05/09/2025
SSC Defunded After Protracted OSFA Accreditation Dispute
The Supreme Student Council (SSC), the highest governing body of the Carolinian studentry, has been officially defunded following the long-running dispute over its unresolved accreditation issues with the Office of Student Formation and Activities (OSFA), as confirmed by Vice President for Administration (VPA) Atty. Joan Largo on August 18.
The threat of defunding had begun last 2020 when the administration introduced a new change in the organizational flowchart under then-SSC President Charlene Dasig’s term, making OSFA registration a requirement.
After two consecutive terms refused to register, the administration escalated its response — pressure that began during the term of former President Angel Mendiola, and which was later disclosed by former President Andre Salazar and Vice President Erna Cabarrubias in an interview with Today’s Carolinian (TC) in 2022.
This year, the SSC is officially defunded. In light of this, TC spoke with the current SSC officials last August 23 to shed light on the events that led to the defunding, its implications on the SSC’s autonomy, and the council’s next course of action.
Current State of the Council
On the council’s present situation, SSC President Marianne Josephine Cates Cruz explained that the news of the defunding “took the council aback,” with the SSC having two emergency meetings regarding the matter. The council decided to continue setting up a meeting with the VPA, Atty. Largo last August 26; the outcome of which remains undisclosed to TC as of writing.
Vice President Krishty Mapula also provided some of the plans of action for the council, including petition signing, dialogue with the VPA, and onground flyering to “ask the students about their thoughts in regards with the current circumstances of the council and to provide context of what had happened part of the defunding, and of the defunding itself.”
“The council will continue to work,” Councilor Althea Dabon added, “We will continue to serve the students, and we will continue to deliver the projects that we had promised, especially the resolutions that have already been passed. This is why, part of the plans of the council is more income-generating [projects].”
Clarifications on Claims
In response to questions on whether the defunding stemmed from issues beyond registration, members of the council emphasized that it was made clear by VPA, Atty. Largo, through the USC Carolinian Political Science Society (CPSS), that the council lost its funds due to their non-registered status.
When the council was informed of their defunding through TC’s news update, Cruz disclosed that the council immediately sent a letter to the VPA, requesting clarification and a meeting with the VPAA.
Following this news, councilors aired contrasting positions publicly in their respective social media accounts. On this matter, the council members acknowledged the tension, describing it as “inevitable.”
“I believe it is inevitable to have clashing opinions, and that would ultimately result [to] discourse, which is what we have been doing for the past days in our emergency meetings,” Councilor Mark Gavas reasoned while reassuring that they are “also making solutions that can help the Carolinian body [to] move forward rather than setting [the students] aback.”
Gavas further explained that the SSC set a meeting with the VPA to have “all the cards laid on the table,” with Councilor Christian Palacio emphasizing the need to hold a meeting with the VPA to “get the context and goals of the admin” before the council can proceed with making decisions.
Moreover, when asked why the votes of the USC SSC councilors carry the same weight as those of the student organizations in the matter of OSFA registration, the SSC councilors explained how both student organizations (SOs) and SSC councilors were democratically elected, with Councilor Monica Rodriguez further explaining that it is because because they represent the students as the highest democratically elected body within the university.
Communication with the Admin
On the timeline of communication with the admin, Rodriguez recounted that “the council has been trying to keep in contact with the admin as early as summer. Even if the term had not started, we were administering talks with the admin.”
Rodriguez further disclosed that members of the SSC repeatedly visited OSFA, and how the council intends to post an information update to give context and the timeline of events following the meeting with the VPA, as well as a unity statement.
Councilor Princess Ungab also explained the timeline of events, saying that Cruz and Rodriguez attempted to visit OSFA in late July, but the relevant personnel were unavailable at that time. Ungab further elaborated that members then agreed that both the PVP and councilors would return to OSFA on the day of the extended deadline during the council’s second regular session. However, only Ungab was able to talk to the head of OSFA, Ms. Catherine Algoso on the deadline itself.
The SSC was then informed that OSFA could no longer grant an extension, citing fairness to SOs that had already complied with registration requirements. Cruz was advised to send an email addressed to the VPAA, SASO, and OSFA to pursue the matter further.
Furthermore, Ungab also explained that she followed up with Cruz on the matter, alongside updates regarding the drafting of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). While she said the draft was ‘already set,’ there were delays with no updates.
When the student organizations and council officers voted on the council’s registration, the outcome was a narrowly won “No” following its majority among the councilors. Weeks later, SSC’s defunding took place.
On Member Involvement
The council was also pressed on whether its members remain active and participatory in their roles despite the current situation of the SSC, where Mapula explained that all members have been inactive at some point. She pointed to limitations such as academic demands, financial constraints, and mental health concerns, which have been aggravated by the SSC’s defunding.
Nonetheless, she emphasized that councilors continue to exert effort, noting their efforts through emergency meetings and consolidation gatherings.
Furthermore, Ungab conceded that certain members of the council have been inactive, even citing one councilor who has been unreachable despite attempts to make contact. Cruz likewise recognized the issue but stressed that council positions cannot be neglected given their impact on the student body.
Cruz further explained that the council tackles this by pursuing direct consolidation efforts and reinforcing internal rules and sanctions to uphold accountability while remaining mindful of the personal circumstances members face.
On Public Communication & Student Awareness
When asked about their personal statements released on Facebook, members of the SSC revealed contrasting approaches, with Gavas, who previously acknowledged the tensions among the council, explained that his statement was released after an emergency meeting and underscored the need for transparency, arguing that students, as the council’s “checks and balances,” deserve to be part of the conversation.
Vice President Mapula and Councilor Rodriguez, however, expressed caution. Mapula admitted that the statements were not approved as a body and warned that publicizing information without proper deliberation could lead to misinformation. Rodriguez echoed this concern, stressing that while social media is essential for keeping the studentry informed, certain matters are better handled internally. She also clarified that her own post was meant to provide context, but emphasized that instead of assigning blame, the council should take collective accountability and present a unified front.
The interview then turned to the council’s responsibility of educating the Carolinian student body better, where Cruz emphasized the importance of events like Kita-Kita, citing the relevance of transparency to inform the students regarding the SSC.
“Other than speaking out about it, we encourage students to join educational discussions and student orgs to speak up on the challenges they are facing. The Council moving forward should make more attempts to expose these issues even further, beyond social media,” Cruz said.
Cruz further explained the importance of earning the students’ trust in order for them not to misconstrue or misinterpret the council’s statements, acknowledging the students’ frustration due to the council’s way of handling situations, aside from the statements released on facebook when asked what concrete actions the council will take to regain the trust of the student body.
On Projects and Activities
When asked to clarify why the Week of Welcome (WoW) activities did not push through this academic year, Councilor Althea Dabon cited financial constraints as the biggest setback for the non-materialization of the WoW activities. Dabon also added that the council acknowledged the need to welcome the freshmen this academic year, which was materialized through this year’s Carolinian Summit (CarSumm).
Councilor Peter Vilbar explained that the council promises to uphold their platforms, and how the defunding “won’t stop us from implementing our platforms.” Vilbar further elaborated the need to focus on income generating platforms and to “hold events that do not need money.”
When asked for updates regarding the appointed positions in the council, Commission on Appointments Chairperson Mark Gringin explained that several undersecretaries have already been approved, including those handling communications, minutes, and the chairpersonship for the Commission on Audit (COA).
Gringin also added that delays caused by defunding and scheduling issues slowed the process, leaving positions particularly in logistics and documentation still vacant as of writing. He also added that candidates must submit recommendation letters, undergo interviews, and pass skill assessments before assuming their roles to ensure qualified appointees.
“When you deal with repressive institutions, the fight goes beyond, pero it should not hinder. [...] Mas ni fuel pud ang passion ang councilors mu serve gihapon. It’s our job when we campaigned for this. We knew what we [were] getting ourselves into. Our positions carry so much weight. I believe this Council is well prepared for their duties to serve the Carolinians,” President Marianne Cruz added.
ERRATUM: The article upon initial publishing mentioned that SSC President Cruz was the only one who was able to go to OSFA on the deadline itself. However, it was Councilor Ungab, not Cruz, who was able to talk to Ms. Catherine Algoso, head of OSFA, on the deadline of the OSFA registration. Cruz and Rodriguez’s attempts to visit OSFA around the end of July is verified to be mentioned by Ungab during the interview.
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News by Antonette Anrikamae
Visual by Jyreneah Angel
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