ON ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

I personally identified that one of the top three concerns the student government should give emphasis upon is the Academic Development of the student body. It is more than fitting that we invest on this as we enter into our 75^th anniversary because it contributes to the “more precise understanding of our mission as a university in its 75th year”. It is also one of the reason of the CSG's existance This has been a long program banner since I could recall and it is very well under the “Competence” section of the party’s platform. It is good to note that the Hapsah administration instantiated the “Panudlo” program, a collaborative and simultaneous tutorials before major exams. It was manned by the different co and extra curricular organization. Another auxiliary program is the Book Fair where textbooks are being sold in a much lower price. Other programs were initiated such that also tapped the oral and written competencies of the students. What this present administration should do is to sustain and innovate the initiated programs of the past. We should reinforce these programs with a long-term oriented trajectory design that could cover not only 10 months but half a decade.

In the context of student governance, Academic Development is the conscious and tangible enhancement of the academic performance and interest of the students. Our challenge now as student leaders is to create a sustainable and realistic long-term program whose core characteristic is the formation of formal partnerships with the research units of the university, schools and colleges, and academic oriented student organization. Through combined efforts, the CSG could effectively and efficiently implement and sustain this academic program. We ought to create partnerships that doesn’t only inform but a partnership that provides collaboration and technical assistance. Beginning with simple reminders and activities, we can encourage study time during break, raise awareness on the proper study tips and habits through leaflets and seminars, research and debate on campus and local issues, and the institutionalization of tutorial sessions as a permanent activity in the student organization’s GPOA. The 2^nd level of this program is the implementation of alternative classes which opens the opportunity to learn other fields. We should lobby for this initiative as soon as possible. We should also formally recognize students who contributed greatly in their field through their research and accomplishments. Through this approach of student leaders recognizing student scientists and inventors, we can actually send a positive signal to the community that we deeply value academic excellence. In sum, academic development is not only the concern of the deans and teachers; it should be realized by the collective effort of everybody. The ideas that I mentioned above are some of the tangible things we can really do to fulfill our mission as a university. We should always be aware that we serve a community who values the relentless pursuit for the truth. The best way to serve the truth is to seek and spread it in the best possible and creative way.