Two episodes of invasion of two consecutive sessions of the University Council (Consu), suspended, this Tuesday (16), the voting on the proposal that intends to submit to the government of the State of São Paulo the project of autonomization of the health area and the academic expansion program of Unicamp.
The first interruption occurred at 10:15 am, when representatives of student movements, the Unicamp Employees Union (STU), and social entities such as members of the MST (Landless Workers' Movement) stormed the Council room, which is next to the Rector's building, preventing the session from continuing.
The group occupied tables and chairs and vowed to remain in the room at least until the end of the day. The university administration attempted to negotiate a move to vacate the room and resume the session, but was unsuccessful. Because of this, they decided to hold an online meeting in the afternoon, this time in a room at the Unicamp Development Foundation (Funcamp). However, the building was once again occupied by protesters, and the meeting had to be suspended again.
"Today is a very sad day. The University should not be experiencing days like this," said Rector Paulo Cesar Montagner at the end of the day.
“These voices of students who have just arrived at the University saying that there was no discussion, don't know that this process has been under discussion for over 30 years at the University. There was already a draft of this project in 2010, and we committed to bringing this updated project. Therefore, this seems to us a clearly delaying tactic,” assesses the rector. According to the leader, this attitude became clear after the request to remove the item from the agenda and another request for a review were defeated in plenary session.
"Unicamp cannot have some students and some employees who think they own the University, and who can restrict, coerce, and harass with violence. They did all of that today," he added.
Montagner said the process will continue. "We are clear about the importance of the proposal and we will study the best way to move the process forward. It doesn't end here," he assured.
The general coordinator of Unicamp, Professor Fernando Coelho, said he regretted the events. According to him, the movements have moved towards an anti-democratic process.
“These episodes are regrettable, insofar as we see the University coexisting with anti-democratic procedures. I think this does not represent the democratic thinking of the University and, in general, it is something that we must unanimously repudiate. We will not move forward with these mechanisms,” he stated.
The project proposes transforming the Health area, which currently integrates the administrative and budgetary structure of Unicamp, into a new autonomous entity – which would be called the Unicamp Health Complex. According to the proposal, this autonomous entity would be linked to the São Paulo State Health Secretariat for administrative and budgetary purposes, similar to models already established in the Medical Schools of USP and Unesp (Botucatu).
The health complex, however, would remain linked to the University for teaching, research, professional training, and supervision of teaching and residency programs. The project also stipulates that the complex will continue to provide comprehensive care through the Unified Health System (SUS).
According to the rector, the main objective of the measure is to alleviate the budgetary pressure on Unicamp – which currently spends around R$ 1,1 billion/year in the health sector. Furthermore, he argues, it will allow for the implementation of an academic expansion plan with the creation of new courses, places, and the hiring of staff.
Negotiations
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 Workers' Union (STU). This procedure was repeated after the drafting of the project proposal.
In a second phase of the listening process, the advisors presented suggestions, recommendations, and warnings through a form. According to the Rector's Office, many of the suggestions were incorporated into the proposal.
The project to be submitted to the State government considers six fundamental principles. One is that the new structure be established through a Complementary Law Project, thus ensuring its permanence. It must also guarantee the full rights of workers currently employed in the health sector at Unicamp. This group, according to the Rector's Office, will remain as Unicamp employees until retirement.
The third principle is that services in the new autonomous entity will remain 100% covered by the SUS (Unified Health System). The fourth principle guarantees that Unicamp will appoint the administrators of the new autonomous entity, and the fifth stipulates that there will be a sufficient number of faculty members hired to support the academic growth of the University. Finally, the last principle guarantees that the process of becoming autonomous cannot affect the University's budget.
Implementation
The proposal foresees a 10-year transition period. The rules would remain in place under current conditions for the first two years. From the third year onwards, the Health Secretariat will begin a process of paying for so-called "extra expenses"—which are disbursements to pay for services such as hospital restaurants, employee transportation, and costs not related to payroll. Currently, these expenses represent approximately R$ 300 million per year. According to the plan, at the end of three years, the Secretariat will have assumed all of these expenses.
Starting in the 5th year of the agreement, the gradual process of reimbursing Unicamp for the payroll expenses – currently equivalent to R$ 754 million/year – will begin. The reimbursement will be gradual until, by the end of the 10th year, the department will begin making the full transfer of the payroll.
With the resources that will no longer be taken from the budget, Unicamp intends to promote an expansion program, which includes opening new courses, new places in the entrance exam, hiring teachers and staff, and improving infrastructure.
Córdoba
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 Botucatu Clinical Hospital into an autonomous entity. Zeferino also recalled that this model has been working for several decades at USP. Furthermore, it is widely disseminated among federal universities. "Of the 51 teaching hospitals linked to 36 federal universities, 48 are autonomous entities," he notes.
The University Rector's Office condemns acts of violence during University Council sessions.
The Rectorate of the State University of Campinas expresses its vehement repudiation of the serious acts of violence that occurred on the University premises on the morning and afternoon of this Tuesday (16), which interrupted, on two occasions, the work of the University Council (Consu), the highest deliberative body of Unicamp.
Episodes of invasion and intimidation are absolutely intolerable and constitute a serious affront to university autonomy, the free exercise of institutional debate, and the right to listen and deliberate.
It is deeply regrettable that a university of the size and relevance of Unicamp should be subjected to practices incompatible with the democratic principles that govern university life, practices that recall episodes that have negatively marked the recent history of the country.
Unicamp is an institution guided by dialogue, respect for collegiate bodies, and the unwavering defense of democracy, not submitting to actions that seek to impose corporate interests through violence or coercion.
We call upon the entire academic community and society to unite in defense of a public, free, inclusive, diverse, and democratic university, not allowing intolerance and violence to prevail over dialogue and respect for institutional norms.
Campinas, December 16, 2025.
COVER PHOTO
