i live next to upr rio piedras, and a lot of my friends and ex-girlfriends attend. the interesting thing about the strike is that the students tell me they want a. lower tuition b. exemptions to continue for exemplary students, and c. more class options. classes are $45 per credit at upr, which is astoundingly low to me (i paid 4 grand per semester in the states). the average tuition w/ enrollment fees is less than 800 bucks, and this strike isn’t even a real strike because students and teachers are still conducting homework and lessons in other areas (old san juan, plaza las americas, online, etc. a few students are camped in the university (which police aren’t legally allowed to enter since the 1960s) but for the most part it looks like the university is saving light and water money and the students are getting all the education they want, just not in the classroom

Que vivan los estudiantess de la UPR que defienden el derecho del pueblo a la educacion publica! I cannot tell you how proud I am of the students, their families and the communities that support them. It is to the credit of the Puerto Rican peple that they have been able to keep such a distinguished progressive institution thriving and accessible since its founding over 100 years ago. Long live the students and Power to the People.

[...] Original post by Digizen’s Favorite Links on upr from Diigo [...]

Independiente de nuestro sentir acerca de si los estudiantes tienen
razon o no en continuar con la huelga en la Universidad de Puerto Rico, la situacion existente en estos
momentos es totalmete inaceptable. El impedir la entrada de agua y
comida hacia adentro del recinto de Rio Piedras es crasa violacion de los derechos
humanos de cualquier individuo. Incluso esta establecido claramente en
la Carta de los Derechos Humanos de la UNESCO ratificada por los
Estados Unidos. El fin de tomar el Recinto a traves de la Fuerza de
Choque, con medios violentos e ilegales incluso a nivel internacional
no es justificable. En estos momentos me siento avergonzada de ser
miembro de esta institucion cuando nuestras autoridades no tienen la
capacidad de dar la cara y enfrentar a los estudiantes en la mesa de
discusion. En vez se amparan detras de medidas de fuerza bruta lo que
nos equipara a lo que siempre hemos rechazado: la fuerza en vez de la
discusion y el entendimiento. Que triste y vergonzoso momento estamos
viviendo.

El derecho a disentir fue enunciado para la historia por Voltaire,
cuando pronunció la famosa frase: “Detesto lo que dices, pero
defendería hasta la muerte tu derecho a decirlo”. Con la tolerancia
aparece la oportunidad de pensar y considerar las razones del otro,
separando lo considerado correcto de lo incorrecto, los puntos de
acuerdo y desacuerdo; permitiendo así que resurja el entendimiento.
Juan Pablo II dijo: El diálogo, basado en sólidas leyes morales,
facilita la solución de los conflictos y favorece el respeto de la
vida, de toda vida humana. Por ello, el recurso a las armas para
dirimir las controversias representa siempre una derrota de la razón y
de la humanidad. La educacion molesta porque educar a un pueblo
significa cuestionamiento. Este gobierno no quiere cerebros
pensantes, quiere borregos que sigan sin cuestionar y focas que
aplaudan la sinrazon. Y esto lo digo con el perdon de los animales en
cuestion.

Cuando la fuerza bruta y la violacion de los derechos humanos
sustituye al dialogo y la comunicacion no estamos evolucionando hacia
la mejor expresion de la democacia y la madurez social. En vez estamos
yendo hacia el oscurantismo donde los senhores feudales deciden.

I am in favor of this strike. I used to live in PR and went to the UPR RP and honestly I think that because of the education they are getting there is the reason why they are, mostly, the ones who are brave enough to not stay quiet when the government and other are trying to privatize and make decisions that are not good for the people.
$45 per credit sound really cheap if you compare it with tuition in the US for example, but in PR $800 is a lot for the majority of the people. Like someone mentioned previously, in PR with $800 you can pay the rent. Why exactly are we comparing this tuition with the ones in the US where the lifestyle is, sometimes, very different? Either way we are talking about education here and everyone is entitled and has a right to have an education even those who can’t afford it. Why are student persuaded into student loans just so they can get an education and afterwards have the stress of not only finding a job, but of finding a way to pay those loans back. To me it seems absurd to think that paying $4 grand is normal and that the strike is ridiculous because the tuition in UPR is so low.
Last but note least, this strike is not only about the tuition and privatizing the UPR, it’s about making a statement, showing those in charge that they can’t make decisions that affect the people just for their own interest and think that everyone is going to be OK with it, it’s about finally some puertorricans waking up and speaking up and questioning authorities. I really hope the students don’t back up easily and as for those who are supposed to graduate this semester (like my brother) to understand, even though it might be difficult.

Greetings, I have read all the comments and I am extremely pleased to here the support that we are getting from all of you (don’t worry Stewart, some day you will understand). I am a student at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus and a senior on pure mathematics. I have a 3.74 on my GPA and thankfully I receive the honor’s extension that provides me a free tuition. In top of that, I am a competitive athlete that will participate on the Central American and Caribbean Games that are going to be held this summer here at Puerto Rico. Now that you know a little bit about be, ask yourselves how is it possible for myself to pay for food, clothing, medical insurance, gas, tuition an other necessities? Well the answer is just plain simple: I just can’t. Maybe for some fortunate people $45 a credit is just a joke to be fighting for, but the truth is that for me is almost impossible to sustain myself in such an economic crisis. I live by numerous research projects that pay me a stipend which is enough to pay all of my primary necessities but that means I have to work in addition to training 6 hours a day and study at least 13 hours a day including classes. Therefore I only have 5 hour of sleep everyday for the rest of the semester. So where exactly can I calculate the time to work for money? Yeah! but I can use those hours of training and work everyday, that won’t be a problem…Well there is a huge problem, because being an athlete is as same as being a mathematician, a musician, an artist, a singer, a dancer, its a way of life, its my life and thats what makes us unique as humans. People are confused on visualizing education, not as an obligation but as a commodity and that clearly manipulates society to become dependent on corporate interests and not on our human interests. Our students and families have come across with a government that protects financial interests over humanitarian necessities. Is this not a form of tyranny? We have decided to avoid history repeating itself knowing how power has spilled blood (and oil) on the world by corporate greed. And for this I may say that I have been committed to protect my rights as a student, not because I serve as a individual entity, but because every human on this planet has the same right to choose by themselves what is better for them and be provided with the necessary tools to fulfill his or her pursuit of happiness. I love my university as much as I love being a mathematician, an athlete,a musician, a dancer and an independent individual with common rights. Let us be the guide to a better world and please understand how important this strike is for all of us, not as individuals but as a complete set of ideas, talents and equal rights. Now that I you have gave me the time to share my experiences with you, its your time to create a change in peoples lives not only for us but for all the young people that will continue our legacy on becoming professionals at the University of Puerto Rico. Thanks again for all your support and all parts of the world. Like we say: ” La educación es un derecho, no un privilegio ” (Education is a right, not a privilege) Que vivan los estudiantes!

No hay problema, estoy mas de agradecido compartir mis sentimientos con los demas para que entiendan que se trata de seres como cualquier otros, con las mismas complicaciones de vida. Seguiremos con la lucha y espero el apoyo de todo Puerto Rico. Que viva la UPR y todos sus trabajadores

Support the students in this strike. Privatizing UPR what the heck this administration is thinking.

Tuition increases well here in Florida we have seen those almost every year especially with this economy so the students around here can feel the pain.

Boricua pelea por lo tuyo en especial por tu universidad.

Soy dominicano. Repito: soy dominicano. Es mas soy dominicano CO~NO!
En el momento que naciones latinoamericanas festejan doscientos anos de independencia. Puerto Rico es una colonia. Es la ultima colonia americana del siglo XXI. Puerto Rico es latino america. No hay latinoamerica sin Puerto Rico. Pero algo debe quedar claro siin apasionamientos; el principal aliado para la independencia de nuestra nacion hermana no es otro mas que los mismos Estsdos Unidos. Estados Unidos no es el enemigo. Es el aliado y el unico medio para0 la independencia. No se trata de una revolucion. Enlas revoluciones no hay ganadores ni perdedores. Es sencillamente jn asunto de DIGNIDAD HUMANA. No tiene sentido la declaracion universal de los derechos humanos si p
Puerto Rico no es un estado Soberano.

Favor comentar. No creo ser el unico que piensa de esta manera.

Mario,

Estoy de acuerdo que Puerto Rico es una colonia, pero como pregunto Sabina o mejor dicho, como comento Sabina, no entiendo como el gobierno puede ser un aliado a la causa de Puerto Rico considerando que es el Congreso de los E.U que ha decido una y otra vez mantener Puerto Rico en su estatus de colonia.

Puerto Rico no necesita el aval del congreso para llevar a cabo una consulta y mandato. Ningún estado admitido a la unión esperá por el congreso. TODAS las consultas fueron internas y luego se llevó el reclamo al congreso. Resultado? NINGUN territorio fue rechazado y TODOS fueron admitidos. PR no será la excepción si lo pidiera y menos en momentos en que la comunidad hispana está creciendo y es una fuerza electoral en EU. PR sería la punta de lanza de la reconquista hispana de EU.

Sr. Abuso: Hmm excepto Hawaii que todavia tiene una gran porcion de la poblacion que sigue clamando por liberacion. Creo que tu comparasion no vale.

Sabina,

Chavez es un ejemplo del camino equivocado en respuesta a la pobreza. A el solo le importa el poder.