The text contains ten points which, some in a clearer way and others in a less explicit way, reveal the intentions of autonomy with regard to the public university: underfunding of these places, the commodification of the same or censorship are among the aspects that have caused the most alarm in critical sectors, but we must add others that are at least 'strange', such as the recording of vocational training (FP) in a standard designed for universities. The latter is, to say the least, “strange,” according to the education spokesman of the Madrid PSOE (PSOE-M) in statements to ElPlural.com
No financing
Underfunding is partly one of the issues the votes have consulted on –socialists, More Madrid And CCOO– They put more emphasis on the fact that Madrid universities are the least funded in Spain. In fact, this year these centres have at least 15% lower budget than in 2010 -before the cuts by the executive branch of Hope Aguirre-, which means that currently five out of six academic institutions are in the red, while the situation is “practically paralyzed on campuses with an uncertainty of 49%”, as stated by the Secretary General of Education of CCOO Madrid, Isabel Galvín.
“Madrid's public universities have been underfunded for years expenditure of students from the lowest of all autonomous communities and the higher tuition fees “from all over Spain to the State agreement to reduce it,” adds Álvarez, based on an idea shared by both. In it, the Socialist deputy points out that, although “promoting collaboration between universities and the private sector can be beneficial if managed correctly (…), public funding must remain the main source of income, thus guaranteeing that they can function independently and with the public interest taking precedence over the private interest.”
In data from CCOO they point out that “with 600,000 euros for infrastructure by universities – as can be seen from the 2024 budgets – it is practically impossible to even maintain the existing work. “This lack of funding limits and hinders its operation, its development and limits its potential compared to other Spanish public universities and, of course, compared to the private universities of Madrid, which are clearly strengthened and promoted by the different PP governments and especially in Ayuso,” says Galvín, who adds that the Community's claims are being ignored because Madrid's public universities “cover almost 30% of their budget from their own resources.” such as revenue from offering their own titles or agreements with companies instead of taking 100% of their funding, thus shifting their budgetary responsibility to the centres.”
On the way to the private
That “secret privatization” It is precisely one of the aspects that most worries the left and the unions. Álvarez shows the intention of the Community in favour of the private sphere, insofar as the creation of private centres does not have to undergo the control that it should have.
Explained another way, the new way of creating centers of this nature would go against the Organic Law of the University System (LOSU) and is framed by a criterion known as “positive silence,” under which, if the government does not make a statement within a certain period, the request is considered approved, a mechanism that can ultimately “facilitate the proliferation of institutions without checks and balances.”
“For the creation of a new private centre, compliance with the LOSU is mandatory, especially in fundamental aspects such as research,” he warns, while at the same time doubling the number of private universities compared to the public universities currently established in Madrid –12 vs 6, not counting the 4 awaiting authorization-. “And many of them are university academies, not in the sense regulated by LOSU that they must dedicate a large part of their work to scientific research and development, but rather award degrees with obligations that often do not comply with regulations in terms of facilities and so on…”, he explains.
Warn again
The union's education manager warns that financing is precisely the subject that the Ayuso team does not want to talk about. In order to camouflage it in a way, they focused on the presentation of the law 'on the new disciplinary regulations', but this inadvertently 'diverted attention to this controversial element and removed it from the key, perhaps essential one that also directly influences the momentum of a market that is strengthened by the promotion of private universities.
Now that all cards are on the table, the Secretary General of Education of CCOO also regrets that this arrangement, in addition to perpetuating the poor financing of public universities and the weight of private universities, could be developed “to avoid complying with the new organic law of universities”, although it makes clear that until the text is written, the union will not be able to comment in detail on what it ultimately contains.
Censorship on campuses
Another point that greatly angers those who detract from progress is the sanctions regime it proposes, which many see as a response to demonstrations that students have held recently, such as the one linked to the support for Palestine.
“The inclusion of a sanctions regime is necessary to maintain order in educational institutions. However, the definition of violations must be clear and fair, avoiding arbitrary interpellations restrict freedom of expression and legitimate student protest; and vandalism cannot be an excuse to restrict the rights of students (…) Furthermore, this shows that the CAM is dealing with issues that do not fall within its competence, such as the Coexistence Decree published by the Government”, Álvarez dictates in this regard. .
In this regard, the PSOE deputy states that it is “horrible” because “it is as if every time something happens during a demonstration in Madrid the city council is asked to account for it.”
This law is outrageous
From Más Madrid his colleague Antonio Sánchez speaks about a new 'smoke bomb' by Ayuso. “We already know what he is doing. He wants us to look there, get involved in that debate and forget about the privatization of Madrid’s university ecosystem,” he says.
More controversial points of Ayuso's new university regulations
Another controversial point concerns the administrative bodies. In this sense, the same thing would happen: it is a matter that the Community “cannot regulate as it wishes” and which could conflict with the Article 27.10 of the Constitution and again from the LOSU.
The proposal introduces specific requirements for the election of rectors, managers and accreditation of professorsa “requirement” that “may limit diversity and innovation in university leadership by privileging traditional profiles and excluding potential innovative leaders.”
In the same way, the inclusion of FP in a new university law is squeaky clean. The PSOE makes it clear that it is something “strange” to say the least, since these studies are not covered by university regulations, while Manuela Bergerot's program claims that the document is a omnibus law which also includes 'other higher education or other science'.
Everyone remembers that no rectors or university students were consulted about the decisions.
