They were holding banners saying 'no to the downgrading of Public Universities', 'No to cuts. Hands off the Schools'
In a symbolic protest event, in the courtyard of the Rector's Building, TEPAK students and the Union of Academics (SAP-TEPAK) came today Friday, with a request not to cut the Public University's Budget, as well as for the University's autonomy.
Students and SAP-TEPAK gathered at noon on Friday in the forecourt of the Rector's Building, hanging banners on the building that read: No, to the downgrading of Public Universities”, “No, to the cuts. Hands down from Schools”, “Hands down from Public Education”, and carrying a banner bearing their main slogan, “No, to the degradation of Public Universities”.
As reported by the SAP- TEPAK and the Student Union of TEPAK, their goal is to communicate in all directions their determination to defend Public Higher Education.
In his statements, the President of SAP-TEPAK, associate professor Uranios Tzamaloukas, said that this event is for the autonomy of the University and for the total budget, which is 7.9 million, “and which they will not allow us to deposit as a supplement and to operate normally in matters of laboratory equipment and in building development, in student practice, that is, the operation of the university is affected”.
Answering a question about the issue of travel, Mr. Tzamalukas said that the travel concerns very few people, less than 10 people, which if you calculate them for the next several years will be 30,000.
“Here they have cut 8 million, that is, it has nothing to do with the issue of travel”, he noted.
He repeated that today's protest is an event where students and teachers are together, “and we want the same thing and we are together and with the Rectorate and the vice-chancellors for the same request, the simple one: Do not cut the budget for the public university”.
The President of F.E.T.E.P.A.K., Konstantinos Karseras, said that today the Student Union of TEPAK together with the union of academic staff of the University “come together in a common struggle, our inclusion in all that we ask for, that is, the fact that cuts are being made for us without us, this worries us and we believe that we should let the University grow”.
“It has already developed in recent years and we want it to continue this development. Let us lead this Organization and the students and academics, as well as the Administrative staff, we are in this fight”, he noted.
As he said, there is a distortion in terms of the budget, there are expenses, which have gone through the courts and for building facilities, that's why the budget seems bigger and maybe that's why there is an inaccuracy in this fact, “but we will ask and we will continue to ask for the obvious, that they accept this budget”.< /p>
He noted that all the cuts directly or indirectly concern the operation of the University, and this affects them as a student community.
SAP-TEPAK: Financial strangulation of the University
Meanwhile, in a statement, the TEPAK Academic Staff Union states that it disagrees with the decisions of the Ministry of Education.
“Decisions that endanger the viability of TEPAK and which lead to its financial strangulation were taken by the Council of Ministers in its session held on February 7, 2024. Specifically, the Council of Ministers approved the draft budget of TEPAK for 2024, adding however, some modifications which caused the immediate reaction of both the Rector of the University Panagiotis Zafeiris, and the Senate, as well as the students and the academic and administrative staff of the University with mobilizations”, he adds.
He mentions, at the same time, that the Council of Ministers did not take into account the decision of the Council of TEPAK, the Senate, but also the desire of the Director of Administration and Finance (DDO) himself to not be the Controlling Officer of the budget of TEPAK for 2024 , but to appoint the Rector, Panagiotis Zafeiris.
“In essence, the proposal of the Ministry of Education is to continue the same status as in previous years, that is, with the DDO in the role of Budget Control Officer, that is, as if he were the CEO of a private company. This led to problems and tensions and to the undermining of the public image of the University, with the academic staff being impeached and the University being reported to the State”, he notes.
He adds that it should be made clear by everyone that the rector's authorities, as the Rector's Council, are the highest executive body of the university, and the respective Rector is the highest executive officer and by extension responsible for the executive aspect of all matters: academic, financial and administrative.
“The second decision of the Council of Ministers that leads with mathematical precision to the financial strangulation of TEPAK concerns its recommendation and suggestion to the University that after the end of the 1st semester of 2024 it does not submit a supplementary budget. The budget submitted for 2024, based on the relevant decisions of the Council and the Senate of TEPAK, reflected the real and minimal operational needs of the University”, it states.
The history of the case
In its announcement, the Syntechnia states that the Ministry of Education, last November and January, demanded that the total budget of TEPAK be reduced by €7.9 million, which led to significant cuts related to significant operational and development costs such as student internships , Database Subscriptions and Contributions, Computer Equipment Maintenance and Operation, Laboratory Materials, Student Scholarships and Awards, Laboratory Supplies, Laboratory Equipment, Computer and Other Equipment, and Building Development.
“As is easily understood, if the decision of the Council of Ministers does not change in relation to the supplementary budget and the time frames it determines, it will financially strangle TEPAK, creating a financial deficit of €8 million. This, inevitably, will prevent the orderly operation and further course of development of the University. However, even if a supplementary budget is approved, it will be towards the end of this year and, in practice, it will not be able to be used. This endangers and affects the educational work of the University as well as its students and future graduates”, he adds.
The School in Paphos is headed for cancellation
< p>He also mentions that the proposals of the Council of Ministers also threaten to cancel the operation of the School in Paphos, which is a very important stage in the expansion and development of TEPAK.
“And this is due to the refusal of the Director of Administration and Finance (whom the Ministry of Education recommended to remain in the position of Budget Controller) to implement the commitments and decisions made towards the academic staff. In fact, this decision was taken at a time when TEPAK is preparing for the transfer of students of all years of graduate study at the School from Limassol to Paphos”, he notes.
Revocation of the decisions of the Council of Ministers
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He states that with these data it is an urgent need for the Council of Ministers to revoke its decisions, to respect the administrative autonomy of TEPAK and to contribute to the continuation of the University's smooth operation.
< p>“Otherwise, the Ministry of Education will be responsible for the many problems that will arise in the next period”, he notes.
SYTEPAK: TEPAK Budget Reduction for the year 2024< /p>
The Board of Directors of the Administrative Staff Union of the Cyprus University of Technology (CYTEPAK) expresses, in its announcement, its dissatisfaction in all directions and strongly protests the significant cut in the TEPAK Budget for the financial year 2024.< /p>
“The significant reduction in the Budget of TEPAK, as a new University, in the short term will have very negative effects on its further development, its competitiveness, and its consolidation and establishment at an international level. In the long run, the cuts in the budgets of Public Universities are intended to shrink them and is a key blow to Public Higher Education in our country. Such a development negatively affects both our Students and the University Staff (Administrative and Academic)”, concludes SITEPAK, in its announcement.
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