Two teachers from Medicine School of Medical Sciences Campus (RCM) presented today, Wednesday, their resignation from their respective positions of trust for understanding that the rector Ilka Ríos “hindered” the evaluation processes of the educational institution to favor a student at the request of his parents.
The teachers who resigned are the doctor Hilton Franqui, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the School of Medicine; and the doctor Joalex AntongiorgiAssociate Dean for Student Affairs.
“I do not make this decision lightly, as I truly enjoy working closely with our students, as well as promoting the continuous improvement of our School of Medicine and compliance with the LCME accreditation requirements. Nevertheless, It is precisely my unwavering commitment to the students, to maintaining the prestige of the School of Medicine and to fully complying with the accreditation standards that leads me to make this decision.”, Franqui expressed in his resignation letter.
The professor explained that he participated yesterday, Tuesday, in a meeting in which he reported being “in total disagreement in the way in which Dr. Ríos has completely ignored and even hindered the evaluation processes of the School to favor a particular student, completely overriding the regulations of our School and ignoring the appeal process of adverse decisions of the university”.
The resignation letters addressed to the interim dean of the School of Medicine, Ivonne Z. Jiménez Velázquez, were delivered this afternoon.
The professors denounced the effects that this type of academic irregularity can have on the visit of the Middle States Commission on Higher Educationscheduled for September 2022.
Since March, the accrediting agency issued a warning to the RCM administration for the possibility that its accreditation is at risk due to alleged non-compliance with the institution’s standards.
Franqui reiterated that the rector “had to defend the interests of the institution, which include ensuring compliance with internal regulations and the requirements of accrediting agencies”. He stressed that the alleged preferential treatment of the rectory violates the regulations of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
Similarly, Dr. Antongiorgi expressed his displeasure at the “atypical” handling that was given to the student from the School of Medicine, who is not identified in either of the two documents.
“In light of recent events, I have expressed my strong disagreement with the manner in which a particular student’s situation was handled. As I have mentioned, my recommendations have always been with the well-being of the student and the Medical School in mind.”, declared Antongiorgi in his respective letter of resignation.
“As a member of the School’s faculty, it is impossible for me not to join the demands of my colleagues, who with such care and dedication are the ones who make the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine graduate doctors of excellence. The aforementioned actions are an outrage against the faculty and I am not willing to be an accomplice in it.Franchi said.
In addition, Franqui explained that “this type of preferential treatment” exposes the institution to litigation processes by other students.
The two professors who resigned from positions of trust were appointed to their positions in the deanships during the leadership of the former interim dean of the Humberto Guiot School of Medicine, who took office last year after the scandal that arose in the campus when announced that he had lost accreditation for the Neurosurgery training program.
The faculty of the School of Medicine has requested an emergency meeting with the interim dean of the School of Medicine, Ivonne Jiménez, to discuss the situation, this newspaper learned.
“This is a major offense. All admissions and promotion processes on campus must be free from political influences,” commented a physician from the School of Medicine who asked not to be identified.
At the close of this edition, the rector Ríos had not reacted to the complaints made by the professors of the RCM.
A source from this newspaper recalled that this is not the first time that directors of Medical Sciences have tried to put the “interests of a party” before the criteria of the institution. In the past, other officials have tried to get students admitted to the campus without meeting all the admission criteria.
He also shared that the current rector Ríos was part of the team of former rector Rafael Rodríguez Mercado when the former governor was given a teaching position. Ricardo Rossello Nevares.
“I do not rule out taking additional actions”
Subsequently, the president of the UPR, Luis A. Ferraosaid that he had been aware of the allegations since last Friday and that, in order to “safeguard purity and transparency”, he asked the Central Administration Legal Affairs Office to appoint an investigating officer to proceed with an investigation.
“However, in view of the seriousness of the allegations that have come out publicly, in which irregular actions are awarded directly to the rector, Dr. Ilka Ríos, I do not rule out taking additional actions”stated in written statements.
The examiner must submit a report with the findings, indications and recommendations within a term of 20 days. Ferrao did not indicate the date on which the term began.
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Journalist Keila López Alicea collaborated on this story.