The budget crisis in Public Universities, generated by the governments of Javier Milei and Mauricio Macri, has marked a break in a 30-year pact resulting from the agreement at the Quinta de Olivos between Menem and Alfonsín in 1994. This pact allowed Public Universities to enjoy financial and administrative autonomy, but the influence of private capital has been increasing, conditioning projects and academic purposes.
The emblematic case of the crisis erupted during the COVID-19 pandemic when a Health Center for students was closed in an attempt to cut the budget. This public budget cut is complemented by the entry of private sponsors, creating a "dark matter" that influences university politics and opens gaps for corruption.
The lack of response from university authorities to the pandemic and student needs has sparked a student movement seeking improvements, such as notes, scholarships, cafeterias, and fundamentally, rights for students. The need to democratize university management and resume the principles of the 1918 Reform for a truly autonomous Public University is emphasized.
This context has led to a confrontation between the interests of private capital and the demands of the university community. The struggle for a Public University free from external influences presents itself as a fundamental challenge in defense of public and quality higher education.
