University of the Philippines Act 1908

Purpose and admissions protection

Section 2 states that the university’s purpose is to provide advanced instruction in literature, philosophy, the sciences, and the arts, and to give professional and technical training.
Section 3 prohibits denying a student admission to the university on account of age, sex, nationality, religious belief, or political affiliation.

Board of Regents—composition and terms

Section 4 vests the government of the University of the Philippines in a Board of Regents called the “Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines.”
Section 4 requires the Board of Regents to consist 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 appointed by the Governor-General with the advice and consent of the Philippine Commission.
Section 4 makes the president of the university the ex officio chairman of the Board and provides that his selection and compensation are fixed by the Board of Regents.
Section 4 sets the term of office of the five appointed regents at five years.
Section 4 provides transitional staggering: the first five appointed regents must hold office for one for one year, one for two years, one for three years, one for four years, and one for five years, with the exact term specified in each appointment.
Section 4 provides that vacancies among the appointed regents are filled by appointment by the Governor-General, with the advice and consent of the Philippine Commission, for the unexpired term.
Section 4 limits eligibility for all Board members to citizens of the Philippine Islands or of the United States.
Section 4 provides that members serve without compensation other than actual and necessary traveling expenses incurred attending meetings of the Board or other official business authorized by Board resolution.

Corporate powers and university powers

Section 5 provides that the University of the Philippines has the general powers set out in Section 13 of Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and fifty-nine.
Section 5 states that administration and the exercise of corporate powers are vested in the Board of Regents.

Board of Regents—specific powers and duties

Section 6(a) requires the Board to receive and appropriate sums “as may be provided by law” for the support of the university, and to appropriate them to the ends specified by law.
Section 6(b) directs the Board to have the power to provide for the establishment of colleges and a school:
- College of Philosophy, Science, and Letters
- College of Law and of Social and Political Science
- College of Medicine and Surgery
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Dentistry
- College of Veterinary Science
- College of Engineering
- College of Mines
- College of Agriculture
- School of Fine Arts
Section 6(b) permits the Board to establish the colleges (or any of them) when, in its judgment, conditions favor opening and funds are available for maintenance.
Section 6(b) allows the Board, by and with the approval of the Governor-General, to combine two or more authorized colleges for economy and efficiency.
Section 6(b) provides that the Philippine Medical School, established by Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and fifteen as amended, becomes the College of Medicine and Surgery of the University of the Philippines as soon as two or more University of the Philippines colleges have been established and are in actual operation.
Section 6(c) authorizes the Board to confer honorary degrees upon persons other than graduates in recognition of learning, statesmanship, or eminence in literature, science, or art.
Section 6(c) prohibits conferring honorary degrees in consideration of the payment of money or other valuable consideration.
Section 6(d) authorizes the Board to establish chairs in the authorized colleges, to maintain or endow such chairs, and to provide for professors and teaching staff as instruction progresses requires, and to fix the compensation for these positions.
Section 6(e) authorizes the Board to appoint professors, instructors, lecturers, and other university employees on recommendation of the president, to fix compensation, and to remove them for cause after an investigation and hearing.
Section 6(f) authorizes the Board to:
- approve courses of study and rules of discipline drawn up by the university council,
- fix tuition fees, matriculation fees, graduation fees, fees for laboratory courses, and all special fees, and
- remit those fees in special cases.
Section 6(g) authorizes the Board to provide fellowships and scholarships and to award them to students who give special evidence of merit.
Section 6(h) requires the Board to prescribe rules for its own government and enact general ordinances and regulations consistent with the university’s purposes in Section 2 and not contrary to law or to the “government of the university.”

Meetings, reporting, and legal service

Section 7 sets a quorum of the Board of Regents as a majority of all members holding office at the time the meeting is called.
Section 7 provides that all process against the Board of Regents shall be served on the president or secretary of the Board.

University Council—academic control and discipline

Section 9 creates a university council consisting of: the president of the university and all instructors holding the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor.
Section 9 gives the council power to prescribe courses of study and rules of discipline, subject to approval of the Board of Regents.
Section 9 gives the council exclusive power to fix admission requirements for any college and the requirements for graduation and receiving a degree.
Section 9 provides that the council alone may recommend students or others to be recipients of degrees.
Section 9 provides that the council, through its president or committees, exercises disciplinary power over students within the limits of the rules of discipline approved by the Board of Regents.
Section 9 provides that the president’s powers and duties (in addition to those specifically provided) include those usually pertaining to the office of president of a university.

Faculty and religious freedom rules

Section 10 provides that the instructors of each college constitute its faculty.
Section 10 provides that each faculty elects a dean as its presiding officer.
Section 10 prohibits applying any religious test in appointing professors or other instructors.
Section 10 bars treating religious opinions or affiliations of instructors as a matter of examination or inquiry.
Section 10 prohibits any instructor from inculcating sectarian tenets in any teaching.
Section 10 prohibits any instructor, directly or indirectly, from attempting to influence students or attendants for or against any particular church or religious sect, and provides that violations lead to dismissal by the Board of Regents.

Civil service exemption for instructors

Section 11 exempts professors and other regular instructors in the university from civil-service examination or regulation as a prerequisite to appointment.

University Secretary and records

Section 12 provides for a secretary of the university appointed by the Board of Regents.
Section 12 makes the secretary of the Board also the secretary of the university and requires him to keep such records of the university as may be designated.

Treasury, auditing, and disbursements

Section 13 makes the Treasurer of the Philippine Islands the ex officio treasurer of the university.
Section 13 requires the Insular Auditor to audit all accounts and expenses of the university.
Section 13 requires all disbursements to be made in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the Insular Auditor.

Lending of government supplies and detailing employees

Section 14 authorizes heads of bureaus and offices of the Insular Government to loan or transfer apparatus or supplies to the university upon the request of the president, when supplies or employees can be spared without serious detriment to public service.
Section 14 authorizes heads of bureaus and offices to detail employees for duty with the university under the detail arrangement.
Section 14 requires detailed employees to perform the duty required under the detail.
Section 14 provides that the time employed under such detail counts as part of the employees’ regular official service.

Board of Visitors

Section 15 establishes a board of visitors composed of the President of the Commission, the Speaker of the Philippine Assembly, and the justices of the Supreme Court.
Section 15 requires the board of visitors to attend the commencement exercises of the university.
Section 15 requires the board to make visits at other times it deems proper.
Section 15 tasks the visitors to examine the university’s property, courses of study, discipline, and the state of finances, to inspect books and accounts, and to report to the Governor-General with recommendations.

Appropriation for urgent colleges

Section 16 appropriates one hundred thousand pesos from any funds in the Insular Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Section 16 directs the appropriation to be expended at the discretion of the Board of Regents for the establishment of a college or colleges authorized by the Act, with the establishment of which may be considered most urgent.

Effectivity

Section 17 provides that the Act takes effect on its passage.
The Act was enacted on June 18, 1908.