The financial situation of Higher Education and Research (ESR) is alarming. This is due to
a policy of destruction of Higher Education under Sarkozy accelerated and aggravated by
the current government public. ---- Since 2007, with the law on the freedoms and
responsibilities of universities (LRU), universities have become "autonomous". This could
be a good thing, autonomy was indeed a claim to the academic community for a long time,
with the aim of having an independent university or any organization, including the state.
However, with the LRU, the university is dependent, in addition to the state, regions and
companies. Universities must manage their budgets with an endowment of operation of the
non-extensible State (previously when a university was in bad shape the state filled the
deficit). And the more they try to get financing "local socio-economic power", adapting
their research for companies and regions (universities should be attractive).
Behind the autonomy ...
The effects of this legislation are felt today. The year 2013 ended with austerity
measures in all universities and more than a dozen are bankrupt. Budgetary constraints
translate eg gels posts (more than a thousand in a year), or job cuts which degrade the
personal supervision of students; deletions language options such courses or are not
deemed profitable as the classics at Rennes; increased selective entry pathways (draw in
Staps in many cities, sociology Pau or move to folder selection in the majority of art
courses, letters ) suppression of personal leave for Toulouse. While at the same time it
creates management options in all our sectors. The problem is not only economic but political!
Budget deficits ...
At the last moment, under pressure from stakeholders in higher education, the state has
reached 40 million to avoid measures such as Spain or Greece (closure of universities,
cessation of payment of wages). This does not solve the problems today is the University
of Versailles Saint-Quentin considering closing. Montpellier had also considered closing
the antenna Beziers, to avoid cut jobs and establish the selection. This was denounced by
the student movement, unions and staff of teachers, many of the boards of universities,
but the state does nothing to change its policy. Amplification of the mobilization in the
second half seems necessary to save and defend a public university open to all and all
education.
Remi (Student Solidarity es)
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» France, Alternative Libertaire AL #235 - Pecresse laws and Fioraso: Faculties in deche (fr, pt)