The Rectorate of Unicamp formalized, this Friday (12), the six principles that should guide the University's academic expansion program, from the creation of the autonomous entity of its health area. The document – signed by Rector Paulo Cesar Montagner – lists parameters considered fundamental by the Administration to guarantee rights, in addition to ensuring transparency, dialogue and institutional responsibility throughout the process.
The project to make the health area at Unicamp autonomous will be voted on by the University Council (Consu) next Tuesday (16). If approved, it will be sent to the State Government for implementation. Before that, however, it will have to be voted on in the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (Alesp).
The first principle stipulates that the proposal must be based on a Supplementary Bill and thus gain permanence. The second aims to guarantee the full preservation of the rights of workers currently employed in the health sector of the University.
The third principle is that services in the new autonomous entity will remain 100% SUS (Unified Health System). Furthermore, according to the fourth principle, Unicamp will guarantee the appointment of the new entity's administrators. The fifth principle aims to ensure academic expansion by establishing strategies for the hiring of faculty, staff, and administrative and technical personnel. Finally, the sixth principle stipulates that the process of becoming an autonomous entity will not affect the University's budget.
The proposal to change the health management system emerged in September, when the state government admitted the possibility of taking over the sector's budget. From then on, a Working Group (WG) was formed to develop the basic project. Following this, a cycle of consultations with the community began, with sectorial meetings with directors of units and bodies, representatives of faculty, staff, and students, as well as representatives of the Unicamp Staff Union.
The executive director of the Health Area (Deas), Professor Luiz Carlos Zeferino, points out that the model to be proposed for Unicamp follows the one adopted by Unesp, which, in 2010, transformed the Hospital das Clínicas de Botucatu into an autonomous entity.
Zeferino also pointed out that this model has been working at USP for several decades. Furthermore, it is widely disseminated among federal universities. "Of the 51 teaching hospitals linked to 36 federal universities, 48 are autonomous," he noted.
Meeting with staff concludes cycle of consultations with the community.
The rector of Unicamp and the general coordinator concluded, on the afternoon of this Friday (12), the cycle of consultations with the community on the academic expansion project based on the autonomization of the University's health area. The end of the series included a conversation with technical-administrative staff and representatives of the staff union, held in the Consu room.
The civil servants and union representatives present at the meeting informed the University Rectorate that they were against the project. According to them, the creation of an autonomous agency could pave the way for the privatization of the sector and will lead to precarious working conditions.
For the group of civil servants, autonomous organization cannot be the solution. For the workers, the University administration needs to seek other funding alternatives. Therefore, they requested that the proposal be withdrawn from the agenda.
The civil servants also wanted to know if there was a guarantee that the proposal approved by the University Council would be endorsed by the Government.
Montagner stated that autonomy is the solution to the funding crisis affecting the University. According to the rector, the fight for increased funding has never stopped, and he issued a warning: "Our premise is to seek solutions," he said.
Professor Coelho, in turn, said that if the project approved by the government does not meet expectations, the University may not accept it. Both stated that the University currently lacks the capacity for investment.
The proposal to change the health management system emerged in September, when the state government admitted the possibility of taking over the sector's budget. From then on, a Working Group (WG) was formed to develop the basic project.
Next, the consultation cycle with the community regarding the Working Group's report began, with sectorial meetings with unit and department directors, faculty, staff, and student representatives, as well as representatives from the Unicamp Staff Union. This procedure was repeated after the drafting of the project proposal.
In a second phase of the listening process, the advisors were encouraged to present suggestions and invited to formalize recommendations and warnings through a form. According to the Rector's Office, many of the suggestions were incorporated into the proposal.
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