The University of the Philippines Charter of 1908

June 18, 1908

ACT NO. 1870

AN ACT FOR THE PURPOSE OF FOUNDING A UNIVERSITY FOR THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, GIVING IT CORPORATE EXISTENCE PROVIDING FOR A BOARD OF REGENTS, DEFINING THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES, PROVIDING HIGHER AND PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Legislature, that:

SECTION 1.The Governor-General is hereby authorized, within the powers and limitations hereinafter specified, to establish in the city of Manila, or at the point he may deem most convenient, a university which shall be known by the designation of "University of the Philippines," the same being organized as a corporation under that name. ITSaHC

SECTION 2.The purpose of said university shall be to provide advanced instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences, and arts, and to give professional and technical training.

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

SECTION 4.The government of said university is vested in a board of regents to be known as the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines. The Board of Regents shall be comprised of the Secretary of Public Instruction, the Director of Education, the chairman of the Committee of Public Instruction of the Philippine Assembly,the president of the university, and five additional members to be appointed by the Governor-General, by and with the consent of the Philippine Commission: The president of the university shall be selected and his compensation shall be fixed by the Board of Regents, of which board he shall be ex-officio chairman. The members of the Board of Regents appointed by the Governor-General shall hold office for a term of five years: Provided, however, that the regents first appointed by the Governor-General shall hold office as follows: One for one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, and one for five years, the term of office of each to be specified in his appointment by the Governor-General. In case of a vacancy among the members of the Board of Regents appointed by the Governor-General, such vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Governor-General, by and with the advice and consent of the Philippine Commission, and such appointees shall hold office for the unexpired term. All members of the Board of Regents shall be citizens of the Philippine Islands or of the United States, and shall be residents of the Philippine Islands. Members shall serve without compensation other than actual and necessary traveling expenses incurred either in attendance upon meetings of the Board or upon other official business authorized by resolution of the Board. SHCaEA

SECTION 5.The University of the Philippines shall have the general powers set out in section thirteen of Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and fifty nine, and the administration of said University and the exercise of its corporate powers are hereby vested in the Board of Regents.

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:

(a)To receive and appropriate to the ends specified by law such sums as may be provided by law for the support of the university;

(b)To provide for the establishment of a college of Philosophy, Science, and Letters; a College of Law and 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 Mines; a College of Agriculture and a School of Fine Arts: Provided, That the Board of Regents may establish these colleges or any of them as soon as in its judgment conditions shall favor their opening and funds shall be available for their maintenance: And provided further, That the Board of Regents, by and with the approval of the Governor General, shall have power to combine two or more of the colleges authorized by this Act, in the interests of economy and efficiency: And provided further, That the Philippine Medical School, as established by Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and fifteen, as amended, shall become the College of Medicine and Surgery of the Philippine University as soon as two or more colleges of the University of the Philippines shall have been established and in actual operation; HAICcD

(c)To confer the usual honorary degrees upon persons other than graduates of the university 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;

(d)To establish chairs in colleges hereinbefore mentioned, and to provide for the maintenance or endowment of such chairs, as well as to provide for such other professors, assistant professors, instructors, tutors, and lecturers as the progress of instruction may make necessary, and to fix the compensation pertaining to such positions;

(e)To appoint, on the recommendation of the president of the university, professors, instructors, lecturers and other employees of the university; to fix their compensation and to remove them for cause after an investigation and hearing shall have been had.

(f)To approve the courses of study and rules of discipline drawn up by the university council as hereinafter 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; HDIaET

(g)To provide fellowships and scholarships and to award the same students giving special evidence of merit; CSIDTc

(h) 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 defined in section two of this Act.

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

SECTION 8.On or before the tenth day of August of each year the Board of Regents shall file with the Governor-General a detailed report, setting forth the progress, condition, and needs of the university. CHATcE

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 shall have power to prescribe the courses of study and rules of discipline, subject to the approval of the Board of Regents. It shall fix the requirements for admission to any college of the university, as well as for graduation and the receiving of a degree. The council alone shall have the power to recommend students or others to be recipients 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 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 by the faculty to which he belongs. 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 the 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. SDAaTC

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 be designated by the Board.

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

SECTION 14.Heads of Bureaus and Offices of the Insular 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 in the judgment 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 service. IDSEAH

SECTION 15.The President of the Commission, the Speaker of the Philippine Assembly, and the justices of the Supreme Court shall constitute a board of visitors of the university, whose duty it 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, courses of study, discipline, the state of finances of the university, to inspect all books and accounts of the institution, and to make report to the Governor-General upon the same, with such recommendation as they favor.

SECTION 16.The sum of one hundred thousand pesos is hereby appropriated, out of any funds in the Insular 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 may be considered most urgent.

SECTION 17.This Act shall take effect on its passage.

Enacted, June 18, 1908.