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Representatives from the student federations of the Catholic University, the University of Valparaíso, and the Diego Portales University participated in this first meeting convened by CRUCH.
The presidents of the University Coexistence and Mental Health Commission, Rosa María Olave (UAH) and Bertha Escobar (UCT), invited CONFECH to conduct a series of discussion groups and work collaboratively on systematizing student proposals in the short term, starting with those transformations that would basically require university management.
Representatives of the Confederation of Students of Chile (CONFECH) and the presidents of the Commission on University Coexistence and Mental Health of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH) met this Tuesday, August 22, with the purpose of exchanging views on university coexistence and mental health, sharing initiatives currently under development, as well as exploring possibilities of collaboration between both entities.
This first meeting convened by CRUCH included Nicolás Valdés and Tania Hinostroza, from the Federation of Students of the Catholic University (FEUC); Kato Fuentes and Claudia Aburto, from the federation of the University of Valparaíso, Santiago Campus (FEUVS); as well as Andrés Salinas and Patricio Toro from the Federation of the Diego Portales University (FEDEP).
Representing the CRUCH commission were Rosa María Olave, professor at Alberto Hurtado University (UAH) and Director of the Conflict Resolution Program at that institution, and Bertha Escobar, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and professor at the Catholic University of Temuco (UCT). Also present was Ana María Moraga, a CRUCH professional who supports the commission.
Fruitful dialogue
In the meeting, which lasted for more than two hours, both parties agreed that it is necessary to know and understand the problems that affect students, particularly those related to the post-pandemic era and the transformations of the university system in recent years, in order to improve the quality of life and the university experience.
On that occasion, the students expressed that some of the necessary aspects to address relate to promoting cross-cutting actions of co-responsibility, so that no student is left alone, nor drops out of the university system, promoting equitable conditions for university life throughout the territories of Chile.
They also mentioned that student organizations are developing proposals for university coexistence and mental health, which they estimate can be implemented in the short term and at low cost.
For their part, the commission presidents, Rosa María Olave and Bertha Escobar, invited CONFECH to conduct a series of discussion groups and work collaboratively on systematizing student proposals in the short term, starting with those transformations that would basically require university management.
Both parties described the meeting as fruitful and agreed to hold regular working sessions, as well as to design a short-term work agenda.
CRUCH Commission
The University Coexistence and Mental Health Commission, of a permanent nature, was created by approval of the CRUCH plenary, in its session No. 635, on July 28, 2022, with the objective of carrying out a diagnosis of the current university scenario, articulated between all the institutions that make up the Council, and proposing strategies to effectively address the issues within its competence.
It is led by Rector Ignacio Sánchez (Pontifical Catholic University of Chile) along with Rectors Rosa Devés (University of Chile) and Elisa Araya (Metropolitan University of Educational Sciences), and is made up of 24 representatives appointed by their respective rectors (21 universities).
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