• Religious activities are given to students, such as recollection for 1st & 2nd year (in-campus); pilgrimage to Manaoag for 3rd year (off-campus); and retreat at Calaruega for 3 days-2 nights (off-campus) for 4th year. Attendance is a must and expected to all students who will enroll in the University.

Other academic requirements are given to students, such as educational trips (local & international), research works including thesis, project development, feasibility studies, strategic papers, business plan, business implementation, attendance in seminars (in- or off-campus), and participation in competitive contests.

Note: For all official off-campus activities, the College/Department provides an Undertaking Form requesting for Parental Consent & Waiver prior to the said activity. Medical clearance is needed in all off-campus activities.

Certification Exams such as TOEIC (English proficiency exam) for all 1st and 4th year students are also conducted.

All enrolled students are requested to read the student handbook that can be downloaded from their MyUSTe student portal (https://myuste.ust.edu.ph/student/). Important areas of consideration are as follows:

1. Honesty

The University, in accordance with its Catholic & Dominican teachings, puts a high premium on the practice of honesty, the act of truth-telling, truth-seeking, truth-doing. Consequently, any act of dishonesty should be avoided. Acts of dishonesty may be sanctioned depending on the gravity of the case, even to the extent of dismissal or expulsion.

2. Courtesy

Courtesy is an act of respect towards another, in recognition of fundamental human dignity. Courtesy is a sign of one’s maturity. Its observance creates a climate of goodwill and fellowship. Thomasian students must, at all times, be courteous and respectful of others, most especially the guards-on-duty when they are approached for improper grooming.

3. Diligence

Thomasian students give honor to their family and to the University by being diligent in their studies. They should have a natural thirst for knowledge and view their attendance in the University as an opportunity to learn and improve themselves.

Thus, the student must:

a. Be punctual
b. Be present in their classes and participate in school-sanctioned activities (cutting classes can be sanctioned & can be considered violation of this policy provision)
c. Be prepared for their lessons, homework, and examinations given.
d. Students are only allowed up to 10 hours of absences for the whole semester for each course/subject. Excused absences and absences due to sickness are also included in the 10 hours allowable absences.

• • FA = failure due to absences; a student who incurs more than 10 allowable absences and has taken the preliminary exam but shall not be allowed to take the final exams
  • WF = grade that is given to a student who stops attending classes before the preliminary examinations (did not take the prelim exams) without officially dropping the course/subject.
  • WP = grade given to a student who stops attending classes after officially dropping the course/subject.

4. Good Grooming

Good grooming includes the wearing of the prescribed college uniform, the authorized shoes, the ID, the male haircut and other considerations that are similar to these. There are two (2) types of uniform for the College. Type A uniforms are worn starting the First Term up to Ash Wednesday. Type B uniforms are worn after Ash Wednesday up to the end of the Special Term.

Note: Unless otherwise allowed through a written permission by the administrators (Dean/Asst. Dean), all students must wear the proper uniform at all times within the University premises.

5. Decency & Modesty in Action

Thomasian students must, at all times, act with proper decorum and etiquette. Engaging in indecent or lewd conduct is contrary to the mores of Catholic behavior and morality.

• • Special Item: In case of pregnancy out of wedlock
    • The University upholds the sanctity of human life, as well as the sanctity of the conjugal act within marriage. However, in the event that an unmarried student gets pregnant, she is encouraged to inform and seek the help of the SWDB Coordinator or the Guidance Counselor.
    • The University, through the collaboration of the Regent, the Health Service Director, SWDB Coordinator, Guidance Counsellor, and the student’s parents, shall accompany the student through spiritual direction, medical assistance and guidance counselling. 
    • To give the student adequate time and space to prepare for the important responsibility of single parenthood and, secondarily, to avoid the possibility of offending the moral sensibility of students, parents, and the university community on account of her irregular status, a pregnant student shall then take a Mandatory Leave of Absence from the University upon public disclosure, whether deliberate
      or otherwise.

6. Maintenance of Peace & Order

The University upholds and protects peace & order within its community. Members of the Thomasian community are expected to give due regard to the rules and regulations formulated and implemented by the University authorities to ensure that peace & order may prevail.
Thomasian students who impede, obstruct, prevent or defeat the right and obligation of a teacher or professor to teach his/her subject, or the right to attend his classes or any official activity shall be subject to disciplinary action.
*REMINDER: Physical Examination is a must since a Medical Clearance is a requirement for all off-campus activities (co-curricular & extra-curricular) as mandated by the Commission of Higher Education.

7. Camaraderie

The University recognizes the role of molding Thomasian students as well-rounded social beings by encouraging formation and membership in organizations that advocate positive values and self-improvement. Hence, only student organizations whose objectives uphold the mission and goals of the University may be formed and recognized.

Students are advised to join only duly recognized student organizations either college-based or university-wide level to avoid being a victim of hazing.

8. Care for the Environment 

The task of caring for and of maintaining a clean campus belongs not only to the University Administration, but also to the community. A clean, smoke-free and well-kept environment benefits everyone. Hence, Thomasian students are encouraged to actively participate in keeping the campus clean and in preventing pollution or other environmental degradation.

Environmental degradation may result from:
a. Smoking (the whole University is a NON-SMOKING AREA)
b. Littering and improper solid waste disposal (the St. Raymund de Peñafort Building is a styro-free building)
c. Smoke-belching vehicles, or leaving the car engine on while parked inside the University premises
d. Playing of car stereo with the use of bass amplifiers/boosters at a high volume; and
e. Similar situations deemed detrimental to the environment

PPS 1028 – PENALTIES

Penalties shall be imposed for violations of the Code of Conduct to instill in the student the understanding that any act of misbehavior, willful violation and/or defiance of lawful rules and regulations has no place in a Catholic University.

When violations are committed, the ID of the student is confiscated by any administrative or academic official, faculty member, support staff, members of the Security force of the University and turned over to the SWDB Coordinator of the College. The erring student should claim his ID from the SWDB Coordinator or Assistant Dean at the earliest possible time to avoid additional violations.

Penalties are PROGRESSIVE in character, taking into account the previous violations committed by the offender. The penalties imposed shall range from:
• Warning
• Admonition (parents are called already)
• Suspension
• Exclusion (the name of the student is removed from the rolls of the University)
• Expulsion (excluded from admission to any public or private school in the
Philippines)

Additional penalties may be in other forms, such as but not limited to:
• Payment of fine/civil liabilities
• Non-issuance of certificate of good moral character
• Disqualification from further enrolling in the University
• Withholding/non-issuance of credentials (diploma & TOR)

Kindly abide or follow the Policy Guidelines of PPS 1027 – Code of Conduct & Discipline to avoid sanctions for violations and non-compliance thereof.

• Based on the 5-point numerical grading system, 1.0 is the highest and 3.0 is the lowest and 5.0 means failed (with .25 interval).
• The passing mark for all courses in the College is 75%.
• A grade of Incomplete (INC) is given to students who have failed to take the final examination or to submit a major requirement for a course on account of illness or other valid reasons. The student receiving a grade of INC should be able to complete the requirements immediately within the succeeding term; otherwise, a failing grade will be given. 

The University confers honors upon her students who exhibited academic excellence in their fields of specialization. The following honors are awarded to graduating students:

• Cum Laude: GWA 1.46 – 1.75
• Magna Cum Laude: GWA 1.21 – 1.45
• Summa Cum Laude: GWA 1.00 – 1.20

The general weighted average (GWA) is based on all grades for academic courses including Theology and non-academic courses, PE and ROTC or NSTP from first year to fourth year.

In addition, no grade of 3.00 in any course and no major or grave offense committed based on the UST Student Handbook and not convicted of crime involving moral turpitude.

• Students with failures/deficiencies (less than 9 units) can enroll the concerned courses only on petition basis during the regular semester or special term.
• In case of failure/deficiency in a Theology course, there will be no petition class in the regular term or special term.

The University shall debar students who do not show satisfactory performance in their academic undertaking. Students with failures corresponding to nine (9) or more units are not to be readmitted in the succeeding semesters.