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The university presidents elected the highest authority of the University of Tarapacá, who appreciated this support. “A vote of confidence has been given to a regional university (…) This shows the openness of our Council to understand that territorial development is important and that talent is distributed throughout the country.”.
Likewise, the plenary elected the rector of the Austral University of Chile, Hans Richter, as alternate executive vice president.
The outgoing executive vice president, Rector Juan Manuel Zolezzi, stated that “I have a feeling of satisfaction for the work done, and gratitude towards my peers, who elected me twice.”.
“This vote of confidence from the plenary is simply an honor and also a privilege that implies a great commitment,” said Emilio Rodríguez Ponce, who was unanimously elected executive vice president of the Council of Rectors of Chilean Universities (CRUCH).
This definition was developed today, Thursday, within the framework of session No. 635, which took place at the University Museum of Engraving of the University of Playa Ancha of Educational Sciences, in Valparaíso.
Emilio Rodríguez asserted that this election "represents a vote of confidence in a regional university, located far from major urban centers. This demonstrates our Council's openness to understanding the importance of territorial development and the fact that talent is distributed throughout the country.".
Rodríguez, rector of the University of Tarapacá, stated that “quality, equity and territorial development are the strategic priorities that we should address as the Council of Rectors, together with those tasks that will emerge during the period.”.
Emilio Rodríguez is a full professor at the Institute of Advanced Research of the University of Tarapacá, holds a doctorate in Economic and Business Sciences; a doctorate in Education; a master's degree in Administration with a specialization in Finance; a university master's degree in Social Sciences; a master's Certificate in Finance Series; a commercial engineer; and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and a bachelor's degree in Administration and Management.
He served as rector of the University of Tarapacá from 2002 to 2006, from 2010 to 2014, and from 2018 to 2022, and was re-elected for a third term in April of this year. Between 2014 and 2015, he was the regional governor of Arica and Parinacota, and he has received the titles of Distinguished Son of the City of San Marcos de Arica and the Chilean Association of Faculties of Economics and Administration Award (2009).
Executive committee
The plenary session of rectors also defined new members of the CRUCH Executive Committee, which will be made up of Rector Rodríguez and the Rector of the Austral University of Chile, Hans Richter Becerra, unanimously elected as alternate executive vice president, a position held until today by the Rector of the Pontifical Catholic University, Ignacio Sánchez.
Rector Richter praised this election and maintained that it is positive that “such an important structure as the Council is showing clear signs of decentralization. We are two universities located practically at opposite ends of the country, and today we are taking the helm of the CRUCH, which is quite symbolic, but it also implies a great challenge, because we are taking up the mantle from two rectors with a strong presence and influence, Juan Manuel Zolezzi and Ignacio Sánchez.”.
The CRUCH Executive Committee will continue to be composed of the rector of the University of Valparaíso, Osvaldo Corrales, as president of the Consortium of State Universities of Chile (CUECH); the rector of the University of Concepción, Carlos Saavedra, as president of the Non-State Public Universities (G-9); and the rector of the University of Playa Ancha, Patricio Sanhueza, as president of the Association of Regional Universities (AUR).
In addition, the rector of the University of La Frontera, Eduardo Hebel (representing CUECH), and the rector of the Alberto Hurtado University, Eduardo Silva, representing the universities incorporated into the Council according to Law 21.091, were ratified as members.
They are joined by the rector of the Catholic University of the Holy Conception, Cristhian Mellado, elected this Thursday representing the G-9 universities, replacing the rector of the Catholic University of Maule, Diego Durán, who will leave the rectorship in August.
The Executive Committee assumes the management functions of the Council and acts as the liaison between the Council of Rectors and public sector institutions, especially the Ministry of Education. It also oversees the planning of the Council's own projects and the conduct of its meetings.
Farewell to Rector Zolezzi
Thursday's session was the last one chaired by the rector of the University of Santiago de Chile, Juan Manuel Zolezzi, in his capacity as executive vice president of CRUCH.
On that occasion, he spoke about the main milestones of his administration, with emphasis on the social and health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the discussion on regulated tariffs and the implementation of regulations related to the implementation of Law No. 21,091.
After his presentation, Rector Zolezzi said, “I have a feeling of satisfaction for the work done, and gratitude towards my peers, who elected me twice as executive vice president.”.
She also emphasized that “I had to assume this responsibility during the most difficult times of recent decades, because I was in charge during 2011 and 2012, the period of the large student movement marches; and during this time the social uprising and the pandemic occurred. But with everyone's collaboration, it is possible to move forward and, moreover, to emerge very successfully.”.
The rector of Usach added that "I wish CRUCH all the best" and that he hopes "the country can invest more in science, technology, innovation and fundamentally in education, because the countries that have invested in these areas have made a leap forward.".
Meanwhile, the Undersecretary of Higher Education, Verónica Figueroa, highlighted the work of Rector Zolezzi at the head of the Council, because "he has given an important imprint, a distinctive character to this space and he will undoubtedly be missed.".
Figueroa stated that “along the way we have come, we have seen that issues such as gender equality, regulated tuition fees, financing, and quality have been consistently on the CRUCH agenda. It has been a great period, and we hope that whoever takes the reins will continue the path of collaboration that we so desperately need in Higher Education.”.
The Management Report of the Executive Vice Presidency of CRUCH for the period 2020 – 2022 It is available here.
Farewell to rectors Loyola and Oyarzo
During the meeting in Valparaíso, the CRUCH said goodbye to the rectors Luis Alberto Loyola (University of Antofagasta) and Juan Oyarzo (University of Magallanes), who will leave their respective rectorships during August.
Luis Loyola is a State Professor of Biology and Chemistry at the University of Chile and holds a PhD in Chemical Sciences from the same institution. He has completed postdoctoral studies in the research training program of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Chile and at research centers of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).
He has led the University of Antofagasta for 16 years, but his connection with the institution spans nearly six decades, beginning with his enrollment as a student and teaching assistant at the Northern Campus of the University of Chile in 1960. Subsequently, he was a professor in the laboratories and an academic in the programs of Chemistry, Chemistry, Chemical Analysis, Medical Technology, Dentistry, and Medicine. He also held administrative positions, serving as Director General of Teaching, Director General of Research, Director of Graduate Studies, and Academic Vice-Rector.
Juan Oyarzo is a civil mechanical engineer from the State Technical University, holds a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil, and a doctorate in Renewable Energies from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain (2010). He is an associate professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Magallanes and has served as director of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and academic vice-rector. He assumed the rectorship of UMAG for the period 2014-2018 and was re-elected in 2018 for a term until 2022.
On the other hand, the plenary session welcomed Nelson Vásquez Lara, who assumed the position of rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile on Tuesday, July 26. Vásquez is a professor of History and Geography at the PUCV, a tenured professor at the Institute of History of the same institution, and holds a doctorate in History Didactics from the University of Barcelona, Spain. He served as academic vice-rector of the PUCV until July 2022.
*Photographs: CRUCH – UPLA Communications
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