Western Mindanao State University

Student Movement for Transparency

Constitution and By-Laws
VISION
The Western Mindanao State University-Student Movement for Transparency shall be the
successful medium of the Student Body through which change in the University, especially in the
studentry, is attained.

MISSION
To promote awareness to the Student Body on student-affecting aspects in the University
and act on behalf thereof for the fulfilment of what shall best resolve their shared grievance.

ARTICLE I
NAME
Section 1. This movement shall be known as the Western Mindanao State University-Student
Movement for Transparency, which shall here and after be referred to as the WMSU-SMT.

ARTICLE II
PURPOSES
Section 1. The WMSU-SMT shall serve as the medium of the Student Body through which the
University Student Council, the different student organizations and societies duly financed by the
students, and, to the extent, the other offices in the University that affect the studentry shall
become transparent in all their respective affairs.
Section 2. The WMSU-SMT shall, at all times, act on behalf of the Student Body from all their
shared grievance to the University Student Council, the different student organizations and
societies, and, to the extent, the other offices in the University.
Section 3. The WMSU-SMT shall take action whenever the University Student Council, the
different student organizations and societies duly financed by the students, and, to the extent, the
other offices in the University affecting the studentry fail to comply with the mandate on
transparency and shall take equitable legal actions whenever the above mentioned are proven to
have been violating the same.

Section 4. The WMSU-SMT shall seek to ensure that the rights of the students provided under
the existing national laws and university codes and the rights of the Student Body provided under
the USC Constitution are not violated nor deprived thereto.
Section 5. The WMSU-SMT aims to strengthen the involvement of the Student Body on political
and other aspects in the University that affect them through the exercise of their rights. It shall
take measures towards the involvement maturation and the consistency of the Student Body
thereto.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Any student, regardless of race, national origin, color, religion, gender, age, sexual
orientation, or ability status, is hereby welcome to be part of the WMSU-SMT; provided, he is
currently enrolled in the University; provided further that he is an undergraduate therein.
Section 2. Students who want to be members of the WMSU-SMT may file for their membership
at any time of the year. Renewal of membership shall be done annually.
Section 3. No requirement, except for the membership form, shall be imposed upon whom
desires to be a member of the WMSU-SMT nor upon which he renews his membership. Neither
shall he be denied membership on account of political affiliation; provided, he shall not
compromise the movement in favor of the former.

ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1. The WMSU-SMT shall be headed by the following officers:
A. President;
B. Overall Deputy-President;
C. Deputy-President for Movement Affairs;
D. Deputy-President for Research and Planning;
E. Deputy-President for Communication and Processes;
F. Deputy-President, each for Campuses A, B and C;
G. Secretary
Section 2. The officers shall have the following duties and/or powers:
A. The President shall be the head of the WMSU-SMT under which all the plans,
activities and affairs thereof are approved and/or supervised. He shall represent for, or on behalf
of, the movement in all external affairs that need a representation thereof. He shall preside

at/over all the internal meetings, regular and/or special, and shall seek to ensure that the WMSUSMT is acting within its parameter as provided under Article II hereof.
B. The Overall Deputy-President shall have the duty to assist the President in all matters
that pertain to the discharge of his responsibilities. He shall also have the duty to supervise the
Deputy-Presidents of the respective campuses. He shall have the power to act on behalf of the
President in the absence of the latter. He shall also have the power to take disciplinary actions
over all the members.
C. The Deputy-President for Movement Affairs shall have the duty to manage the
execution of the activities which the WMSU-SMT seeks to conduct. He shall have the
power to create committees to work with him in the execution thereof.
D. The Deputy-President for Research and Planning shall have the duty to manage all
data collections, which shall serve as bases for an action that the WMSU-SMT may undertake on
a certain issue that is relevant to its mission. He shall also have the power to formulate or revise
plans in relevance to, or for the fulfilment of, the WMSU-SMT Mission.
E. The Deputy-President for Communication and Processes shall have the duty to manage
over all the correspondence of the WMSU-SMT with the office of the USC, the different student
organizations and societies, and the offices which the movement may be coordinating with for a
certain purpose. He shall also act as the Spokesperson of the WMSU-SMT.
F. The Deputy-Presidents of the respective campuses shall have the duty to look over the
student organizations and societies located in the campuses they are respectively assigned and
shall take measures to ensure that the said organizations or societies are performing their
respective duties under the rule of transparency. They may initiate legal actions upon a verified
finding of violation against the rule on transparency and shall thereafter be spearheaded by the
President of the WMSU-SMT in the initiation therefor.
G. The Secretary shall have the duty to manage all affairs that pertain to membership to
the WMSU-SMT and the renewal thereof. He shall also have the duty to keep the necessary
minutes of the internal meetings and all the official records of the movement. He shall have the
duty to issue notices unto all members whenever a special assembly is called for by the
President.
Section 3. The President and the Overall Deputy-President shall be elected by all the members of
the WMSU-SMT based on proven probity and audacity to act and lead with commitment for the
fulfilment of the WMSU-SMT Mission. The remaining positions shall, by appointment, be filled
in by the President, subject to the approval of a majority of all the members.
Section 4. All the officers created by this Constitution may, under good behavior and
performance, serve until they graduate in the University. The President may however exercise
disciplinary actions over all the appointed officers. On the other hand, the President and/or the
Overall Deputy-President may, upon a petition of a majority of all the members by a ground of
incompetence, be removed from position.

Section 5. Should a vacancy arise in the position of the President, the Overall Deputy-President
shall assume the powers and responsibilities until the new President is elected by all the
members of the WMSU-SMT upon an election called for the purpose. Likewise, should a
vacancy arise in the position of the Overall Deputy-President, the President shall appoint from
among the members an acting Overall Deputy-President until the new Overall Deputy-President
is elected by all the members upon an election called for the purpose. If, at the beginning of
every academic school year or anytime thereafter, both the positions become vacant, any officer,
or in case all positions become vacant, any member, may initiate for an assembly of all the
members for an election therefor.

ARTICLE V
LEGAL ADVISER
Section 1. There shall be a legal adviser of the WMSU-SMT who shall be a regular faculty
member from either the College of Law or the Political Science Department in the University.
Section 2. He shall have the duty to provide legal advices to the WMSU-SMT to ensure that, in
its journey towards the fulfilment of its mission, the actions taken therefor by the members are in
accordance with law. He shall also regularly supervise the movement to be aware about the time
to time disposition thereof and shall serve as the coordinator if the need thereto may arise.
Section 3. Any action of the WMSU-SMT shall be solely initiated by the members themselves.
Section 4. Should the position of the legal adviser become vacant, the officers shall have the
power to look for a replacement therefor, subject to the qualification provided under Section 1 of
this article.

ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular meetings of all the members of the WMSU-SMT shall be held for at least
once a week. The day and time schedule shall, at the start of the academic semester, be fixed
constant for a whole semester application. The same shall be done at every semester thereafter.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called for by the President for an indispensable matter or
upon a recommendation of any officer of the WMSU-SMT.
Section 3. A majority of all the members, including the officers, shall constitute a quorum, but a
minority may adjourn. Absent members shall however be subject to disciplinary sanction by the
Overall Deputy-President.

ARTICLE VII
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Any amendment to this constitution, not abridging the WMSU-SMT Mission, may be
proposed by any member of the movement who has been a member therein for at least one year.
Proposal for amendment thereto, before it is included in the agenda for the succeeding meeting/s
for the argument thereon, shall be concurred by at least 1/4 votes of all the members present
during which the proposal is presented.
Section 2. No amendment shall take effect unless voted by at least 3/4 of all the members of the
WMSU-SMT.
Section 3. No amendment to this Constitution shall be authorized within one year following the
ratification thereof nor be made more than once every semester thereafter.

ARTICLE VIII
TRANSITORY PROVISIONS
Section 1. The acting officers of the WMSU-SMT prior to the ratification of this Constitution
shall herein assume as official officers thereof immediately after which this Constitution is
ratified.
Section 2. The existing members of the WMSU-SMT prior to the ratification of this Constitution
shall become official members thereof after which this Constitution is ratified, without
compliance with what is required for their application.
Section 3. This Constitution shall immediately take effect after the ratification thereof by the
WMSU-SMT members, subject for final approval by the Dean of Student Affairs for recognition
thereto.

Date Ratified:
Approved by:
Dr. Milagros F. Yosores
Dean of Student Affairs