The government has to decide whether it is to continue the liberal admission policy whereby all students requesting admission to the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, that fill minimum requirements of a high school degree, are admitted. Some 23,000 new students sought admission to the university this term, but the university says it does not have physical space to accommodate all. The admission of 23,000 would bring total registration at the state university to over 100,000 students. Dominicans pay practically nothing to study at the state university. Rector Edylberto Cabral sent a letter to the Minister of Education requesting the use of classrooms not used at night at some lyceums. He said if the university decides to admit all the students another alternative would be to offer classes on Saturdays and Sundays. The UASD has requested funds for the construction of a 73-room classroom building, but this has not been approved by the government. He explained that 70% of the classes at the UASD already are attended by more than 60 students, and that there are some where 300 students attend. He said that the government has to address the issue as the improvement in primary and secondary education fostered by the present government will logically bring an increase in demand for university level education. The UASD authorities are divided among applying selective admission or continuing the present policy. Most of the millionaire budget the government assigns to the UASD is used to pay salaries of administrative staff and professors, many of whom request long periods to dedicate to "research" and continue to receive their full pay, regardless of whether they produce any research. The UASD offers mostly traditional careers, such as medicine, engineering and law not having been able to convert yet to offer shorter careers in technical fields. Nevertheless, the UASD is under the influence of major political groups, thus the decision is not an easy one.
