By The Star Staff
Former University of Puerto Rico (UPR) President José Saldaña sent a letter to the UPR governing board recently expressing his support for Héctor Ríos Maury as the institution’s next president.
“In light of the resignation of President Luis Ferrao, effective February 15, I would like to recommend Dr. Héctor Ríos Maury as the next president of UPR,” Saldaña wrote. “Dr. Ríos Maury is fully aware of the current problems facing UPR and has proposed various solutions to address them. He possesses the determination, will, and courage necessary to tackle these challenges effectively.”
The letter comes days after Angélica Varela Llavona, the UPR Rio Piedras chancellor, expressed interest in filling the seat to be left vacant by Ferrao Delgado.
Saldaña began his letter by sharing his longstanding connection with the University of Puerto Rico, noting that he has been involved with the institution since he was 13 years old. He attended the University of Puerto Rico High School (UHS) and later graduated with a doctorate degree in dental medicine (DMD) from the Medical Sciences Campus. After serving in the United States Air Force, he earned a master’s degree in public health (MPH) from the School of Public Health and completed postgraduate courses in epidemiology at the University of Minnesota. He then began teaching at the School of Dental Medicine, advancing to become dean of the School of Public Health, chancellor of the Medical Sciences Campus, and eventually UPR president.
“I mention this background because I feel a strong sense of gratitude to and familiarity with the institution,” Saldaña said. “It concerns me deeply to see its current dire situation, and I want to put forth options to restore its former prominence.”
Saldaña highlighted the importance of restructuring the university in light of the ongoing and upcoming challenges that threaten its relevance for economic and social development. He emphasized that whoever is selected as the next president must understand these challenges and recognize the need to act decisively.
Having known Ríos Maury for many years, Saldaña noted his qualifications. Ríos Maury is a professor of management and international trade at the School of Business Administration at the UPR Río Piedras Campus. Throughout his career, he has held multiple roles, including academic director, dean, director of the university press, and chancellor.
Ríos Maury, however, resigned as chancellor of the UPR Humacao campus in 2019 following the finding of an internal audit related to certain contracts that officials said were awarded in an irregular manner. Nothing came out of the audit. Ríos Maury could not be reached for comment.
Ríos Maury has studied at various universities in the mainland United States, including the University of Memphis, the University of South Carolina and New York University, as well as at Complutense University in Spain and the University of Strasbourg in France. He is the author or co-author of six books, numerous professional articles, and more than 250 opinion columns. He has also been a guest professor at universities in the United States, Europe, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and serves as a consultant and analyst for radio and television programs.
Saldaña added that Ríos Maury has a seventh book ready for publication early this year, focusing on privatization models and contemporary aspects of geopolitics and international trade.
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