Last Monday, Universitat de València’s Governing Council repeated its opposition to the Spanish Government’s Decree-Law increasing the university fees and modifying lecturers’ teaching hours. The Governing Council debated a proposal boosted by three student groups, which expressed the absolute rejection of the above mentioned Decree-Law. Finally, the proposal was not voted, but it was replaced by an institutional declaration.
This statement, which was unanimously accepted, repeats the opposition – already expressed in the last Governing Council’s meeting – to the Government’s Decree-Law, and calls upon the Government and the Valencian Ministry for Education to minimize the impact of fees’ increase on students. The declaration also supports the social demonstrations organized to defend the public university.
Moreover, as the Principal, Esteban Morcillo, summarized, Universitat de València will try to ease the effects of the fees increase on vulnerable households working on its budget. At the same time, the Principal, as the Dean of Economy pointed out, asked the university community to act unanimously to guarantee access to university for all, and equal conditions to higher education.
The initial proposal came from the student groups Bloc d’Estudians Agermanats, Campus Jove and A Contracorrent, which were supported by some members of the Governing Council. Robert Penadés, Gabriel Salinas and Pablo Gallent seriously criticized the Decree-Law (now in the Parliament), and asked the Universitat to maintain a strong position against this reform. The initial text suggested the Universitat to refuse the increase of the fees’ implementation. Some members of the Governing Council explained the possible legal concerns to the rejection in the application of a law approved by the Spanish Parliament. Most of the spokesmen supported the substance of the proposal and the need to mitigate the effects as possible.
During the meeting, the Vice-principal for Studies, Isabel Vázquez, the Principal’s delegate for Students, Daniel González-Serisola, and the Manager, Joan Oltra, informed of the grants awarded in the last years and the intention of Universitat de València of easing the effects of the fees increase through more grants.
On another level, the Governing Concil adopted the report on the teaching organization plan (Plan de Ordenación Docente) of 2011/2012 academic year, along with several requests to stabilize the conditions of part-time adjunct lecturers. Also passed unanimously is the access’ competition notice for lecturers, recruitment for contracted lecturer, and recruitment for assistant lecturer.
Finally, the Governing Council chose its three representatives in the Social Council: Elena Grau (lecturer), María Luisa Manzano (administrative and services staff) and Rubén Ramírez (student).
Last update: 23 de may de 2012 09:17.
News release
