THE OFFICE for Student Affairs (OSA) is set to begin its series of dialogues with student organizations and councils on April 15, a month after the formation of a technical working group to review student-related policies and guidelines.
In a memorandum issued on April 3, OSA Officer in Charge Jaezamie Ong tasked recognized student organization officers, student leaders, and members of local Commission on Election (Comelec) offices to hold dialogues with their own clusters before their scheduled appointments with the OSA.
“Each student organization will be tasked with convening a dialogue within their respective clusters to discuss collective concerns, feedback, and suggestions regarding the policies and guidelines under review,” the memorandum read.
“This dialogue presents a valuable opportunity for you to share your insights and contribute to shaping policies that directly impact student life and engagement on campus,” it continued.
Following cluster-level talks, organization representatives will meet with the technical working group that Ong leads.
Four academic unit heads complete the committee: Assoc. Prof. Gezzez Granado (College of Tourism and Hospitality Management dean), Jacqueline Lopez-Kaw (Graduate School of Law dean), Prof. Melanie Turingan (Faculty of Arts and Letters dean), and Assoc Prof. Al Faithrich Naverrete (College of Commerce and Business Administration acting dean).
“During these meetings, you can articulate and expand upon the collective concerns and suggestions identified within your clusters,” the OSA said.
College-based organizations will be the first to talk with the OSA on April 15, to be followed by recognized University-wide organizations, including Comelec. They will be represented by the board of directors of the Student Organization Coordinating Committee.
Discussions with central student council officers and local student council presidents will cap the series of dialogues.
Ong said the “collaborative exchange of ideas will be instrumental in informing TWG’s recommendations and decisions moving forward.”
“We encourage you to approach these discussions with an open mind and a spirit of constructive engagement, as together, we work towards enhancing the student experience at our university,” she added.
UST announced Ong’s appointment as OSA officer in charge and lead of the technical working group committee on March 14, almost a month after the censorship controversy involving the student affairs office and student media organization TomasinoWeb.
