Following the Senate's rejection of the veto, UNR Rector Franco Bartolacci asserted that the law "implies finding a real solution to the structural problems we are facing."
The rector of the Universidad Nacional de Rosario Franco Bartolacci expressed his satisfaction with the ratification of the University Financing Law, which was voted on by a large majority in the Senate last Thursday. "Now it's up to the government to enact and comply with the law without further delay," he stated in a clear message to the Executive Branch.
Last Thursday, the Senate definitively rejected the presidential veto with 58 votes in favor. With this decision, the National Congress guarantees the validity of the law, which establishes a budget update mechanism for public universities. Furthermore, its implementation does not compromise the state's fiscal resources, as it establishes where the funds come from and affects only a small percentage of GDP.
Bartolacci emphasized that the law not only corrects past problems but is fundamental for future management, especially in the face of the budget crisis. “Many times the budget was insufficient and salaries were inadequate. This isn't the first time this has happened. That's as true as the situation has never been as delicate as it is now. There has been a real budget loss of 40 percent in a year and a half,” he said, describing the current state of universities.
Given this situation, the ratification of the law first represents "recognition of what the scientific and university communities have been raising with great responsibility, and thus a response." It is also "a legal instrument to demand the necessary budget and salary updates."
The law is also a foundation for the future of the system: "The law establishes a basis for discussing the 2026 budget and beyond, substantially different from that established in the draft submitted by the National Executive Branch to Congress."
Bartolacci emphasized that the regulation "implies finding a real solution to the structural problems we are facing, in addition to being important because it repairs backward, but above all because it creates a very different foundation going forward."
One of the rector's most notable points was the role of citizens and the community in the process. "The most moving thing was the support of Argentine society, and Rosario in particular, in defense of their University. We wouldn't have gotten this far without that commitment. It's people saying that good things happen at the University for the country, and that must be protected." He emphasized once again that investment in education must be a national priority: "Especially in a context of scarcity, when priorities must be established, if there's one thing we should continue investing in, it's in science and knowledge, in education and public health."
Finally, he thanked all those involved: "We want to thank the legislators who supported us, especially the representatives and senators from Santa Fe. They understood the seriousness of the situation and the need for a response." He especially thanked the country's university and scientific community, and particularly the UNR. "Under very precarious conditions, aware of the importance of what happens at our universities, they continued to do everything necessary with professionalism and effort to enable us to operate up to this point," he concluded.