TO
even if it is not intentional and corrected, mistake
in the higher education budget is an ominous warning for universities. It clearly offers the message that fundamental changes are coming. Already at the beginning of the six-year term, President López Obrador proposed that university budgets would only be increased to compensate for inflation. And that was the case throughout the six-year term. There was a resigned silence, although UNAM did underline the importance of its contribution, and made it visible by launching a significant expansion of its enrollment. At the UAM, also in response, there was a meeting in Xochimilco that was initially large, but was later confined to a few. Those who also proposed taking advantage of the moment to begin to respond with profound changes that would strengthen the institution inside and out were dismissed. It’s about defending ourselves, not about changing
they told them, and nothing was done. But now is a moment where the institutions – including the UAM especially, since a substantial cut was anticipated – appear dull and vulnerable; incapable of giving a response with forceful actions of their importance, which dislodge the government and its conceptions regarding the value and significance of higher and especially university education. Although – as promised – the cut to the UAM is not given and at least the 3.5 percent increase corresponding to inflation is also met, that does not solve the problem of what is coming in the medium term. Because, to make matters even worse, with 85 percent being granted to the Welfare Universities project, something is announced that has also been coming since the recently concluded six-year term: that there is an alternative higher education capable of occupying a place key in government preferences. Thus, the problem is not only that of a conjunctural reduction but that of a vision and trend in the medium and long term that no longer goes through the route of the autonomous and similar institutions.
To face this unprecedented situation, the only truly effective path at the national level is unity and a unified front between the institutions – as occurred at the beginning of the 90s – but now it is clear that the directives do not contemplate it. And since, in addition, there is the view that is actively promoted of them, of being elitist and conservative, their vulnerability is more evident. If the response cannot come from a broad front, then it will have to begin to be generated from the institutions themselves. Therefore, the other option is to respond through a community with the power to make changes that redefine the role of the university from within and out and thus propose a way to respond.
In the case of the UAM, for example, relations with the metropolis that hosts it should be placed at the center. Establish not agreements, but alliances that translate into student admission procedures without gender and social class bias that allow a greater number of admissions from communities, neighborhoods, neighborhoods. Leave behind the fact that UAM enrollment has not changed for decades: in 1998 there were 40 thousand students; in 2017, 48; in 2020,46; in 2024, 46.5, and weeks ago – concern about cuts? – 61 thousand. Instead of with large companies, reorient action research programs and cultural dissemination today commercialized, to promote knowledge in response to the information and training needs of the inhabitants of this metropolis.
For this, it is necessary to fundamentally change internal relations, change the dissemination and processing of information and full and critical participation in decisions through broad and legitimate spaces for students and workers, and pay attention to the use of the budget. Because to serve many more students and respond outwardly, it is necessary to hire many more professor-researchers (with extraordinary preference for temporary ones), increase the base support staff and benefit its tabulator. Likewise, improve the conditions of students (not classify them by skin color) and have large dining rooms. To make all this possible, review the amounts of scholarships and incentives for teachers and make a part of this income permanent and stable – as is already the case with certain teachers. Furthermore, for the same purposes, review the expenses that are made today in effective management
(344.6 million), in compensations, incentives and fees
non-academic (447 million), contributions for events
(55 million) (UAM Budget, 2024) and use these resources to hire more professors-researchers, administrative or manual staff, and scholarships and support for students. That is, to constitute strong, active and acting communities, to form alliances with other institutions, and with the city and its spaces, thus going out to defend the university and public education with knowledge.
* UAM-X
