012 charter.
“May mga procedures na hindi kami maka-continue kasi hindi s’ya written down,” Luzande said in a round table discussion with Reganit and Secretary Zairra Pili. “May incident kasi na hindi enrolled ‘yung officer tapos hindi namin ma-remove sa position kasi walang nakasulat [sa constitution] na [dapat] bona fide student ka [kapag] officer ka.”
The 2012 constitution allows students to run for office even if enrolled for less than 15 units. Students with a maximum of five units of failed subjects will also be allowed to run during elections.
Luzande said they will pattern the new constitution after the University-wide Central Student Council Constitution and Student’s Election Code of 2011.
Former officers under the 14-department setup will still be included in convention deliberations.
The 2012 constitution was the first ratified charter in the Conservatory’s 68-year history. Jerome P. Villanueva
