THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas has reportedly issued a new guideline stating that the school administration will be closely monitoring the social media posts of student organizations.

The UST Office of Student Affairs released the guidelines on August 8, 2020 which would require the student organizations to seek its approval before posting on any social media platform.

“Recognizing the vital role that social media networks continue to play in facilitating engagements, student organization officers and members are reminded to adhere to the guidelines in the Use of Social Media with a stronger sense of responsibility and prudence as we acknowledge the value of social media to connect us in this time of remote instruction,” the UST said in a memorandum.

The OSA stressed that a message “should be cleared first by the organization adviser” before the student organizations can post it on social media.

The ‘permission to post’ document is also included in the memorandum in which the student organizations need to fill up first. “In case the adviser is not within reach, the Student Welfare and Development Coordinators or the OSA will have the final decision” read the guidelines.

Progressive youth groups, however, have denounced the memorandum, saying “it may repress the democratic rights of the students.’

“In which case, an impasse occurs, the final decision will be made by the Office of Student Affairs. This will give permission to the school administration in editing all the contents to be published by the organization,” the UST League of Filipino Students said in a statement.

“Not only will this prolong the process of releasing contents for the student organizations’ accounts, but the contents supposed to be released by the students will also be heavily moderated and controlled by the university admin,” the group stressed.

The National Union of Students of the Philippines has expressed its full support to the statement of the Thomasian learners saying that “such policy hinders the freedom of expression of the UST studentry.”