The Sinaloa’s new Higher Education Law threatens to become the center of a huge conflict between the state government and the universities. This would have a strong impact on the political life of the entity. No society, and no government, should have their universities convulsed. Thus, It is urgent to redirect attention to this issue.
At the federal level, in 2021 the General Law of Higher Education was approved. A much-needed, up-to-date law that was well received by universities. Derived from it, the state congresses issued their own local law, mirroring the federal one. Several entities already have their higher education law.
But in the case of Sinaloa, a mirror law was not elaboratedbut some additions were incorporated, which are not contained in the federal law, but which were considered necessary to be added here. The purpose was to subtract powers from the universities, and transfer them to the state government, to the SEPyCand to the State Congress itself. An attempt was made to redefine autonomy.
These aggregates are the source of conflict. They mainly involve the Autonomous University of Sinaloa, the Autonomous University of the West and the Autonomous Indigenous University of Mexico. The topics in controversy are related to the management of own income, the creation of educational offer, the election of authorities and consultations with society and university students.
Everything suggests that the main recipient is the UAS. For some time there has been a silent struggle for political control of said institution, and it seems that today there is greater determination to try to displace the group that currently holds power. This suggests that further conflict is imminent.
Without a doubt, to Universities need to update their institutional framework, redesign their academic activity, and have greater links with society, with the productive sectors and, above all, with government policies. But for years it was implicitly defined that the policy towards universities was simply “letting go, letting go”, with the sole condition of not generating problems or headaches for the current ruler.
But now, society has changed, the government has changed and the universities have to change too. But things are not going well. On the one hand, respect for autonomy is demanded, but without presenting proposals for fundamental institutional reform. On the other hand, it acts with authoritarianism, it runs over and unconditional surrender is demanded. Neither party shows sense.
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The controversy has to be approached differently until points of agreement are found. Otherwise, the conflict will escalate into a problem of a political nature that may even grow. Also, by not doing things right, the government may lose political allies that it will need in 2024.
#Government #universities