After Metro publishes the award of a professorship for the President of the University of Puerto Rico, Jorge Haddock Earlier this afternoon, the Board of Directors of the academic institution confirmed the approval of a certification by majority vote that I maintain is legal and is based on academic merit.
The President of the Council, Emilio colon He explained in a statement that the evaluation process would have taken two years and required two satisfactory evaluations. It was indicated that the appointment was based on Haddock’s merits, as an academic, and on his performance as president of the institution. “As it was made public at the time of his appointment, on September 4, 2018, if he successfully completes two years as president, Dr. Haddock will receive an appointment to a teaching position, with the rank of professor, at the University of Puerto Bogat . This takes into account his experience of over 40 years in the academy and authorized by the UPR Board of Directors in certification 1A (2018-2019) “, said Colón. He added that “by assessing his performance, execution and responsibilities before and during the pandemic, Dr. Haddock met the requirements to be appointed a professor at the University of Puerto Rico.”
He also recalled that in 2018, through a participatory public process set up by the Special Search and Consultation Committee, the Governing Board elected the President-in-Office, who, in addition to having specific accreditations and qualifications, he was obliged to meet certain criteria and objectives. Haddock was recruited at a salary of $ 240,000 a year. „As part of the process, the granting of the position of teacher was included, in accordance with the competencies of the board of directors, as established by the UPR Law, Law no. 1 of January 20, 1966, with subsequent amendments “, quotes the statement.
However, this afternoon also Association of University Professors of Puerto Rico (APPU) He reiterated in a press release the classification as illegal of the move of the UPR board.
“Dr. Haddock’s contract contains parts that are, in the words of lawyers and lawyers, ultra vires. The process of awarding places and degrees at the University of Puerto Rico is regulated. The general rules of the UPR establish that it is the responsibility of campuses, through their staffing processes, to hire teaching staff and award degrees. The Governing Council violates the regulations that the ministerial duty has to defend. Neither the General Regulation of the UPR nor the University Law authorizes the council to grant places or academic degrees “, he said. Angel Rodriguez Rivera, the president of APPU.
The University of Puerto Rico has, as part of its legal and regulatory order, staff committees made up of colleagues who are tasked with evaluating academic records and recommending positions and promotions. “Giving Dr. Haddcok a seat without going through the processes that all professors at the University of Puerto Rico have to go through is an affront to university democracy. More importantly, it is a lack of respect for all university students, that every day we go through vicissitudes in this institution “, added Rodríguez.
AAPU denounced that UPR has been freezing teaching positions for years. Over the past ten years, more than $ 500 million in Puerto Rican government contributions to the UPR have been lost. “The situation at the university has led to the precariousness of hundreds of colleagues who are forced to remain as professors without a position, both part-time and full-time. This faculty without a position comes to UPR with academic training in the best universities in the world, publications in highly prestigious professional journals and the best wishes to contribute to the development of UPR and Puerto Rico. Even so, they are kept in conditions of poverty and precariousness. They are asked not to have places, to have a crisis, that they are not necessary. In this context, a teaching position is granted to Dr. Haddock without a peer review or peer review process. There is a lack of respect and a lack of sensitivity with those people who give academic life to the university. From APPU we call on the Board to reconsider and terminate the parts of the contract that violate the law. The university community deserves no less “, concluded Rodríguez.
However, Haddock claims that his work plan had valid results to give him the position of teacher. In the same statement from the board, the UPR president thanked the members of that governing body for the trust and support of his work and expressed satisfaction that his assessment was based on the results of his work plan for the University of Puerto Rico and deserves it. “I will continue to focus on finalizing the work plan presented for the transformation of the University of Puerto Rico, advancing the digitization of processes to provide greater and better services to the university community,” said the academician, who clarified that he will assume the duties of a professor. Once he fulfills his functions as president of UPR. Similarly, Haddock, who has taught in the university system in the past, said that his greatest interest “has always been to be able to contribute to the UPR, my alma mater, and to repay him the great contribution to my training as an individual. and professional ”.
As highlighted in the statement of the UPR Board of Directors, during the Haddock administration, the UPR was able to reaffirm its compliance with the accreditation agencies and to comply with the delivery of the audited financial statements. It was pointed out that Haddock advanced the agenda of distance education and digitalization of processes, gathered new external resources for research, philanthropy, among others.
Given the government’s transition, Haddock stressed that a further reduction in the UPR budget will leave him unable to pay salaries or cover operating expenses. In addition, he anticipated that in August the students of the system will pay another increase in tuition, this time double that which was not paid in August last year. The bachelor’s credit will be $ 145 at the State University.