The state university authorities announced they have expelled 20 of the 70 students that have occupied the state university in alleged protest for the increase in the cost of the summer course credits from RD$15 to RD$40. Rector Miguel Rosado says that the university is in the process of identifying the other students in order to expel these also. Rector Rosado said that behind the protest are business motivations. He said that some of the protestors have been affected by the university authorities’ decision to rid the university of the many makeshift stores and service vendors that dot the campus grounds and even operate inside the different schools. The eviction of these was set for Saturday, 15 July. Most students favor the increase in the cost of the credits. The university authorities have usually passed on cost increases to the government, but this time the government said it did not have the funds. Thus the university chose to finance its higher costs passing this on to the students. El Caribe newspaper reports that the UASD has an enrollment of 110,353 students and expects an additional 10,000 students to register for the next regular term. The university maintains an open doors policy, with little restrictions regarding admissions. As a result, the quality of education at the UASD has been declining. The government assigns RD$10,841 per student attending the public university. In 1970, the UASD charged RD$1.50, which in terms of today’s pesos would be RD$80 per credit. Thus, the RD$40 credit now being levied for the summer cost is actually 50% less than what was charged 30 years ago. A recent study carried out by the National Council for Superior Education reveals that the educational system would be better off if the government authorized that this money be granted to the students individually in the form of grants or scholarships to be used in the university of their choice.
