Commissioner, Commission on Higher Education (CHED)

The governing board shall have the following specific powers and duties in addition to its general powers of administration and the exercise of all the powers granted to the board of directors of a corporation under Section 36 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 68 otherwise known as the Corporation Code of the Philippines;

• to enact rules and regulations not contrary to law as may be necessary to carry to carry out the purposes and functions of the university or college;
• to receive and appropriate all sums as may be provided, for the support of the university or college in the manner it may determine, in its discretion, to carry out the purposes and functions of the university or college;
• to receive in trust legacies, gifts and donations of real and personal properties of all kinds, to administer and dispose the same when necessary for the benefit of the university or college, subject to limitations, directions and instructions of the donors, if any. Such donations shall be exempt from all taxes and shall be considered as deductible items from the income tax of the donor: Provided, however, That the rights, privileges and exemptions extended by this Act shall likewise be extended to non-stock, non-profit private universities and colleges: Provided, finally, That the same privileges shall also be extended to city colleges and universities with the approval of the local government to city colleges and universities with the approval of the local government unit concerned and in coordination with the CHED;
• to fix the tuition fees and other necessary school charges, such as but not limited matriculation fees, graduation fees and laboratory fees, as their respective boards may deem proper to impose after due consultations with the involved sectors. Such fees and charges, including government subsidies and other income generated by the university or college, shall constitute special trust funds and shall be deposited in any authorized government depository bank, and all interests shall accrue therefrom shall part of the same fund for the use of the university or college: Provided, That income derived from university hospitals shall be exclusively earmarked for the operating expenses of the hospitals. Any provision of existing laws, rules and regulations to the contrary notwithstanding, any income generated by the university or college from tuition fees and other charges, as well as from the operation of auxiliary services and land grants, shall be retained by the university or college, and may be disbursed by the Board of Regents/Trustees for instruction, research, extension, or other programs/projects of the university or college: Provided, That all fiduciary fees shall be disbursed for the specific purposes for which they are collected. If, for reason of control, the university or college, shall not be able to pursue any project for which funds have been appropriated and, allocated under its approved program of expenditures, the Board of Regents/Trustees may authorize the use of said funds for any reasonable purpose which, in its discretion, may be necessary and urgent for the attainment of the objectives and goals of the universities or college;
• to adopt and implement a socialized scheme of tuition and school fees for greater access to poor but deserving students;
• to authorize the construction or repair of its buildings, machineries, equipment and other facilities and the purchase and acquisition of real and personal properties including necessary supplies, materials and equipment. Purchases and other transactions entered into by the university or college through the Board of Regents/Trustees shall be exempt from all taxes and duties;
• to appoint, upon the recommendation of the president of the university or college, vice presidents, deans, directors, heads of departments, faculty members and other officials and employees;
• to fix and adjust salaries of faculty members and administrative officials and employees subject to the provisions of the revised compensation and classification system and other pertinent budget and compensation laws governing hours of service, and such other duties and conditions as it may deem proper; to grant them, at its discretion, leaves of absence under such regulations as it may promulgate, any provisions of existing law to the contrary not with standing; and to remove them for cause in accordance with the requirements of due process of law;
• to approve the curricula, institutional programs and rules of discipline drawn by the administrative and academic councils as herein provided;
• to set polices on admission and graduation of students;
• to award honorary degrees upon persons in recognition of outstanding contribution in the field of education, public service, arts, science and technology or in any field of specialization within the academic competence of the university or college and to authorize the award of certificates of completion of non-degree and non-traditional courses;
• to absorb non-chartered tertiary institutions within their respective provinces in coordination with the CHED and in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management, and to offer therein needed programs or courses, to promote and carry out equal access to educational opportunities mandated by the Constitution ;
• to establish research and extension centers of the SUC where such will promote the development of the latter;
• to establish chairs in the university or college and to provide fellowships for qualified faculty members and scholarships to deserving students;
• to delegate any of its powers and duties provided for hereinabove to the president and/or other officials of the university or college as it may deem appropriate so as to expedite the administration of the affairs of the university or college;
• to authorize an external management audit of the institution, to be financed by the CHED and to institute reforms, including academic and structural changes, on the basis of the audit results and recommendations;
• to collaborate with other governing boards of SUCs within the province or the region, under the supervision of the CHED and in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management, the restructuring of said colleges and universities to become more efficient, relevant, productive, and competitive;
• to enter into joint ventures with business and industry for the profitable development and management of the economic assets of the college or institution, the proceeds from which to be used for the development and strengthening of the college or university;
• to develop consortia and other forms of linkages with local government units, institutions and agencies, both public and private, local and foreign, in furtherance of the purposes and objectives of the institution;
• to develop academic arrangements for institution capability building with appropriate institutions and agencies, public or private, local or foreign, and to appoint experts/specialists as consultants, or visiting or exchange professors, scholars, researchers, as the case may be;
• to set up the adoption of modern and innovative modes of transmitting knowledge such as the use of information technology, the dual system, open learning, community laboratory, etc., for the promotion of greater access to higher education;
• to establish policy guidelines and procedures for participative decision-making and transparency within the institution;
• to privatize, where most advantageous to the institution, management and non-academic services such as health, food, building or grounds or property maintenance and similar such other objectives; and
• to extend the term of the president of the college or university beyond the age of retirement but not later than the age of seventy (70), whose performance has been unanimously rated as outstanding and upon unanimous recommendation by the search committee for the president of the institution concerned.