“UAB is complicated in terms of mobility”

14/11/2018

What are your proposals as candidates?
 
Lucía: We have some generic proposals, for all faculties, which would involve a 30% discount on university fees, the 3+2 issue -which has been applied in many faculties so far-, the timetable amendment which has affected many students because of familiar, academic and work reasons and also encourage creating a feminist syllabus in which women have more presence. We analyzed the bibliography on the Law and History syllabi and realized that there was only one woman in the first two years. We believe this has to chance and we want to stimulate creating a syllabus not only feminized but also feminist and assure gender mainstreaming. We also have more specific proposals for each faculty.
 
Jordi: We aim for students to be able to choose between an annual evaluation or the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation, because every person has a different reality. We want to propose more libraries to be open during the weekend because only the Social Sciences one is open and it is always overcrowded during exam period. We also want to point out that there are very few recycling stations in faculties and there should be more. In fact, some classrooms don’t even have bins. Moreover, we also want payment fees to have the option to be paid in more terms than just three to facilitate and guarantee access to university. Installment payments and individual CCE method are not impossible because there are some universities already offering them, such as the Universitat de Barcelona. We only need to get down to work.
 
What model of university do you suggest?
 
Jordi: a public, high-quality university.
 
Lucía: feminist, ecologist…
 
Jordi: against racism and LGTBI-phobia, social and inclusive…
 
Lucía: A university that takes into consideration the fact that a person’s social class influences their access to university. A university that takes into consideration the students that work and the ones who don’t, and the ones who have more difficulties to enter university because of familiar or economic reasons. After all, higher education is a right, just like compulsory education is, and many people can’t access because they don’t have enough money to pay fees or materials, and that’s not fair. A friend of mine had to quit university last year because she didn’t have money to study. I think something like this cannot be permitted in a country that claims to be inclusive.
 
Jordi: When we talk about access we don’t only mean payment issues but also people with functional diversity that find many obstacles to study. There are inclusive facilities, but not enough. It is very difficult for a person in a wheelchair to go to the Facultat de Lletres. How can they pass through that slope? UAB is complicated in terms of mobility.
 
Lucía: Transportation is also complicated for those who come from other towns, like Mollet. Mollet is very close to UAB, but it is very difficult to get there in public transport because trains only run every 60 minutes. It is necessary to talk about the people who come from elsewhere such as Barcelona, Terrassa, Mollet, etc. UAB has now become a “primera zona”, but the Vallès Oriental and Terrassa are still “segona zona”. FGC trains work very well, but RENFE trains have big shortages. Trains running once an hour are not enough for the demand that the Vallès Oriental can have to get to UAB.
 
Jordi: We cannot do much regarding this issue because it is the Generalitat’s duty, but if we get to represent the Senate we want to incite UAB to ask the Mobility Department at the Govern de la Generalitat to improve it. There are several organizations that want a T-Estudiant travel card and request popular prices for students. Students from Terrassa pay a total of 200€ every three months to get to UAB.
 
Lucía: 1600€ minimum for university fees, plus 200€ for transportation…
 
Jordi: I had to quit my job because I couldn’t combine my university schedule with work. In my family we got to pay the bachelor with scholarships and efforts, but there are people who can’t.
 
Lucía: We also request to balance the prices of master studies and bachelor degrees. You have to study a master’s degree mandatorily, because having only a bachelor is equal to having nothing. You have to study a master’s and its price being duplicated is expulsing students who cannot afford it.