The University Council (Consu) of Unicamp approved this Tuesday morning (7), during the first extraordinary session of the second semester, the increase in the value of food allowance for technical-administrative employees, researchers and teachers. With the decision, the benefit increases to R$ 950, which represents an adjustment of 11,7% on the previous amount of R$ 850. By decision of the Consu itself, all measures that result in an increase in expenses must be assessed by the highest deliberative body of the University.
At the same meeting, Consu also unanimously approved a motion related to the budget proposal for federal research funding agencies. In the text, which will be forwarded to the Ministry of Education, the Council expresses concern about possible budget cuts, in 2019, in the areas of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (CTI). “The proposed 12% reduction in the ministries' discretionary budget causes enormous apprehension throughout society, as it puts at risk all the investment made over decades to build a modern CTI system”, states the text.
The Superior Council of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes), a body linked to the MEC, released a note on August 1 warning of the possibility of suspending several of its programs due to the cuts intended by the federal government. According to Capes, if its budget is reduced, the payment of approximately 105 thousand postgraduate scholarships will be threatened.
The funding agency accounts for 60% of Unicamp's scholarships, according to data from the Dean of Postgraduate Studies (PRPG). On August 3rd, rector Marcelo Knobel sent a letter to the MEC also expressing the University's concern about the possible cut in resources from Capes. In the document, the director noted that “if such a decision is maintained, it is likely that the most productive portion of students and researchers at Unicamp will have to interrupt or profoundly review the research and training activities they carry out in the laboratories and study groups at Unicamp. University".
READ THE FULL MOTION APPROVED BY THE CONSU
