By The Star Staff
The University Board of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), which is composed of student, faculty and administrative representatives, demanded Sunday that the Financial Oversight and Management Board release the disbursement of $59 million from the budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025.
“The UPR needs these funds to be able to maintain a balanced operating budget, including addressing critical deferred maintenance projects as a result of the budget cuts the institution has already suffered and making the employer contribution to the UPR retirement system,” UPR Bayamón Campus Chancellor Dr. Miguel Vélez Rubio said. “On the other hand, the UPR, despite the cuts it has suffered, has maintained its fiscal responsibility by maintaining a balanced budget operation, including keeping up to date with the payment of its public debt, which amounts to less than $300 million. Not allocating at least $500 million to the UPR budget this year causes a structural deficit of around $63 million at the UPR. But we cannot lose perspective on the fact that even with the $500 million guaranteed, maintaining an optimal operation is quite a challenge, when we take into account the continuous inflationary increase in key things such as profits, and the need for salary justice for employees.”
Dr. Rafael Méndez Tejeda, who represents faculty members on the University Board, said “it is necessary to rescue the institution from the gloomy outlook to which it has been subjected in recent years as a result of massive cuts and excessive increases.”
“The time has come to invest in the future by defending the present: the University of Puerto Rico,” he said. “We demand that the Fiscal Board, the Legislative Assembly and the OGP [the Spanish initials for Office of Management and Budget] go beyond empty pronouncements and pretty words and, with their actions to comply with Law 92 of 2024, validate their statements about the importance for the future development of the country by returning to the UPR the $59 million cut from the budget that they just approved.”
In a certification, the University Board, a body that represents a broad spectrum of the UPR community, states that the “Act to End Puerto Rico Bankruptcy,” also known as Act No. 53 of Oct. 26, 2021, provided for a total contribution to the UPR of $500 million. However, the interpretation of the oversight board was that only $441 million would be allocated to the operational management of the institution and the remaining $59 million would be for restricted use for joint resolutions or special allocations such as: health services provided to the island through interns and resident physicians, the Puerto Rico Seismic Network, training for public employees, and training for teachers and school principals under the island Education Department, among other uses.
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