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Our History
The Student Organizations Coordinating Council (SOCC) is the umbrela organization of all recognized University-wide and College-based organizations in the Royal and Pontifical Unviersity of Santo Tomas. It coordinates all student activities and consistently extends its assistance and support to the needs of its constituents.
Upon declaration of Martial Law in 1972, student organizations all over the country were restricted to operate. The Central Board of Students, the supreme body of the University of Santo Tomas was not spared from such restriction.The only organization allowed to operate was the Pax Romana. After a few months, some organizations were allowed to re-operate but it was only limited to cultural and academic organizations.
In 1975, there were about 35 organizations recognized. The Office for Student Affairs, realizing the need to identify a group that would represent the students, the thought of organizing these organizations, represented by thier respective presidents, into a coordinating council, thus the Student Organizations Coordinating Council (SOCC) was born. To facilitate the work of the SOCC, it was given its principal office at the mezzanine floor of the Office for Student Affairs (OSA), room 109, at the UST Main Buidling, and was later transferred to room 106-A, still in the same building.
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Our Purpose
The SOCC aims to promote the Thomasian virtues of Faith, Hope and Love. Its fosters brotherhood among the students of the University of Santo Tomas, the Royal and Pontifical University of Asia. We exude our leadership through Commitment, Commpassion and Competence. We are the umbrella organization of all recognized student organizations of the university and as such gear our programs for the promotion of them all.
Composition
The SOCC is composed of all the recognized university-wide and college-wide organizations in the university. Its membership is determined upon the recognition of the organization by the Office for Student Affairs, which is renewable at the start of every school year. The member organizations are classified according to their nature:
A) The academic arts include organizations of different major courses.
B) The performing arts include organizations involved in theatre, dance, music, and other talents.
C) The socio-civic include organizations involved in outreach programs such as medical and dental missions, visits to the Social Welfare institutions and other related socio-civic services.
D) The religious organizations include all that are Christ-centered.
E) The technical/sports include environmental concerns and sports.
F) The academic science includes physical and biological sciences and courses.
Yearly, the organizations elect its executive board, which acts as the liaison body between the SOCC and the administration. It is composed of the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary and its assistant, the Treasurer and its assistant, the Auditor, and two Public Relations Officers. The Executive Board serves as the administrative, implementing, and coordinating body of all the member-organizations.
Our Activities
The Executive Board has passed on through the years the institutional activities of the organization such as the Makibata sa Pasko which promotes a sense of charity in the Thomasian community. The organizations are allowed to adopt Aeta children in Sitio Malasa, Bamban, Tarlac the partner-community of the University on an overnight basis to let them feel the Spirit of Christmas.
The Intercollegiate Song Festival becomes the gathering of the Thomasian communitys promising young talents in a competition of musical craftsmanship. This was established primarily to help college-based chorale show their promises in singing.
Another activity, the Mr. And Ms. Thomasian Personality, is a search for the Thomasian Ambassadors of Goodwill. This provides for a medium for the enhancement of talents and the aesthetic values of the participants as well as to promote and reaffirm the Thomasian and Filipino Values.
As the years went on, other activities were held. The Che-Cheermania, which started in 1996, is a cheer dancing competition for the different colleges. This helps in promoting the sense of sportsmanship among the different participants. The Light-a-Candle, Save-a-Soul project gives the Thomasian Community a chance to offer prayers to the soul of their departed loved ones. Another project, the Students in Motion creates opportunities for the recognized organizations to expose themselves, to feature their various activities, to share their aesthetic talents and to interact with their co-Thomasians in the spirit of warm camaraderie.
The first seminar workshop on Christian leadership and fellowship was held at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary at Makati, Rizal from October 24 26. This was participated in by the presidents and vice-presidents of the different organizations. On November 14-16 of the same year, the secretaries and treasurers had their chance of attending this seminar. From then on, the leadership training seminar has become a yearly undertaking.
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