Yesterday students from the University of Puerto Rico held a national assembly to determine the actions that are going to be taken in response to the $450 million planned to be cut from their funds. These cuts were determined by a Fiscal Oversight Board imposed by the U.S. that is in charge of structuring Puerto Rico’s economic system to pay back their $72 billion of debt. Originally, the board was going to be cutting $300 million which would mean closing nine of the eleven campuses, but cutting $450 million would make the university, which is not responsible for even 1% of the debt (and are only responsible for 0.62%), inoperable.
As a student of the Universty’s high school, I was able to attend the national assembly. The school was allowed an estimate of 25 students, six who were originally only allowed to listen, then by a motion to allow more representation the rest were let in. This request happened because the high school, along with the elementary school of the UPR, are both programs at risk of being cut.
During the assembly, students were able to voice their concerns. Some students took the microphones to explain the importance of all programs since it is common to see less solidarity to programs that work with art and culture. Others wanted to know how ongoing investigations would be dealt with; these were informed that students would be given space to continue investigations that were time sensitive. Medical students were concerned about their patients and these would also be granted access.
The assembly lasted around twelve hours and numerous decisions were made, among these were:
1. Students will fight against the closure of campuses, cuts of programs and increase of tuition.
2. The School of Visual Arts and Design and the Conservatory of Music are to be included in the forum reunions, negotiations with the government and the Fiscal Oversight Board.
3. The UPR must promote all activities by the schools of Visual Arts and the Conservatory.
4. Censorship of the government and to call for clarity concerning the budget for the UPR.
5. A proposal on how to keep the university open was to increase the contributory fees of foreign companies in Puerto Rico that only pay 4% of their earnings yearly (Puerto Rico having one of the lowest contributory fees for the foreign in the world), and make the earnings go directly to the General Funds of the UPR.
6. Call out the corrupt in the Administration of PR by specific names in reunions with government officials, including people like a municipal mayor who has been accused of rape and has not denied it, an ex-mayor who brought his town to bankruptcy but is now an administrative consultant in the senate, a daughter of politician who served jail time for corruption and who does not have university preparation was given the position of consultant, among other politicians.
8. Demand the immediate resignation of the interim president of the UPR.
9. Demand the immediate resignation of the members of the University’s Board.
10. Demand the immediate resignation of Deans against the fight of the students.
As the last point, an indefinite strike with closed gates was approved to start today, April 6, 2017, with some conditions, these being: zero penalization to the students who take part of the strike, a university reform, public audit, zero cuts and zero increases of tuition.
The Fiscal Oversight Board is here to make sure the debt is paid no matter what or who gets in the way, the cuts the university are seeing are also going to our health, primary and secondary education, government and other public entities making life for puertorricans practically impossible. The problem is that this will affect everybody, not only public servers but private too because all of the money made will go to paying the debt, it will make the circulatory economy lineal. Everything earned will go straight to the United States. If these funds are cut, Puerto Rico will no longer have a public university and education will only be available for the ones who can afford it. Without education, who will be the ones defending us?
