Candidate Enrique Herrero Criticizes the "Imposed" Schedule for UA Rector Elections

The candidate for rector of the University of Alicante, Enrique Herrero, has criticized the scheduled election dates that passed this Thursday by the Governing Council of the academic institution. The document considers "only" six days for the electoral campaign.

According to the electoral schedule, the campaign would start on November 19 and end on the 26th, thus having six working days, something "absolutely unprecedented in elections at the University of Alicante," Herrero indicated.

The same document states that the deadline for submitting candidacies would be between October 31 and November 7, and the proclamation of candidacies is scheduled for November 18. The voting, which will be conducted electronically, is set for November 27 and 28.

The Chemistry professor asserts in a statement that he is "surprised" by this "unusual" decision that "has no other justification than to reduce opportunities for plurality and debate." "The electoral schedule imposed by Navarro is a disrespect towards the university community," he emphasized.

The electoral schedule that Amparo Navarro has imposed and her Governing Council has endorsed can only be understood as absolute disdain for democracy, dialogue, and debate, which should be the pillars of any electoral contest."

According to Herrero, "the University of Alicante has many open fronts, often due to inaction and poor management by the current administration team. This decision obstructs the possibility of establishing dialogue and debating all issues affecting PDI, PTGAS, and students given this limited time frame they have agreed upon."

In the same vein, the UA professor stated that "Navarro has created an electoral schedule tailored to her needs in which debate and dialogue inherent to elections that will decide the future of the University of Alicante for the next six years are disregarded."

He also emphasized that "it is evident that they intend to limit as much as possible the opportunity to meet with different groups within the university community to present our future project for the University of Alicante and highlight many unfulfilled electoral promises made by Navarro during these four years she has managed towards faculty, research staff, technical staff, administration and services personnel, and students."