COFS Proposal_CMC Rep. Gail Orduna

8/6/2019 COFS Proposal_CMC Rep. Gail Orduna

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Committee on Organizations,

Fraternities and Sororities

(COFS) Proposal


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Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Proposal

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Rationale

History has proven time and again the power of our collective action. With the advent of lastyears strike against the P1.39 billion budget cut, thehighest in UPs history, activism in the university

sparked its brightest as thousands of students marched on the streets and joined the nationwide call forgreater state subsidy for our education.

The strength of the campaign was not wholly because of its organizers (though we have to admitthat they have due credit for it), but because of the number of students who took part of the cause. All thevictories we have claimed, from the additions to the congressional insertions, are but a product of ourarduous effort to come together and fight for our democratic rights.

More to the individual characters of those who joined are members of different formations. Thesuccess of the strike was not only because of the collective action of individuals, but it was the collectiveaction of the universitys student formations that saw the budget cut as a threat to their existence.

Here in the University of the Philippines, the organizations, fraternities and sororities (OFS) form

the basic, organized units of students. They serve as the home for development of specific skills andexpression of interests outside the classroom.

Student concerns are of different fields, and they are best manifested by the nature of these OFS.But unity can be established among them despite their diversity, especially if the issue affects theirmembers and more importantly, their existence.

Who would forget the Martial law years under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, who steppedon our human rights to remain in his seat? For twenty years he reigned, toppling the very right of hispeople to organize. Even student formations and institutions, including the student councils andpublications, were declared illegal, and forming a group with a common aims and ideals were not allowed.

He knew the power of collective action, and he knew well that it is the way to take him down.Indeed, despite all the suppression, it was the People Power which overthrew his government. Ourcollective action brought the change the country has then long been seeking for.

Reclaiming all the rights that were taken was not as easy. It took years of assertion before theyouth were able to form organizations, and it was only in the 1980s when student institutions, includingthe student councils and publications, were reinstated. This is the historical role of the studentorganizations that fought for our right to organization, and even sacrificed their own lives just to bringthese formations back.

But despite the return of the organizations, threats continue to hamper our basic to right toorganize and be organized. Different issues haunt the existence of organizations here in the university,the most contentious of which is the intervention of the administration to matters which are in everyrespect of students concerns. These administration policies implicitly remove the right to existence ofOFS, which is defined through the activities that they conduct.

Of the more than 200 OFS here in the university, only about 30 percent are given tambayans.These are places that serve as the personal space and home of each and every OFS in the university.Venues of their expression are not as readily available and accessible, because of the stringentprocesses and fees that the administration requires them to hold their activities. This includes the processfor org recognition, which is the most basic requirement for all OFS to be acknowledged as officialuniversity formations.


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And recently, the manifestation of this repression is the 2010 Draft Code of Student Conduct.Instead of upholding freedom of the students to form organizations, it instead proposes policies that are ofgreater disadvantage to students. It is so far the biggest threat OFS have to face to remain in theuniversity.

It is therefore but the duty of the University Student Council (USC) to attend to these issues andconcerns, subject to the provisions of Article IV, Section 2. This is in accordance to Article II, Section 2 ofthe USC Constitution that states we should strive to defend and promote the rights and general welfareof the University studentry and the Filipino people and serve as an active form for student ideas andsentiment; and Article II, Section 1 that qualifies organizing, coordinating and directing student activitiesdesigned to improve their general welfare as well as to prepare them for obstructive citizenship as part ofthe powers and duties of the council. Thus, the Committee on Organizations, Fraternities and Sororitiesshould be established.

Its importance could further be emphasized with the committees history. Before 2008, thecommittee was known to be as the Dormitories, Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities Committee orDOFS. But because of the number of organizations in the university and their increasing demands andneeds, the committee was revamped to concentrate on organizations, fraternities and sororities and the

overseeing of dormitories is transferred to the Basic Student Services Committee.

Students face a lot of problems in the university, and only through collective action could we workon them. And with COFS, there is but greater means for the USC to develop this collective action with thedifferent organizations, fraternities and sororities as we together with them address these problemsespecially those of their interest.

Committee Structure

Chairperson

- Represent the committee in meetings and dialogues inside and outside the council

Chair erson

Volunteer Corps

ExecutiveSecretary

Business AffairsDirector

Media and PublicRelations Director

OrganizationsLiaisonDirector

SororitiesLiaisonDirector

FraternitiesLiaisonDirector


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- Design and direct activities in line with the committees objectives upon the approvalof the body

- Ensure the outmost performance and participation of the committees members andvolunteer corps

- Serve as a leader to the committee members and foster a healthy workingrelationship with and among the committee members and volunteer corps

Executive Secretary

- Document all meetings of the committee and keep the committees documents.

- Facilitate the internal information dissemination in the committee

- Draft the committees statements and stands subject to deliberations within thecommittee

- Lead the volunteer corps and update their directory

Business Affairs Director

- Look over the committees financial activities and give assessment and approval foreach projects budget proposal

- Supervise all business activities and financial resources of the committee

- Report on the status of the committees finance and other financial concerns

Media and Public Relations- Conceptualize and create the publicity of the committees activities through all possible

venues (print, broadcast, online)- Write press releases of the committees activities and hand them over to the proper media

institutions and establishments- Manage and maintain the committees online extensions and other alternative forms of media

Liaison Directors (Organizations, Fraternities and Sororities)

- Serve as liaisons between the clusters and the chairperson of the committee

- Focus primarily on their respective clusters to attend to their specific

Volunteer Corps- Provide whatever assistance the committee needs, most especially on logistics- Engage them in the planning and execution of the committees activities

Plans of Action

Give OFS all available avenues in making the appropriate and immediate actions to addresstheir issues, concerns, and needs

Re-code the Code! With the STRAW Committee, we shall continue the fight against the 2010Draft Code of Student Conduct to ensure that it upholds OFS rights. We shall update OFS of itscurrent status and consult them to forward their views and suggestions, including the collated 18student demands in 2008, to the Review Committee recently formed by the Office of theChancellor.

Org CampRevive this camping event in June to show the solidarity of the OFS in the campaignon the 2010 Draft Code of Student Conduct set to be passed in July.


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FFF: Faster, Flexible and Free! With the STRAW Committee, we shall consult organizationsto create a proposal to the administration on better policies for a:o Faster and less stringent organization recognition process similar to UP Manilaso More flexible system and time usage for venue and equipment reservation, publicity (posting

pubmats) and other policies for holding org activities

o Free room and equipment rental fees

TAM(bahay)AN With the STRAW Committee, we shall lobby for the construction andrenovation of conducive tambayans for organizations, including tambayan facilities and electricityinstallation in different tambayan complexes, and push for greater budget allocation to meet theminstead of organizations shouldering the expenses.

ExTENd With the LCC and STRAW Committee, we shall extend the curfew of the tamabayanuse from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Org look up? College Hop! Consultations will be done not only through the usual monthly AllLeaders Convention (ALC), existing alliances and org hopping. With the League of CollegeCouncils (LCC), w e shall also hop colleges for consultations in line of their colleges situation.

Tie-ups with the college-based OFS and their local student council will also be done in OFSactivities, including educational discussions and basic masses integration.

OFS Sit With the STRAW Committee, we shall have a monthly dialogue with organizationsespecially those that are not reached out through the college hopping and alliances, includingunrecognized organizations, to raise their demands and concerns. A report will be drafted tocompile these issues to be given to the orgs and at the end of every semester, to the Off ice of theVice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA) and the University Council (UC). With the MassMedia Committee, we could publish a situationer to be available to all students.

Assist OFS in conducting their events and activities to uphold their right to organize

Or(Guide) With the Secretariat Committee, we shall release how-to memos to OFS on different

guidelines on activities such as org recognition and Alternative Classroom Learning Experience(ACLE) inclusive of the requirements and dates. We shall also ask the help of the LCC to informcollege based organizations on how the local college processes for these activities are done.

VE list: Venues and Equipments With the LCC and the Office of Student Activities (OSA), weshall also create a list of venues where the different organizations could hold their events,equipments they could borrow from these activity areas and guidelines how to reserve them.

HDD: Handy Dandy Directory A contacts database containing contact details of the OFS,local student councils, colleges and UP offices among other will be created at the start of thesemester to help the OFS for their tie-up proposals.

OrgDev We shall continue conducting this themed training seminar per semester with the help

of experienced OFS to help them better lead and manage their respective organizations and theiractivities.

ACLEnd a Hand With the EDRES Committee, we shall help in the improvement of theprocesses in holding the ACLE and give them whatever assistance the USC can provide (i.e.room reservations, equipment, etc.). We shall also invite more organizations to hold their ownACLE.

Express OICA Process With the CCA Committee, we shall push for the reduction of thenumber of days in processing OICA sponsorship and lobby for a less rigorous process.


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Abogado ng Bayan With the SLAAC Committee, orgs will be given free legal consultationsand notarization.

Let USC be Give the control of the student facilities in Vinzons to the USC, including their

equipments.

Increase OFS involvement to show and recognize the individuality of each OFS as they worktogether with the USC and establish unity with them

OFS in the Know With the LCC and the college representatives, information dissemination willbe strengthened to reach out to more organizations and improve their attendance in conventionssuch as the ALC to unite them with the activities of the USC. Communication between the USCand the OFS will also be extended online, with the creation of mailing lists and social networkgroups.

OFS Pasikat! With the Mass Media Committee, we shall help the OFS to promote their eventsand share their issues and concerns with the whole UP community by:

o PRINT: Publish the announcements through the Oblation, USCs official publication o BROADCAST: Coordinate with DZUP for air timeo ONLINE: Post them in USCs website

Org Fair With the FRESHIE Committee, we shall hold the annual Org Fair to help organizationsin building up their membership and lead freshies to these formations where they could discovermore of themselves, develop their skills and potentials and make friends who can guide them inthe rest of their years in UP. With the LCC, we shall also encourage local student councils to holdlocal org fairs in their respective colleges.

Org PrimerWith the LCC and OSA, we shall create an org primer containing the organizationsnames, logos, brief description, pictures of their activities, and contact details to be distributed tothe freshies and transferees. This will acquaint them with the organizations in the university and

help them choose which among these organizations to join.

Lifeline: CC A consultation and counseling of freshies, transferees and non-affiliated studentsor interested ones to help them choose what organizations to join. We could tap the Office of theCounseling and Guidance for expert opinions and suggestions.

OFS of the Year An awards night at the end of the second semester will be held to recognizeoutstanding OFS of the year. A point system will be formulated to be included in the criteria toencourage the attendance and participation of the OFS in different activities especially thoseorganized by the USC.

Launch projects with the universitys existing student alliances to expand them and providesupport through continuous consultation, consolidation, updating and publicity

Acad Core An alliance of academic organizations. We shall forward common advocacies andestablish a support system for activities and events by encouraging the production of researchand study outputs which address the important concerns in the University and the country.

o Isko ng Bayan Lecture Series With the EDRES committee, we shall have a call forpapers tackling the analysis of various issues in our country and proposed solutions, allof which will be archived at the CNS library.

General Assembly of Gender Advocates (GAGA) Alliance composed of gender advocates,Office of the Anti-Sexual Harassment (OASH), UP Diliman Gender Office (UP DGO), Gabriela,


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and the Inter-Sorority Council (ISC). With the Gender Committee, we shall launch projects notlimited to the gender awareness week, because gender issues exist all year round.

Inter-Fraternity CouncilWe shall form the ISCs counterpart as a formal alliance of allfraternities in the university by assembling existing Frat Alliances, to unite and encourage

fraternities to advance common goals and advocacies most especially the elimination of fraternitydisputes.

Interfaith Assembly Composed of different religious formations. We shall encourage them toconduct activities together to assert their right to existence and their common advocacy of humanrights and love for others.

Inter-Sorority Council (ISC) Alliance of sororities and ladies core. With the GenderCommittee, we shall launch activities to campaign for gender issues such as women and childabuse.

o Empo(W)er a womens emancipation campaign: through symposia, research,consultation, and massive information drive, we shall examine the changing socio-economic landscape in which the female is exploited both as workers and objects of

possession.

InterSports Alliance of sports organizations. With the SPOFI Committee, we shall launchactivities to promote and support their universitys athletes and lobby push for greater budget fortheir facilities and benefits for varsity players.

o Palarong Pinoy With the CRAW committee, we shall hold sports clinics at communities

Katipunan ng mga Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP (KASAMA sa UP) An alliance of studentcouncils UP system-wide. We shall engage with the student councils not only from UP Dilimanbut also from the other units to know what issues and concerns their OFS are facing and learnfrom their experiences in addressing them.

League of College Councils (LCC) An alliance of all student councils in UP Diliman, convened

by the USC Vice Chairperson. We shall clinch their unity in fighting for the rights of OFS andcoordinate with them regarding the situation of college based OFS.

Solidaridad Alliance of student publications in the university. Media repression also exists inthe university, with the massive problems such as funding and administration intervention thatstudent publications face. With Mass Media Committee, we shall continue our fight to uphold thefreedom of the press and of expression.

o Reach Out to Pubs We shall publish a situationer on the state of the different collegepublications in UP Diliman, conduct workshops to improve their journalistic skills and tapthe help of local college councils to revive the local publication in their respectivecolleges.

Sanlahi Alliance Composed of different provincial, regional and ethno-linguistic organizations.With the CCA Committee, we shall arrange socio-cultural activities and support their events andprojects to promote unity amidst cultural diversity. These organizations are always subject totambayan disposals, so we shall be their ally on addressing the issue.

Ugnayan ng mga Nagkakaisang Artista (UNA) Alliance of cultural performers andpractitioners in the university. With the CCA committee, we shall promote the exchange ofnationalist culture and arts through bridging these organizations to the administration inorganizaing the UP Diliman Arts Month.


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Ugnayan ng mga Mag-aaral Laban sa Komersalisasyon (UMAKSYON) Student formation ofOFS, freshmen block, and student publications working together to oppose commercializationand fight for our right to education. We shall continue joining its campaigns and protests andprovide help in consolidating other organizations to expand the alliance and strengthen our fightagainst commercialization.

Kilusan para sa Demokratikong Pamantasan ng Bayan (UP Kilos Na) A multi-sectoralsystem-wide alliance to address various issues within and outside UP. It was formed August 2009in time with President Benigno Aquino IIIs State of the Nation Address (SONA), calling for thefight against the P1.39 billion budget cut, the largest in history. We shall continue our cooperationand consolidation with the other sectors in UP in upholding OFS rights to existence andorganization.

Youth for Earth Alliance formation of different environmental organizations. With EnvironmentCommittee, we shall promote the sustainable use of the environment that caters to the local andnational demand. Aside from the usual tree-planting and clean-ups, we shall also organize basicmasses integration to see the relationship between the oppression of people and exploitation ofenvironment.

Proposed Schedule and Phasing

MayPROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

Re-code the Code!

Review Committee's initial meeting on the 2010Draft Code of Student Conduct May 5 USC, OSR

Information dissemination campaign; consultationswith different OFS and alliances May 9 onwards COFS, STRAW, LCC

COFS Volcor Recruitment

May 9 onwards

Abogado ng BayanMeeting, planning with concerned committees May 16-20 COFS, SLAAC

Search for lawyers May 23-June 3 SLAAC

Or(Guide): Org RecognitionGet org recognition guidelines from OSA; CSCs onlocal org recog process May 23-27 COFS, LCC

Compilation of all local org recog process May 30-June 3

VE listCOFs canvass of venues and their reservationprocess in UP, including equipment rentals andfees; CSCs on college facilities (specific perdepartment if possible) May 23-June 10 COFS, LCC

OFS Pasikat! Dialogue with DZUP and UP Radio Circle May 23-May 27 COFS, Mass Media Committee

1st ALCPermits and reservation, info dissem to OFS May 16-27

1st ALC May 28

OFS in the Know Creation of mailing list May 30-June 3

Lifeline: CC Dialogue with the OCG to propose the tie-up andlay out plans May 30-June 10 COFS, Freshie

June


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PROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

Org Fair

Meeting with interested orgs, CSCs June 4 COFS, LCC

Permits and reservations June 6-June 17

Final planning June 20 COFS, CCA

Org Fair 2011 June 23-24

Or(Guide): Org Recognition Release of memo on org recognition process June 6

Org PrimerCompilation of needed info; CSCs on college-based OFS June 6-June 24 COFS, LCC

Layout and production June 27-July 1

HDD

Compilation of info most especially on OFS'scontact deets; ask help from CSCs on co llege-based OFS June 6-June 24 COFS, LCC

Layout and production June 27-July 8

Org Camp

Meeting with interested orgs, alliances June 13-June 18

Solicitations; permits and reservations June 20-July 1

VE listCompilation and layouting June 13-24

Release June 27

Re-code the Code! Forward the outputs of the consultation seriesincluding the 18 student demands to the ReviewCommittee June 20-July 1 COFS, STRAW

JulyPROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

Org primerRelease July 4

Lifeline: CC Publicity and execution July 4 onwards COFS, Freshie

Org CampFinal planning July 6

Org Camp 2011 July 9-10

HDD Release July 11

Or(Guide): ACLE Release memo on ACLE registration process, withall requirements and dates to remember July 11-15 COFS, EDRES

FFF: Fast, Flexible and Free Dialogue with concerned admin July 11 onwards COFS, STRAW

Let USC Be Dialogue with concerned admin July 11 onwards COFS, STRAW

ACLEnd a Hand Org hopping on ACLE's importance and encourage

orgs to join the event July 18 onwards COFS, EDRES

Org DevMeeting with orgs, alliance July 23

Permits and reservations; invitation to speakers July 25-August 12

AugustPROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

Express OICA Process Consultation on OFS on the OICA process August 1-26 COFS, CCA


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Dialogue with OICA, presenting the collated viewand suggestions of OFS August 29 onwards COFS, CCA

Tam(bahay)an, ExTENd

Meet with CSCs to plan on engaging their collegeadmins in providing conducive tambayan to OFS August 8-12 COFS, STRAW

Dialogue with concerned admin August 15 onwards COFS, STRAW

Org DevFinal planning August 13

1st Org Dev August 15

ACLEnd a Hand Provide logistical or whatever assistance to orgs fortheir ACLE August 15-26 COFS, EDRES

OthersPROJECT TASK DATE IN CHARGE

OFS Sit

Compilation of OFS's issues and demands September 5-23 COFS, STRAW

Report drafting September 26-30 COFS, STRAW

Layout and production October 3-7 COFS, Mass Media Committee

Release October 10 COFS, Mass Media Committee

Org Dev 2 January

OFS of the Year March COFS, LCC, CCA

OFS Sit 2 March COFS, STRAW

COFS Proposal_CMC Rep. Gail Orduna

Documents

Transcript of COFS Proposal_CMC Rep. Gail Orduna