Former Rector of Uduwado elected interim chairman of UPR

The Board of Directors From University of Puerto Rico (UPR) Appointed to an extraordinary meeting Caesar Cர்டrdoba Montalvo As interim president, instead George Hotak, Will step down on July 31, after nearly three years as head of the company.

Cர்டrdoba Montalvo defeated Rio Pietros campus researcher and professor 6-5 Brad Weiner, In a process involving three members who are not in favor of any candidate. Following the announcement of the Member of Parliament, Crdoba Mondolvo was elected interim chairman and member of the governing council, according to the results. Hermann Chestero Aguilar He opposed this decision, arguing that any of the candidates needed an absolute majority of the body, i.e. at least eight votes.

Cர்டrdoba Montalvo is currently a professor Department of Physical Sciences From Faculty of Natural Sciences Of Rio Beatrice Campus, And he served as rector between 2004 and 2009 UPR in Uduvado, Received the votes of the Chairman of the Governing Body, Emilio Colon Peltron; Vice President, Meida Velasco Bonilla; Close representatives, In Margaret Willam Y Lourdes Choto; And students, Jorge Rivera Velasquez Y Elliott Rivas Hernandez.

Rivera Velasquez gave a descriptive vote in which he noted that his decision was reduced in favor of “less bad”, while Rivas Hernandez Cordo Montalvo excelled in his interview and provided “a complete version within the university environment”.

In support of Weiner, executives expressed Ricardo Dolmav, Antonio Monroe, Alexander Comboral, Leonardo Valentine Y Manuel Gonzalez del Toro, Representative Financial Advisory Commission and Financial Institution On the Governing Body.

Both candidates “against” voted for the Acting Secretary of Education, Eliezer Ramos Paras, Chestero Aguilar and Jorge Valentine Asencio. Chestero Aguilar and Valenton Asencio are both former governor names Wanda Vasquez.

Prior to the election, the Member of Parliament for the Governing Body, Miguel Santiago, Warned that only one candidate or the other could vote, however he declined to answer Chestero Aguilar’s questions about whether the interim president could be elected by less than eight votes, indicating that any controversy would be resolved.

The process of selection between the two applicants was made public, and the ballot to decide whether it was held ended in secret at seven o’clock.

They review their paths

Prior to the election, Velasco reviewed the credentials of Bonilla Cordo Montalvo and Weiner and the requirements for candidates for the interim presidency.

Cோrdoba Montalvo, vice-chairman of the Governing Body, has a history of “more than 40 years” at UPR, including the Dean of Education at the Rio Beatros campus and The. UPR Guy, Between 2004 and 2009, in addition to his tenure as Rector of UPR Uduvado. He also pointed out that he had served as vice president of education affairs, so he “knows how it works” Central Administration Of the system.

De Weiner, meanwhile, has been a professor at UPR since 1988 and described himself as an “international talent” researcher. He noted that in recent times, research has been conducted with grants from federal agencies National Science Foundation (NSF) And this National Aviation and Space Administration (NASA), And he served for 13 years as Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences in Rio Pietro.

The pre-vote debate focused on past indications from both candidates regarding the management of public funds. Questions that Metro Previously reviewed.

In the case of Cர்டrdoba Montalvo, The Comptroller’s Office A report released in 2013 states that when UPR exited Utuvado, it received a settlement fee of more than $ 8,800.

Similarly, the report also points out other irregularities in the administration of the Department of Education, which cover a portion of the time the professor served as rector. The indictment included a failure to comply with an obligation to send signed contracts to the Comptroller’s Office, although the report did not specify how many failures corresponded to the period Cordo Montalvo headed.

“We are going to vote for two candidates with administrative charges,” Valenton Asencio said during the discussion.

Chestero Aguilar cited allegations made against UPR about a decade ago about managing federal funds, and at one time Weiner was part of a team tasked with bridging gaps in dean and federal funds management processes. In 2012, the NSF chose to suspend UPR’s access to funding.

While Chestero Aguilar insisted that the federal authorities’ investigation should continue its course as of today, Velasco Bonilla said the UPR was a closed chapter in 2018, when it agreed to pay $ 8 1.8 million to the federal government. According to Velasco Bonilla, researchers, including Weiner, “followed the rules of the UPR” that were in effect at the time, so the onus fell on the central administration not to follow federal rules, which did not change your processes.

“Brad Weiner is still a good candidate because he is not the creator of the regime,” the vice-chairman of the governing body stressed, while Cologne Beltron pointed out that if the investigator continues to have a matter then it will be a federal investigation.

Regarding the requirements, Velasco Bonilla listed that candidates should be professors at UPR, who currently do not hold a position in the federal administration or rectories, and who do not aspire to be president on the property. The search for the current president is expected to begin on July 31, when the change is complete, following the departure of Hodok, and the recommendations of the education senators of each UPR faction will be considered.

According to Velasco Ponila, three candidates were interviewed, although he did not name them. However, the media broke the news last week Ingrid Montes GonzalezWas finalist with Cர்டrdoba Montalvo, professor of chemistry at the Rio Pietro campus In an initial attempt to appoint an interim president. At a meeting of the search committee with other governing boards last Wednesday, there were no votes for Cண்டrdoba Mondolvo at the time, and the candidatures were reopened and Weiner’s replacement emerged.

Velasco Bonilla, without naming names, said several candidates said they were not available for the interim presidency, while one was rejected because he was a UPR contractor, not a professor.

The original list of eight candidates is included Arturo Avils, Daniel Altzler, Ingrid Patila, Jose LaSalt, Ana Guadeloupe Y Jose Rodriguez Orengo, In addition to Cர்டrdoba Montalvo and Montes Gonzalez.