UPR president activates virtual learning amid student strikes.

UPR President Zayira Jordán Conde

By THE STAR STAFF

University of Puerto Rico (UPR) President Zayira Jordán Conde announced on Sunday the activation of protocols designed to maintain the continuity of academic and administrative services throughout the university system, following the certification by the respective General Student Councils declaring strikes across the system’s campuses.

“As a public institution, we bear the non-delegable responsibility to guarantee academic continuity, protect our students’ right to receive their education without interruption, and ensure the responsible administration of public funds,” Jordán Conde stated.

The directive requires each campus to document and certify the measures adopted to ensure the uninterrupted provision of services, including the implementation of alternative teaching methods and evidence of compliance with current institutional regulations.

Academic continuity as an institutional priority

As part of the established measures, the UPR central administration instructed the campuses to:

* Activate virtual teaching modalities and alternative distance learning methods as an immediate option to guarantee academic continuity;

* Implement contingency plans previously established by the faculty;

* Certify the status of academic and administrative services, including whether they have experienced interruptions exceeding 72 hours during the semester;

* Document the availability and willingness of staff to continue providing services in accordance with institutional policy.

Instructions were issued to:

* Ensure that students have access to the necessary resources to continue their coursework;

* Avoid penalizing students who face justified difficulties in participating in academic activities;

* Adopt reasonable measures that allow for the continuity of the educational process without negatively impacting academic progress.

Institutional responsibility and compliance

The communication stipulates that the reports required from the campuses must provide evidence of strict compliance with institutional policy, as well as the concrete actions implemented to prevent prolonged interruptions in services.

“The University of Puerto Rico possesses the mechanisms, academic capacity, and institutional commitment to continue operating,” Jordán Conde said. “Our duty is to act with responsibility, firmness, and sensitivity to protect both our educational mission and the well-being of our university community.”