By Carla Adeline Via
Silliman University Student Government’s (SUSG) newly-launched initiatives addressed the needs of freshmen students regarding enrollment and admission process ahead of the opening of classes.
The SUSG launched a Facebook community page named “Freshie Support Group“ last June 13 to help new students seek assistance or post inquiries about the upcoming academic year.
First-year psychology student Nico Lorenzo Malacat shared how the initiative has helped him in his transition to college.
“Smooth-sailing ra pud ang first two weeks nako diri sa Silliman University […] ilang mga initiatives kay naka-contribute jud siya giunsa nako pag-adjust diri,” he said.
[“My first two weeks here at Silliman University were smooth-sailing. Their initiatives really contributed to how well I adjusted here.”]
Malacat also said the initiatives set were “satisfactory” and served their purpose.
“I’m very grateful sa ilang [for their] initiatives […] for us freshies and also to those who are new to Silliman,” he added.
Another SUSG initiative, “Hali Na, Halin Na!”, provides a platform for students to sell and buy pre-loved items such as uniforms, textbooks, or school supplies.
It aims to make SU a “greener and more resourceful” campus by promoting sustainability and student support.
The SUSG Secretariat Committee also continued the “GABAY BAHAY: Boards and Accommodations Directory” to give non-local students access to a list of housing and dormitory residences within the city.
SUSG President Grylle Adrian Malala said that while the “GABAY BAHAY” program and help desk were launched in the previous administration, the “Freshie Support Group” and “Hali na, Halin na!” were ideas “born from his own experience as a freshman.”
“I, alongside [a] few of my fellow freshies back then, created our own, the first unofficial, student-led Freshie Support Group,” he said.
He added, “We simply wanted a space to ask questions and find guidance […] since there was no clear avenue for this.”
Malala also shared that “Hali Na, Halin Na!” was established after a student inquired about a platform to sell their old PE uniform.
Moreover, the SUSG set up a help desk fronting Hibbard Hall to assist students with concerns regarding the enrollment process and directions around the campus.
They also posted the SUSG Admissions Guide on Facebook to guide students throughout the enrollment process.
The guide contained contact information of departments and offices, requirements, and flow charts of enrollment.
Malala noted that the new initiatives also served as a feasibility study to know the wants and needs of the student body for their future programs.
“We believe that these initiatives and the impact it has made is just [the] beginning of something greater and sustainable for the SUSG,” he said.
The SUSG also coordinated with the Admissions Office to explore the possibility of providing accommodations for non-local students starting next school year.
