Declaración
Pública
Recently, the decision made by the Ministry of Education was known not to renew the appointment of the General Secretary of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH), which inexplicably has not considered the requirements or the opinion of the directors of the 30 universities that make up this Council.
In this regard, we wish to express the following to public opinion:
1. According to Law 21.091, the Council of Rectors is responsible for advising and formulating proposals to the Ministry of Education on public policies in matters of higher education, in addition to coordinating the institutions that comprise it, promoting collaboration between them.
2. For its operation, the CRUCH has a General Secretariat that provides administrative and technical support to this Collegiate Body. The appointment of the General Secretary is made through the Senior Public Management System. However, this is a position that requires the trust of the Council, which is financed only with contributions from the Universities, and whose work responds to the guidelines and the exclusive will of the CRUCH.
3. Both the evaluations of compliance with the Performance Agreement carried out by MINEDUC and those of all the rectors and directors of the CRUCH, coincide in that the objectives and functions that correspond to the General Secretariat have been carried out in an optimal manner. throughout their management.
4. Consequently, the decision not to renew the appointment is inexplicable, unless this measure is the result of legitimate discrepancies, so typical of democracy and the role of the Council of Rectors. If this is the reason, it is unfair and unacceptable, even more so, considering that the directors have unanimously agreed to support the request to renew the appointment of the current Secretary General, which has been repeatedly requested from the authorities relevant.
5. All this situation questions us about the meaning and mission of the Council of Rectors, the urgent need to recognize the autonomy that its work requires, the validity of its principles and values, and the inherent commitment to the public, all of this over the guidelines of the transitory nature of governments. Nothing is more contradictory for the country than the Council of Rectors is determined by ideological or political conditions.
Due to the role that the Council plays in the higher education system and because of the importance of maintaining respectful ties between public institutions, it is essential that the requirements of the CRUCH are listened to, which will undoubtedly contribute to the independence required for the good performance of their duties for the benefit of the country.