Opinion Column - Rector, Dr. Nibaldo Avilés: What does a new deal for the state's universities involve?

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For more than forty years the State of Chile has abandoned and mistreated its state universities. Today we see with great expectations the program of President Michelle Bachelet, which declares “preferential treatment with state-owned universities”, which from the point of view of the University of La Serena, should mean a solution to the problems that These institutions currently live. 

In addition to aspiring to more fair and equitable financing, which eliminates the prevailing negative self-financing model that affects both Chilean families and universities, the approval of the Retirement Incentive Bill for academics and non-academics is urgently required. academics, given that the workers at state universities are public officials.

It is necessary to incorporate resources to finance the gap that occurs due to the Public Sector's readjustment of salaries and the lower readjustment of income, which happens every year and forces students to be taxed with fee increases. We do not agree with this measure due to the negative effect it has on the economic situation of families. Therefore, under the new logic that tends towards free, this should be the first concrete signal that the State delivers.

Among the measures that need to be implemented are the definition of resources for operation, freely available and for development against commitments in the Framework Agreements, and the approval of a project that makes the administrative control rules to which only universities are subject more flexible. state, which prevent the development of university works and construction procedures with greater dynamism and fluidity, which is detrimental to management due to their higher costs. 

It is essential that what is established in the presidential program becomes a reality, and state universities urgently need this declaration to be transformed into action.

Furthermore, considering the greater quality requirements, the creation of a Public Infrastructure Fund is urgently needed to finance projects for the maintenance, replacement and renewal of Public Heritage, since state universities do not receive support to maintain these public assets of all Chileans. On average, between 70 and 80% of income is invested in salaries, because resources are scarce.

It is urgent that the State ceases with this policy of inequality and discrimination that has meant that some private CRUCH universities receive more support from the State than their own institutions. 

The University of La Serena requires fair treatment from the State to end this unsustainable financing model.