They evaluate proposals in FES Acatlán, Aragón and UNAM Engineering to raise strikes

Angeles Cruz Martinez

Newspaper La Jornada
Monday, October 17, 2022, p. 8

The work groups between students and authorities of some faculties of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) continue. In recent days, proposals were presented that the students analyze and will put to a vote, in order to determine if the activity stoppages end.

In the Faculty of Engineering, a proposal for agreements was presented last Friday. After the march that the young people made to the Rectory Tower last Monday, they managed to get a representative of the rector to participate in the dialogue tables.

The virtual vote was held over the weekend and the result will be announced this Monday. In any case, some of the students commented, the work groups will continue until all the points of the petition are fulfilled.

In the Faculty of Higher Studies (FES) Acatlán, a general assembly was held, where the students agreed to go from an indefinite strike to an active one, starting on Wednesday, October 19 at noon. Academic, cultural and sports activities may be carried out, but the attendance of the director, nor of the heads of the coordination of areas and heads of programs will not be allowed.

The assembly also resolved that during the active strike there will be no evaluations or compulsory roll calls until the petition is answered. In order to advance in this, the students decided to accept the proposal of a group of professors to form a mediation commission, which will determine the criteria and the date to carry out the dialogue between the students and the authorities of the FES.

In another decision, it was established that one of the axes of the movement is to combat repression and discrimination, which is why they demand that the neutral bathrooms located on the ground floors of the school buildings be maintained. In the same way, they propose that the murals that during the past days have been painted on the external walls of some buildings be respected.

They also demand that the school authorities sign a document in which they promise that there will be no reprisals against the movement’s participants, be they students, thesis students, teachers or workers.

Meanwhile, at the FES Aragón, work tables were installed last week for each of the races that are taught there. According to information from some of the activists, the talks have taken place calmly and willingly from both sides.

They commented that there was some progress on security and transportation issues raised by the FES women’s groups. The strike continues and the dialogue at the tables will resume today.