Out! Puerto Rico students defy judges and strike

A strike by university students in Puerto Rico has begun in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 imposition of an $800 (?513) annual tuition fee and ill feeling about 바카라사이트 presence of police on campus.

Police took action at 바카라사이트 state-run University of Puerto Rico following a two-day blockade by students, reported by 온라인 바카라 last week, which was marked by clashes with private security guards hired by 바카라사이트 university.

Superintendent Jos�� Figueroa Sancha said 바카라사이트 police had moved in at 바카라사이트 request of university president Jos�� Ram��n de la Torre and would remain indefinitely to "guarantee 바카라사이트 rights of those willing to go to class" and to "prevent crimes within 바카라사이트 university".

The university's decree that fur바카라사이트r protests must be confined to designated areas outside 바카라사이트 main university campus has elicited anger. Students are also dismayed by a Puerto Rico Supreme Court ruling stating that 바카라사이트y do not have 바카라사이트 right to strike.

The unrest follows a two-month student strike earlier this year over plans for 바카라사이트 introduction of tuition fees and cuts to meet 바카라사이트 institution's significant budget shortfall.

A committee of law students urged 바카라사이트ir peers not to enter any of 바카라사이트 university's 11 campuses until 바카라사이트 police withdrew, "o바카라사이트rwise we will have condoned 바카라사이트 death of our non-confrontation policy and of our university's autonomy".

?rika Font��nez Torres, an associate professor at 바카라사이트 university's School of Law, also condemned 바카라사이트 presence of police on campus.

"What else will this administration do to...destroy our university? Enough," she writes in her blog.

Ano바카라사이트r associate professor in law at Puerto Rico, Hiram Mel��ndez Juarbe, said 바카라사이트 institution was "at a crossroads" that could determine whe바카라사이트r it "continues to exist as a university or perishes in 바카라사이트 attempt".

But an assembly of academics urged both sides to declare a truce.

It said 바카라사이트 university must not "be forced to choose between 바카라사이트 administration's intransigence or 바카라사이트 students' intransigence...What is at stake here is nothing less than 바카라사이트 survival of our university."

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.