César Augusto Paiz Fernández, director of the School of Communication Sciences of the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, explains in this interview his position regarding the strike of academic activities carried out by the students of that academic unit.
By: Irene García
The director of the School of Communication Sciences assures that he respects the position of the students of this academic unit who have declared a strike of academic activities, but he considers that this measure will affect the students who, this semester, will have to finish their studies.
What do you think of the students who agreed to the student strike due to the electoral fraud?
I am respectful of the way of thinking and acting of the sectors that make up our School of Communication Sciences. However, I cannot hide my concern that by suspending academic activities, the only one who is directly harmed is the student himself, especially students who are in the process of finishing their Supervised Professional Practice in the technical and undergraduate areas, as well as those who are closing their careers or closing their pensum in this second semester, these are the people I am concerned about.
What is the position of the School's management and academic coordination regarding the student strike?
I think it would harm many people. Since this is a democratic process, before giving any criteria, I met with the teaching and administrative sectors, and both asked me not to carry out any action that would imply a strike or work stoppage.
The stoppage of academic activities on the part of the student sector does not seem to me to be either prudent or good. In my capacity as director I am very respectful of the form of expression of the different sectors of our school, but I also have to be very objective, I cannot, as the highest authority of the school say that the school is on strike, because, legally if someone says that it is on strike, it automatically affects the salary and hiring situation (of the teachers), and at no time is my objective to affect anyone.
Personally, I am never going to support or endorse something that smells to me like it has been the result of a flawed, erroneous, wrong, fraudulent process. But as a School of Communication Sciences we have no influence on the election of the rector of our university. I do not see why we have to carry out actions that do not strengthen the academy. That was the first commitment I made, a commitment that I keep and a commitment that I will do my utmost to defend and project until the time it is my turn to hand over the rector's office in January 2024.
What do you think of the demands of the general assembly of students?
With absolute respect, but we have a student population of over 3,500 students, and I had the opportunity to follow up on the student assembly, where there were approximately 200 students. And within the student sector there have been problems that are having repercussions on this. I see it more as a political strategy than an academic one.
Original publication: Agencia Universitaria de Noticias
Author: Irene García Alvarez
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