Section 7Sec./Art. 7

The 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 existing laws:

(a) To enact rules and regulations not contrary to law as may be necessary to carry out the purposes and functions of the College;

(b) To receive and appropriate all sums as may be provided for the support of the College in the manner it may, in its discretion, determine to carry out the purposes and functions of the College;

(c) To import duty-free, subject to existing laws, essential commodities, materials and equipment for educational or technological programs: Provided, That such commodities, materials, and equipment are not available locally at a comparable price;

(d) To receive in trust legacies, gifts and donations of real and personal properties of all kinds and to administer and dispose the same when necessary for the benefit of the College and subject to the limitations, directions and instructions of the donor, if any. Such donations shall be exempt from all taxes and shall be considered as deductible items from the income tax of the donor;

(e) To fix tuition fees and other necessary school charges such as, but not limited to, matriculation fees, graduation fees, and laboratory fees, as the Board may deem proper to impose;

(f) 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;

(g) To confirm designations of vice presidents, deans, directors, heads of departments, and the appointments of faculty members and other officials and employees of the State College made by the president of the College;

(h) To fix and adjust the salaries of faculty members and administrative officials and employees in accordance with the revised compensation and position classification system;

(i) To approve the curricula, institutional programs and rules of discipline drawn by the administrative and academic councils as herein provided;

(j) To confer degrees upon successful candidates for graduation, to award honorary degrees upon persons in recognition of their outstanding contributions in the fields of education, public service, arts, science and technology, or in any field of specialization; and to authorize the award of certificates for completion of non-degree and non-traditional courses;

(k) To establish chairs in the College and to provide fellowships for qualified faculty members and scholarships to deserving students; and

(l) To establish branches in the Province of Negros Occidental, if and when it becomes essential and necessary, where there is no existing school offering similar programs or courses, to promote and carry out equal access to educational opportunities as mandated by the Constitution.