Students criticize proposed consolidation of chancellorships

University of Puerto Rico President Zayira Jordán Conde

By THE STAR STAFF

The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) General Student Council (CGE by its initials in Spanish) in Río Piedras on Monday criticized the proposed consolidation of campus chancellorships and again called for the resignation of UPR President Zayira Jordán Conde, citing her ineffectiveness in leading the institution.

The UPR is projected to lose some $8 million due to the elimination of federal funding for Hispanic-serving universities. In a press release, the student organization also criticized the UPR governing board for its proposal to evaluate the consolidation of chancellorships.

“The real issue at the UPR is not insolvency, but rather state abandonment. What we need is not cuts or consolidations, but instead, robust and sustained investment from the Government of Puerto Rico to ensure access, retention, and the well-being of its students,” the CGE said in a statement. “This abandonment, combined with censorship and exclusion, makes the continued presence of the current president an obstacle to the future of our university.”

The student complaint arose after a transition committee appointed by Jordán Conde presented its report to the university board two weeks ago. The report indicated that the UPR has an accumulated structural deficit of about $910 million, an improvement from the $1.3 billion deficit reported in the previous fiscal year. This year’s consolidated budget amounts to $1.21 billion.

Meanwhile, the UPR has failed to demonstrate compliance with several milestones established by the Financial Oversight Board and Management Board in 2023, which are necessary to access additional funds -- around $172 million -- held by the Office of Management and Budget. The university has not met the revenue and expenditure targets outlined in its most recent certified Fiscal Plan.

Last Monday, Jordán Conde indicated her refusal to resign from her position, which she has held since July 1, despite initial student demands for her removal.

Student leaders from the 11 campuses that make up the National Student Confederation had scheduled a meeting with the university president for Friday, but it was canceled.

The Student Council emphasized that Jordán Conde and members of her transition committee, particularly lawyer and former lawmaker Jorge Colberg Toro, have misrepresented the financial status of the university system, creating an incorrect perception of “insolvency.”

“The UPR is not an expendable expense; it is an essential service for the security, health, and well-being of the country,” the CGE asserted. “Its functions beyond the classroom -- such as the Seismic Network, University Medical Services, legal clinics, and support programs for victims of sexual and gender-based violence -- are irreplaceable pillars of the State. Any attempts to consolidate chancellorships, eliminate programs, or marginalize university participation directly undermine this social role.”

Last week, the chairman of the UPR governing board, Ricardo Dalmau Santana, presented three initiatives for evaluating governing body committees, which include consolidating chancellorships and implementing a semester-based academic calendar for all campuses.

The CGE contended that consolidating chancellorships would not result in greater efficiency but rather promote centralization and undermine campus autonomy.

“The proposal to consolidate chancellorships is the culmination of this pattern of abuse,” the CGE said. “Under the guise of ‘efficiency,’ campuses are being dismantled, and power is being concentrated in the administration.”