By Carla Adeline E. Via
Freshmen students of the current school year 2024 to 2025 with grades below 2.3 are no longer eligible for class honors, according to Silliman University’s (SU) newly modified honor policies.
This followed the SU Board of Trustees’ (BOT) approval on a revised set of “Rules for the Recognition of Honor Students” last February 2024.
As amended, the board raised the 2.0 grade cut-off to 2.3 which equates to 85-percent and a letter grade of “above average.”
Ralton D. Bancairen, interim head of the Office of Registration and Records Management, emphasized that this new policy was implemented “proactively and will only apply to the current and incoming freshmen students.”
“Kase if we implement that retroactively, unfair naman sa second year, third year, and fourth year,” he clarified.
(Because if we implement that retroactively, it would be unfair to second, third, and fourth year students.)
Other changes in the guidelines also include a ruling that “only those students” who belong to the upper 10-percent and 3-percent, based on ranking, shall qualify for class and college honors, respectively.
“As you can see, published man na in our [manual], wala lang siya gisunod. We were too lax,” Bancairen said, adding that this will be “observed more strictly.”
(As you can see, it was already published in our [manual], we just didn’t follow it. We were too lax.)
In determining these revisions, the BOT benchmarked with other top universities such as the Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University, while the policies of Negros Oriental State University were also taken into account.
New grading system
Bancairen said that SU is also aiming to align the university’s grading system with these amended honor policies.
Currently, the 2.0 grade equates to “average” or 80-percent.
“Mao nang tinaas siya para mutaas pud ang atong requirement kase nga 80 lang man gud na siya. So gamay ra kaayo siya, 80, tapos class honor ka na,” he explained.
(That’s why we want to adjust the grading system so that the requirement will also be higher than just 80. It’s too low. Just an 80 grade and you’re already a class honor.)
However, the adjustment is still in the works and pending for BOT’s approval.
Once approved, the new grading system is eyed to be implemented early next school year.
Faring better vs. other PH universities
Following SU’s decline in the 2025 Quacquarelli Symonds University Rankings, Bancairen furthered that the administration “hopes to boost academic and student performance” with the said adjustments.
“I think the [academic affairs] is looking at it as a motivator. It’s like disciplining the students,” he said.
However, School of Public Affairs and Governance Governor Lynette Layon, expressed her reservations on the said matter.
“I still do think that it will further motivate those who really want it but would burn out those who will find it too difficult to reach [the cut-off],” she stated.
Layon expressed that the new policies might drive students away from taking on leadership roles due to increased academic pressure.
Bancairen made it clear that these new and incoming implementations shall be “under monitoring” and are subject to change or removal if “proven ineffective.”
“So, that means kung makita natin na hindi siya effective—kung makita ng academic affairs because this is actually [under] academic affairs—then i-remain ra gyud siya. Kung naa siya’y flaws na ma-correct, then correct natin konti.”
(So, that means if we observe that it isn’t effective—if the academic affairs think so because this is actually [under] academic affairs—then it will remain implemented. If there are flaws that we can correct, then we’ll do that.)
As of writing, the newly revised rules are yet to be added in the university’s student manual.
Photo by Glennifer Gocotano
