RATIONALE

In line with the University’s objective of developing students’ good moral character and personality to achieve personal integrity, the Student Discipline Office (SDO) has taken the responsibility of concretizing this objective by converting the occasion of student’s misconduct to an opportunity of growth and development through a value-laden remediation and intervention program, thus, transforming the student into a self-discipline personality nurtured in spirituality, acquiring a sense of responsibility and accountability of his/her human actions.

Realizing this tenet of character transformation, the In-School Suspension (ISS) Program is being designed to proactively and constructively respond to students’ misconduct or misbehavior, providing the target students the opportunities to acquire knowledge and develop skills for behavioral change. Knowledge and skills for behavioral change, planning for change, and support mechanisms for behavioral change have been demonstrated to be effective in improving individual student’s behavior. (Allen 19181, Cotton and Savard 1982, Doyle 1989; Miller 1986). It is the conviction of the Student Discipline Office (SDO) that In-School Suspension (ISS) Program in a values formation design is a productive and transformative means of discipline, consistent with the Vision and Mission of the University, and an effective channel to enhance the University’s learning environment and promote the University’s brand of education.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The In-School Suspension Program will consist of the following components:

• Academics: This component is designed to keep the students current in their academic progress. Students will be required to complete the assignments given in class while they are on suspension and be allowed to take special examination for a major examination they missed, but not on the quizzes given during the period of suspension.
• Values Formation: This component is designed to help the students in changing their behaviors by a review and assessment of their current hierarchy of values. Students will be required to attend the appropriate Module(s) of the SDO’ Values Formation Program.
• Counseling/Mentoring: This component will consist of counseling/mentoring sessions that students may be required to attend whenever it is applicable or indicated.
• Service: This component is designed to make students aware of their personal worth, their place in the community, and the impact of their actions in the campus. Whenever applicable, students will be required to render service to the campus community.

GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

SDO’s In-School Suspension Program aims to contribute to behavioral changes in the target students. It is expected that the target students will commit to changes in their behavior so that they can become the best that they can be. Through this program, it is expected that repeat violations of the Code of Conduct will be reduced, if not totally eliminated.

IMPLEMENTING GUIDELINES

• Regardless of the nature of the offense and the duration of the in-school suspension imposed as the sanction, the concerned student will be required to undergo the Academics and Values Formation components:
  • For the Academics Component
    
    The Discipline Office will require the suspended student to obtain from his/her teachers the assignments that would be given to the class while he/she is on suspension. A copy of the list of assignments, together with the due dates of the assignments, should be submitted to the Discipline Officer. Prior to submission of the assignments to the respective teachers, the suspended student should present the completed assignments to the Discipline Officer for monitoring purposes. The teachers must likewise schedule a date for a special examination of the suspended student if prelim/midterm/final examination falls during the period of suspension.
  
  
  • For the Values Formation Component
    
    The Discipline Officer assigned to the suspended student will coordinate with the Assistant Director for SDO Formation Programs for the schedule of the Module(s) on Values Formation that the suspended student should attend. Consequently, the student will be asked to report to the Module Facilitator (to be assigned by the Assistant Director for SDO Formation Programs) for attendance of the Module(s) at the place, date/time indicated.
    
    At the end of the Module(s), the concerned student will be asked to accomplish a BEHAVIORAL AGREEMENT. This agreement between the student and SDO is a written document indicating the student’s intended change in behavior.
    
    The Discipline Officer assigned to the concerned student will be responsible for monitoring the student’s compliance with the agreement. In the event that the student fails to comply with the agreement after a reasonable period of time, the Discipline Officer may recommend Counseling/Mentoring Sessions.
• Depending on the nature of the offense, the concerned student may be required to undergo Counseling/Mentoring sessions during and even after the in-house suspension period, in addition to the Academics and Values Formation components. These sessions may be conducted by a Discipline Officer or a Peer Mediator. For some cases, the concerned student may need to be referred to the University Guidance Office for the counseling sessions.


• Depending on the duration of the in-house suspension, the suspended student may be required to undergo the Service component, in addition to the Academics and Values Formation components. It is the responsibility of the Discipline Officer to coordinate with the head of the University unit where the suspended student will be assigned for the Service component. To the extent possible, the nature of the service should provide an experiential learning opportunity related to the nature of the offense. For example, if the offense is vandalism, the suspended student could be assigned to the Maintenance Unit where he/she will be asked to help in the repairs and maintenance of the University properties. OR, if the offense is bringing in, displaying, sending, lending, or distributing pornographic materials within the University premises, the suspended student could be assigned to the Campus Ministry Office where he/she will be asked to research and prepare posters on the value Respect for Sexuality.
  
  When the suspended student is asked to undergo the Service component, the Discipline Officer should require the suspended student to submit a REFLECTION PAPER at the end of the service period.