As part of the commemoration of the 197th anniversary of the Alma Mater of Cauca, the "We Are All Unicauca" meeting has been organized. This is an event to which all of us are invited to reflect on the great challenges faced by our institution, as well as by all public higher education institutions in Colombia. The event will take place on Friday, December 15, at the Francisco José de Caldas Auditorium, starting at 9:30 a.m.

As part of the events commemorating the 197th anniversary of the University of Cauca, a space has been created to reflect on the financial crisis facing public universities in the country. Since the implementation of Law 30 of 1992, the budget allocated to institutions has only increased in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation. However, this increase has not been sufficient to cover all the universities' needs, as operating costs and demands have grown faster than this budget adjustment, resulting in an accumulated deficit of 18 trillion pesos across the 34 public universities in the country, making it difficult for them to meet their financial needs.

In this context, it is essential for us, as members of the Unicaucana community and as citizens of our department, to understand the current financial situation of the University, which is the Alma Mater of Cauca. Our institution is facing a budget deficit of 39 billion pesos, which could rise to 41 billion by 2027 if no action is taken. The situation is even more critical in the current period, as to close out 2024, nearly 7.5 billion pesos in needs were left unmet. Furthermore, to cover operational expenses for 2025, 17.152 billion pesos are required. Given this context, an immediate budget increase from the Ministry of National Education is urgently needed.

“We are going to meet to reflect and share perspectives on the underfunding that public universities in the country, including the University of Cauca, are currently facing. We believe that the involvement of institutional stakeholders is crucial in finding solutions to this problem, which increasingly makes it difficult to achieve our mission objectives and ensure the well-being of our university community,” expressed Rector Deibar René Hurtado Herrera, highlighting the importance of this gathering, through which we can work together to strengthen this institution of thought.

It is important to mention that this event is being promoted by the Rector's Office of the University of Cauca in collaboration with its Peace Commission, the University Professors’ Union (ASPU), the Union of Workers and University Employees of Colombia (SINTRAUNICOL), the Unicauca United Student Movement, El Palenke Universitario, and the Colombian Organization of Students (OCE).

For this reason, we extend an invitation to students, professors, administrative staff, alumni, and the entire interested community to actively participate in this gathering. The University of Cauca not only impacts those who are currently directly involved but also the city of Popayán, the department of Cauca, and the country. As one of the oldest and most recognized institutions, with nearly 200 years of contribution to the nation, it is undeniable that we are #HeritageForAll. Therefore, supporting and strengthening it is a collective task, as only in this way can we find creative and long-lasting solutions to the current crisis.

Written by: Communications Management Center