UPR

A few weeks ago, I attended the commencement ceremony of the University of Puerto Rico’s Río Piedras campus. One figure was omnipresent throughout the ceremony: the federally appointed Fiscal Control Board, whose enabling federal law, PROMESA, recently marked its 10th anniversary.

The university has not updated its fiscal plan since 2021. After missing this year’s March 24 deadline, it received an extension from the FOMB, but the May 1 final approval date remains unchanged.

Amid face-offs, grimaces, accusations of censorship, a push to remove the university’s president, and a maze of parliamentary maneuvering and procedural technicalities, the latest meeting of the University of Puerto Rico system’s Governing Board failed to meet its responsibilities. It did not carry out, with seriousness, respect and responsibility, the public role entrusted to it.

In addition to eliminating inclusive restrooms at the Río Piedras campus, the university system voided guarantees of access and nondiscrimination for transgender students and revised its Chosen Name Protocol, because of Trump administration measures targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

In 2006, 59% of first-year students admitted to the University of Puerto Rico came from the public school system. However, by August 2025, this figure dropped to 47%. While students from public schools continue to show interest in the UPR, the combination of poverty and structural inequality affects their preparation to meet admission standards.

Nearly a month into her tenure, UPR President Zayira Jordán-Conde has yet to meet with the Governor, even as she emphasizes the need for “creativity” in securing funding amid deep budget cuts imposed by the Oversight Board and restrictions from the federal government.

Zayira Jordán Conde was elected president of the University of Puerto Rico last Saturday, without the backing of the academic senates, in a politicized and non-transparent process. Why was the candidate with the most weaknesses chosen against the will of the university community?

Federal measures have stalled the limited progress in diversity policies at Puerto Rico’s public university by halting a census of Afro-descendants and eliminating inclusive bathrooms under the threat of funding cuts. More than 25 members of the university community warn that these policies will worsen the marginalization of historically excluded sectors.

The announcement came a month and a half after the CPI revealed that persistent leaks, mold, and the closure of seven study areas had not been resolved since 2017.

After a $1 billion cut to one of the main federally funded mitigation programs — designed to help communities tackle climate change — Puerto Rico is losing significant grants. For the past four days, Governor Jenniffer González's administration has remained silent on the matter.

Since Hurricane María hit in 2017, the José M. Lázaro Library at the University of Puerto Rico’s Río Piedras campus has been plagued by leaks, moldy books, and seven study rooms that remain closed. Home to much of the island’s cultural and historical heritage, the library is still far from a full recovery. University officials estimate it will take at least three more years to complete the repairs.

As one of the regions most affected by the global climate crisis, local scientists are struggling with canceled research grants and funding cuts from federal agencies.

The proposal by the U.S. president would impact 67% of the research funded by the National Institutes of Health in Puerto Rico's public university system.

Outgoing President Luis Ferrao acknowledged that the proposal sought to access part of the $102 million that the Fiscal Control Board has reserved for 2025, but the Board denied specifically having requested a program moratorium as a condition for ensuring financial sustainability.

On “Giving Tuesday,” the Centro de Periodismo Investigativo (CPI) aims to raise $30,000 in just 24 hours to hire a journalist dedicated to overseeing higher education, focusing on the University of Puerto Rico. With the support of allies like NewsMatch and Open Campus Media, every donation to CPI today will be tripled. “The University of […]

The increase occurs even though the cost of tuition has doubled, there are fewer professors, fewer students, fewer courses available, and fewer academic support staff.