Empowering Student Marshals on Their Roles and Responsibilities for Effective Campus Governance

The study investigates the issue of limited empowerment and recognition of student marshals in campus governance, particularly in their capacity to maintain discipline, safety, and order within the academic community. Despite their vital role in assisting security personnel and ensuring the smooth conduct of school activities, their contributions are often undervalued and underexplored. The main objective of the study was to assess the empowerment of student marshals by examining their socio-demographic profile, their roles and responsibilities, their perceived effectiveness in promoting discipline, safety, and order, and the relationship between their functions and contributions to campus governance. Data were gathered from 240 Criminology students serving as student marshals at Wesleyan University–Philippines, Cabanatuan City. Using a quantitative descriptive research design, the researchers administered a structured questionnaire measured through a five-point Likert scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Findings revealed that student marshals strongly affirmed their assigned roles, particularly in rule enforcement, incident reporting, and maintaining peace during campus events. Their functions significantly correlated with the promotion of discipline (r = .638) and safety and order (r = .605). The results underscore that empowering student marshals through training, supervision, and structured responsibilities strengthens not only campus governance but also students’ leadership, accountability, and responsibility. The study concludes that student marshals play a crucial role in fostering a disciplined and secure academic environment. It recommends enhanced training programs, gender-sensitive assignments, and supportive policies to maximize their effectiveness.