Majority of respondents to an online poll posted via Twitter by UPLB Perspective disagree with the freshmen recruitment ban or OSA Memorandum No. 2 of the UPLB administration.
While 76% of the respondents disagree, 14% agree with the freshmen recruitment ban and only 10% said that they are “not sure.” The informal survey collected a total of 670 votes in 24 hours from September 6 to September 7, 2018.
In a recent dialogue with UPLB officials, the UPLB University Student Council (USC) clarified the basis of the memorandum. According to Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Director Atty. Eleno Peralta, the basis for the memo is the Board of Reagents (BOR) approved Student Code of Conduct of 1998. However, USC Chairperson John Joseph Ilagan clarified that the Student Code of Conduct only indicates the prohibition of freshmen recruitment for fraternities and sororities and not academic student organizations.
WATCH: UPLB students react to dialogue with UPLB administration
Atty. Peralta also added that “many students get dismissed” during their freshman years, citing their membership to student organizations as one of the reasons of dismissal. OSA has yet to present sufficient data on this claim.
Although the memorandum is not new, OSA has continually insisted that “freshmen need adjustment to university life” as one of the reasons for prohibition to join organizations. The discussion on the recruitment of freshmen is crucial especially now as student organizations have been deprived of opportunities for new members due to the K-12 shift that took place in the last two years.
In a manifesto of unity released by the UPLB USC, they condemned the administration’s continued enforcement of freshmen recruitment ban and the Org Recognition Policy, which they said “demonizes organizations” and “curtailed students’ rights to organize.” [P]
WORDS: Mac Andre R. Arboleda
EDITED BY: Caren Malaluan
UPLB Perspective 
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