After Subway publish the award of a professorship for the president of the University of Puerto Rico, Jorge Haddock Earlier in the day, the board of directors of the academic institution this afternoon confirmed approval of a majority-vote certification that they believe is legal and based on the academic’s merits.
The Chairman of the Board, Emilio colon He explained in a statement that the evaluation process likely took two years and required two evaluations that were sufficient. The appointment was stated to be based on Haddock’s merits as an academic and on his achievements as president of the institution. As announced at the time of his appointment, on September 4, 2018, Dr. Haddock, if he successfully completed two years as president, would be appointed to a teaching position, with the rank of professor, at the University of Puerto. Rich. This given his experience of more than 40 years in the academy and as authorized by the board of the UPR in Certification 1A (2018-2019), ”said Colón. He added that “By evaluating 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 and public process instituted by the Special Search and Consultation Committee, the Board of Directors elected the incumbent President, who, in addition to specific credentials and qualifications, was required to meet that certain criteria and goals. Haddock was recruited at a salary of $ 240,000 per year. “As part of the process, the assignment of the position of professor was included, in accordance with the powers of the board of directors, as laid down in the UPR Act, Law No. 1 of January 20, 1966, as amended,” the statement.
However, this afternoon also the Puerto Rican Association of University Professors (APPU) reiterated in a press release the classification of the UPR’s board of directors relocation as illegal.
“Dr. Haddock contains elements that are, in the words of attorneys and lawyers, ultra vires. The process for awarding places and ranks at the University of Puerto Rico is regulated. The General Ordinance of the UPR states that it is the responsibility of the campuses to hire and assign teaching staff through their personnel regime processes. The Governing Board violates the rules that it must defend as a minister. Neither the General Regulations of the UPR nor the University Act authorize the board to award places or academic rankings, ”he said. Angel Rodriguez Rivera, Chairman of the APPU.
The University of Puerto Rico, as part of its legal and regulatory order, has staff committees made up of peers who are responsible for evaluating academic data and recommending positions and promotions in ranks. Dr. Giving Haddcok a place without going through the processes that all teachers at the University of Puerto Rico must go through is an insult to university democracy. More importantly, it is a lack of respect for all the university students who go through vicissitudes day in and day out in this institution, ”added Rodríguez.
The AAPU denounced that the UPR has been freezing educational positions for years. More than $ 500 million in contributions from the government of Puerto Rico to the UPR has been lost over the past decade. “The situation at the university has led to the uncertainty of hundreds of colleagues who are obliged to remain unemployed as teachers, both part-time and full-time. This staff of non-position teachers comes to the UPR with academic preparation at the best universities in the world, publications in highly prestigious professional journals and best wishes to contribute to the development of the UPR and Puerto Rico. Yet they are kept in conditions of poverty and insecurity. They are asked that there are no places, that there is a crisis, that they are not needed. In this context, a position of professor rank is awarded to Dr. Haddock without needs assessment or peer evaluation processes. It is disrespectful and a lack of sensitivity towards those people who give academic life to the university. From the APPU, we call on management to reconsider and terminate those parts of that contract that are in violation of the law. The university community earns no less ”, Rodríguez concludes.
However, Haddock argues that his work plan has produced valid results to grant him the position of professor. In the same statement by the board of directors, the chair of the UPR thanked the members of that governing body for the trust and support of his work, and expressed satisfaction that his evaluation was based on the results of his plan of work for the University from Puerto Rico and earnings. “I will continue to focus on completing the work plan outlined for the transformation of the University of Puerto Rico, and promote the digitization of processes to provide more and better services to the university community,” said the academic, clarifying that he will one day take up his duties as a professor. Once he has completed his duties as president of the UPR. Likewise, Haddock, who has taught in the university system in the past, said his main interest “has always been to contribute to the UPR, my alma mater, and to repay his great contribution to my education as an individual and professional.”
As emphasized in the statement of the UPR Board of Directors, during the Haddock administration, the UPR was able to reaffirm compliance with the accrediting bodies and with the delivery of its audited financial statements. It was pointed out that Haddock has advanced the distance learning agenda and digitization of processes, gathering new external resources for research and philanthropy, among others.
In view of the government transition, Haddock stressed that a further cut in the UPR budget will not allow her to pay payroll or cover operating costs. In addition, he expected the students of the system to pay another tuition increase in August, this time double the amount not paid in August. The undergraduate credit is $ 145 at State University.