Cecilia García Arocha, rector of the Central University of Venezuela and president of the Venezuelan Association of University Rectors, assured this Thursday that the graduate elections in that house of studies they were postponed for next July 13 with the aim of strengthening the process.
“There is nothing special. We decided to strengthen that day of the elections and hold them on July 13, which was the date that the Electoral Commission suggested due to different problems they had had. It was a unanimous decision.”assured the teacher in an interview granted to the Éxitos de Radio Union.
He stated that all graduates have the right to participate in the elections and expressed his satisfaction that the faces of that representation are renewed. He recalled that all university elections have expired and that is why the event scheduled for Wednesday of next week is important.
“After those elections there will be others that must also be held, of professional representatives before the University Council, the representation of the Federation of Associations of University Professors of Venezuela, of the university authorities. It is a good time to tell the country that the Central University of Venezuela can, but it has its budgetary problems as any institution that belongs to the Venezuelan State has,” he said.
Garcia said that the law budgets have not been consigned to the universities in the last three years. And he claimed that that results in situations that are not desirable for academic institutions. “But we are giving him all the support and push so that the elections are held and everyone participates,” he added.
Elections “frozen” by the TSJ
He explained that in the case of the university authorities there has been no renewal because the Supreme Court of Justice decided more than 10 years ago to keep them in their positions. That is not only the case of the Central University of Venezuela, he said, but of all the grouped Venezuelan Association of University Rectors.
“They were suspended and, in one way or another, they have kept us there until democratic elections are held. The University Council made a transitory regulation to get out of this problem. We believe in a plural, democratic, free, autonomous university and we are going to continue defending it like this; and we believe that a university should be in the hands of teachers and we gave teachers greater participation in their expression of vote”, he stated.
He indicated that the graduate elections have not been held for 12 years.
“The representation of the graduates is important because not only the Faculty Council and the School Councils vote, one of the two people who go on the plates, five for the assembly, five for the faculty. Not only that, but it is a previous step to the elections of deans and the elections of the university authorities. I do believe that the university must renew itself, consider the possibility of electing new representatives,” he added.
