After about three months of discussions with the community, the University Council of Unicamp (Consu) is scheduled to vote this Tuesday, starting at 15 pm, on the academic expansion project through the process of making the health area autonomous. As the highest decision-making body of the University, the Council will decide whether to proceed with the proposal to be submitted to the state government – which will be responsible for implementing the project after it is voted on in the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (Alesp).
Between November 26th and December 1st, the project was presented by the university administration to unit directors, faculty, staff, and students. Prior to this, the community had already discussed the report from the Working Group (WG), which was responsible for data collection and proposal formatting.
The rector, Paulo Cesar Montagner, recalled that discussions began in September, after the state governor, Tarcísio de Freitas, admitted the possibility of evaluating the proposal. “After that, we created a working group and began a series of discussions with various bodies, professors, staff, and students.” The proposal was transformed into a project, and then a new round of discussions took place.
“This Tuesday (2), we will discuss the document to see if the Council authorizes us to proceed with a decision that it itself had already taken in 2010 and that we are now carrying forward,” said the rector shortly before the meeting last Friday, when he submitted the project to the faculty.
“I consider these meetings fundamental. We want the document (project) to be widely known and debated throughout the University,” he stated. “It is in our interest that the document be known; that doubts can be clarified and that we can improve the project, should that be the community's wish,” he affirmed.
To proposal
The project proposes a new management model for the health sector – which would be linked to the State Health Secretariat for budgetary and management purposes, but would remain connected to the University in the areas of teaching, training of undergraduate and postgraduate students, and professional development for physicians. The University's health complex would also continue to provide comprehensive care to patients of the Unified Health System (SUS).
Today, the Health Area is integrated into Unicamp's organizational chart. Therefore, the University is responsible for its funding, which, in the year 2025, should reach approximately R$ 1,1 billion.
According to the project, the autonomous structure should follow a model already established in the Medical Schools of USP – where it has existed for four decades – and Unesp, in Botucatu, which began operating in 2010.
According to the plan, the process would last 10 years. Throughout this period, the Health Department would gradually assume financial responsibilities related to the healthcare units. Starting in 2028, it would begin covering part of the operational costs of services such as restaurants, transportation, overtime for employees, among others. Today, these expenses total close to R$ 300 million per year. From 2031 onwards, it would begin fully reimbursing the payroll of healthcare employees currently linked to Unicamp. This cost is currently around R$ 754 million.
The project ensures that employees will retain “all the advantages and benefits currently received” – such as transportation allowance, meal vouchers, childcare allowance, special education allowance, food vouchers, and health allowance. It will also guarantee the possibility of participating in training programs, career advancement opportunities, and awards offered by the University.
Expansion until 2036
The expansion plan foresees that, by 2036, there will be an increase in the number of courses; more than 11,5 new undergraduate and graduate students; and the hiring of more than 2 new staff members – including 614 professors and 1.390 employees. There will also be investments in infrastructure such as buildings, laboratories, and classrooms.
According to the project, these investments will result from the gradual easing of pressure on Unicamp's self-financing capacity, as the Health Department will gradually assume the costs of the healthcare units.
Meetings with representatives
The second phase of project discussions with the community began on November 26th, when the university administration presented the proposal to the Unit directors. The directors wanted details about the process of transferring health management to the state secretariat. They also requested explanations on how the university's investment capacity would be restored.
On Friday, November 28th, the meeting brought together teachers, who requested guarantees that the budget for the health sector would not be reduced after the municipality becomes autonomous.
At the meeting this Monday (12/1), the employees expressed concern and requested the removal of the project from the agenda. They argued that there had not been enough time for debate. For them, the process of creating hospital autonomous entities means "deepening the precariousness of work". The employees also complained that there are no guarantees that the State government will maintain the health budget at current levels.
The executive director of the Health Area at Unicamp, Professor Luiz Carlos Zeferino, recalls that the matter was already discussed by the University Council (Consu) in 2010 and that the model used at the University of São Paulo (USP) and the São Paulo State University (Unesp) – which defined the parameters of Unicamp's proposal – can be considered a success, since they have recorded an increase in the number of services provided and in the hiring of personnel.
New model
According to the proposal, the new autonomous entity will be called Hospital das Clínicas da Unicamp (HC-Unicamp) and will bring together eight bodies, including the Central Hospital (HC) and the Women's Hospital.
The HC-Unicamp (University Hospital of the University of Campinas) will have as its basic structure the presidency, a deliberative council, and technical and administrative bodies. The council will be composed of nine members – the president of HC-Unicamp, the director and vice-director of the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM), members of the teaching staff of the Faculties of Nursing, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Dentistry, and a representative of the staff.
The new local authority:
I – Hospital de Clínicas – HC, which is now called Hospital Central – HC
II – Prof. Dr. José Aristodemo Pinotti Women's Hospital – CAISM
III – Center for Diagnosis of Diseases of the Digestive System – Gastrocenter; IV – Center for Hematology and Hemotherapy of Unicamp – Hemocenter
V – Integrated Center for Oncohematological Research in Childhood – Cipoi
VI – Center for Toxicological Information and Assistance – CIATox of Campinas VII – Integrated System of Dental Clinics of the Faculty of Dentistry of Piracicaba – FOP – Sicod
VIII – Center for Studies and Research in Rehabilitation – Cepre
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