MSU Charter

(Republic Act No.1387, As Amended by Republic Act.No.1893,

Republic Act No. 3791 and Republic Act No.3868

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

IN MARAWI CITY AND AUTHORIZING THE APROPRIATION OF FUNDS THEREFOR.

Whereas, there has been felt the need for the establishment of learning in the southern part of the Philippines to better implement the policy of the government in the intensification of the education of the Filipino youth, especially among the Muslim and others belonging to the national minorities;

Whereas, the need for accelerating the program of education among the peoples of the south, particularly the Muslims and other cultural minorities has been greatly felt; and

Whereas, a more extensive professional and technical training and instruction in Literature, Philosophy, Science and Arts, particularly the Native Culture, Literature, Philosophy, and Science and a more extensive research of the above, especially those relating to Filipino Culture, Literature, Philosophy, Science and Arts, become necessary to implement the policy of the Government in its desire to integrate the National Minorities into our body politics.(R.A. 1893)

Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. There is hereby established in Marawi City, a university which shall be known as the Mindanao State University, the same being organized as a corporation under that name (R.A. 3791)

SECTION 2. The said University shall primarily give professional and technical training, besides providing advanced instructions in literature, philosophy, the science, and arts. More emphasis, however, shall be given in the teaching of Filipino Native Culture, Arts, Science, Philosophy and Literature. Researches on these lines shall be undertaken by the University (R.A. 1893)

SECTION 3. No student shall be denied admission to the University by reason of age, sex, nationality, religious belief, or political affiliation.

SECTION 4. The government of said University is vested in a board of regents to be known as the Board of Regents of the Mindanao State University. (R.A.1893)

The Board of Regents shall be composed of ten members, five of whom shall be ex-officio members, three to be appointed by the President of the Philippines, with the content of the Commission on Appointments, and two elected by the Mindanao State University Alumni Association: Provided. That the appointments extended to the present members of the Board shall continue until the expiration of their terms. Of the three to be appointed, the President of the Philippines shall designate one to serve for one year, one to serve for two years, and one to serve for three years. (R.A. 3868) The two members shall be elected by the Mindanao State University Alumni Association from among its members as soon as there are enough graduates of said University—one to be elected for a term of one year, and the other to be elected for a term of two years: Provided, however, That in the meantime that there are not enough graduates of said University, the President of the Republic of the Philippines shall appoint the two members with the consent of the Commission on Appointments for a term as herein above provided. Thereafter persons appointed to succeed such members shall hold office for a term of two years and until their successors are appointed or elected, as the case may be. In case of vacancy, such vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the President of the Philippines, with the consent of the Commission on Appointments or elected by the alumni association, and such appointee or person elected shall hold office for the unexpired term only. All members of the Board of Regents shall be residents of the Philippines. No person in the employ of the University or in any other educational institution in any capacity whatsoever, whether as dean, professor, instructor, lecturer, or otherwise, shall be eligible for membership in the Board (R.A.3868)

The President of the Philippines, in the selection of members to compose the Board of Regents, preference shall be given to residents of Mindanao particularly of the Province of Lanao.(R.A.1893)

The Secretary of Education, the Chairman of the Committee on Education of the Senate, the Chairman of the Committee on Education of the House of Representatives, the President of the University, and the Superintendent of Schools for the Province of Lanao del Sur shall be ex-officio members of the Board. The President of the University shall be elected and his compensation and term of office, any provision of law to the contrary not with standing, shall be fixed by the Board of Regents.

The Secretary of Education shall be the ex-officio chairman of the Board, but in his absence, the President of the University shall act in his behalf. (R.A. 3868)

Members shall serve without compensation, but they shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred either in attendance upon meeting of the Board or upon other official business authorized by resolution of the Board. (R.A. 1893)

SECTION 5. The Mindanao State University shall have the general powers set out in section thirteen of Act numbered Fourteen hundred and fifty-five, and the administration of said University and the exercise of its corporate powers are hereby vested exclusively in the Board of Regents and in the President of the University insofar as authorized by said Board

SECTION 6. The Board of Regents shall have the following powers and duties, in addition to its general powers of administration and the exercise of the powers of the corporation;

• To receive and appropriate to the ends specified by law such sums as may be provided by law for the support of the University;
• To provided for the establishment of one or more college of Liberal Arts, a College of Law, a College of Social and Political Science, a College of Medicine and Surgery, a College of Pharmacy, a College of Dentistry; a College of Veterinary Science, a College of Engineering, a College of Agriculture, a College of Education, a College of Forestry, a College of Nursing, a School of fine Arts, a Conservatory of Music, a School of Surveying, and such other colleges and school as the Board of Regents may deem necessary;
• To confer the usual honorary degrees upon person in recognition of learning, statesmanship, or eminence in literature, science or art; Provided, That such degrees shall not be conferred in consideration of the payment of money or other valuable consideration;
• To establish chairs in the colleges mentioned in paragraph (b), and to provide for the maintenance or endowment of such chairs, as well as to provide for such professors, assistant professors, instructors, tutors, and lecturers, as the progress of instruction may make necessary and to fix the compensation pertaining to such positions;
• To appoint, on the recommendation of the President of the University, professors, instructors, lecturers and other employees of the University; to fix their compensation, hours of service and such other duties and conditions as it may deem proper; to grant to them in its discretion leaves of absence under such regulations as it may promulgate, any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, and to removed them for cause after an investigation and hearing shall have been had; to extend with their consent, the tenure of faculty members of the University beyond the age of sixty-five, any other provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding, on recommendation of the President of the University, whenever in his opinion their services are especially needed: Provided, however, That no extension of service shall be made beyond the age of seventy. (R.A. 3868)
• To approved the courses of study and rules of discipline drawn up by the University Council as herein after provided; to fix the tuition fees required of students, as well as matriculation fees, graduation fees and fees for laboratory courses and all special fees; and to remit the same in special cases;
• To provide fellowships and scholarship and to award the same to students showing special evidence of merit;
• To prescribe rules for its own government and to enact for the government of the University such general ordinances and regulations, not contrary to law, as are consistent with the purposes of the University as defines in section two of this Act;
• To receive in trust in trust legacies, gifts, and donations of real and personal property of all kinds and to administer the same for the benefit of the University, or of a department thereof, of for aid to any student or students, in accordance with the direction or instructions of the donor, and, in default thereof, in such manner as the Board of Regents may in its discretion determine.

SECTION 7. A quorum of the Board of Regents shall consists of majority of all members holding office at the time the meeting of the Board is called. All processes against the Board of Regents shall be served on the chairman or secretary thereof.

SECTION 8. On or before the tenth day of June of each year the Board of Regents shall file with the President of the Philippines a detailed report, setting forth the progress, condition and needs of the University.

SECTION 9. There shall be a University Council, consisting of the President of the University and of all instructors in the University holding the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor. The council alone shall have the power to recommend students or others to be recipient of degrees. Through its president or committees it shall have disciplinary power over the students within the limits prescribed by the rules of discipline approved by the Board of Regents. The powers and duties of the President of the University, in addition to those specifically provided for this Act, shall be those usually pertaining to the office of the President of a University.

SECTION 10. The body of instructors of each college shall constitute its faculty and as presiding officer of each faculty there shall be a dean elected from the members of such faculty by the Board of Regents on nomination by the President of the University. In the appointment of professors or other instructors of the University, no religious test shall be applied nor shall the religious opinions or affiliations of the instructors of the University be made a matter of examination or inquiry. Provided, however That no instructor in this University shall inculcate sectarian tenets in any of the teachings, nor attempt, either directly or indirectly, under penalty of dismissal by the Board of Regents, to influence students or attendants at the University for or against any particular church or religious sect.

SECTION 11. Professors and other regular instructors in the University shall be exempt as such from any civil service examination or regulation as a requisite to appointment.

SECTION 12. There shall be a secretary of the University, appointed by the Board of Regents. He shall be the secretary of such Board and also of the University, and shall keep such records of the University as may de designated by the Board.

SECTION 13. The Treasurer of the Philippines shall be ex-officio treasurer of the University, and all accounts and expenses thereof shall be audited by the Auditor General, and all disbursements shall be made in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by him.

SECTION 14. Heads of bureaus of offices of the National Government are hereby authorized to loan or transfer, upon request of the President of the University, such apparatus or supplies as may be needed by the University and to detail employees for duty therein, when the judgement of the head of the bureau or office such supplies or employees can be spared without serious detriment to the public service. Employees so detailed shall perform such duty as is required under such detail and the time so employed shall count as part of their regular official services.

SECTION 15. The President of the Philippines, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall constitute a board of visitors of the university, whose duties shall be to attend the commencement exercises of the University, and to make visits at such other times as they may deem proper, to examine the property, course of study, discipline, the state of finance of the University, to inspect all books and accounts of the institution, and to make report to the Congress of the Philippines upon the same, with such recommendations as they favor.

SECTION 16. The present site of the University which has been reserved for its use by Proclamation Numbered Eight hundred and six issued by the President of the Republic of the Philippines, covering one thousand hectares, more or less, located in the City of Marawi, Island of Mindanao, is hereby granted to the said university after its survey shall have been approved by the Director of the Bureau of Lands, (R.A. 3791)

SECTION 17. The sum of five hundred thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended in the discretion of the Board of Regents for the establishment of a college or colleges authorized by this Act, the establishment of which maybe considered more urgent. (R.A. 1893)

All scholarship funds intended for the non-Christian tribes provided for under any law or Executive Order shall be transferred to the Mindanao State University and its disposition according to such laws of Executive Orders shall be handed by the Board of Regents. (R.A. 1893)

Beginning with the fiscal year nineteen hundred fifty-eight-nineteen hundred fifty-nine an additional sum of two million pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated as subsidy to the Mindanao State University to carry out the purposes of this Act. (R.A. 1893)

SECTION 18. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, June 18, 1955.