Students from the Patagonian University Institute of the Arts (IUPA) reported difficulties due to building problems that are directly impacting classes. Carolina Méndez, a representative of the Unesa student group, explained that a body of Visual Arts delegates denounced the precarious conditions in which students must pursue their studies due to the lack of their own building and the saturation of available classrooms. Based on the claim, Andres Ferravante – president of the Italia Unida Association – denied the accusations and confirmed that the students will not continue classes in that building due to the club’s decision.
Controversy in Roca over complaints from IUPA students: what they said about the building problems
«We at the IUPA have been having problems for several years that We do not enter the central headquarters, so we are resorting to taking courses in other locations such as the Roca museum, the Italia Unida club and the Iupita, as well as in the teacher training studio«, explained Méndez.
These alternative venues, however, are not equipped for academic activity. «The museum is rained, it is not acoustic. “In the Italia Unida space there is no heating and the bathrooms are without water,” he added.
Visual Arts students, in particular, face extremely difficult conditions. «For the painting subject, water is essential, and the students are filling a bucket from a tap so they can go to the bathroom. They are not suitable conditions«, denounced Méndez.
According to the student, this situation led the students and teachers to raise complaint notes and organize public classes to make the problem visible.
Last week, students held public classes in the hallways of IUPA, where they exhibited their work and demanded better course conditions. Protest It included collecting signatures and placing posters to demand a response from the authorities.
The lack of budget not only affects infrastructure but also essential resources for learning. «We cannot solve the lack of heating, the lack of lecterns. Teachers have low salaries, scholarships are not being paid and are 10 thousand pesos. It is becoming very complicated to study, they are pushed out of the classrooms within the framework of a national government that discredits public education,” emphasized the student leader.
The situation reached such a point that last week the Popular Music classes that took place at the Museum and at Italia Unida were suspended due to the lack of adequate conditions. «There is no response or containment being given in this context, at this very key moment for the students at the end of the semester. What to do to have classes, to be able to attend?«Mendez asked himself.
The impact of the public classes and protests led to the space provided at the Italia Unida Club being closed this Monday. «“We are going to move our activities to the IUPA headquarters,” Méndez clarified, highlighting the need to continue with protest and visibility activities to achieve a solution to the problems they face.
“Today there is this activity, which is a way to make visible, continue gathering signatures and endorsements, and also denounce it in the national framework, which is the lack of budget for education”Méndez closed.
Controversy in Roca due to claims by IUPA students: “This activity does not return to Italia Unida again,” said Ferravante
The president of the United Italy Association, Andrés Ferravante, denied accusations by IUPA students about the conditions of the clubhouse and confirmed the suspension of activities of Visual Arts.
Ferravante clarified the situation in an interview, denying the observations on the poor building conditions and reported the initial recommendations on the use of the spaces.
He explained that the agreement between Italia Unida and IUPA lasts four years, and they have never had significant problems before. However, Ferravante said the situation became complicated when a space was requested for the Visual Arts chair that requires the use of “living models.”making a suitable environment necessary to maintain the privacy and comfort of students and models.
Initially, the club offered the Multipurpose Room (SUM), considered the most suitable space due to its availability, heating and privacy. Nevertheless, The president of the association assured that those responsible for the chair and the students preferred a first floor, despite warnings about its unsuitability for activity, especially during the cold months.
“They accepted the first floor because of the greater privacy it offered for sessions with live models, but as soon as the cold weather arrived, the complaints began,” commented Ferravante. “We proposed relocating them to the SUM, but they refused, claiming that moving the equipment would be complicated.”
Given the continuity of complaints, IUPA authorities They agreed to install an additional heater on the first floor, to which Italia Unida agreed after obtaining the necessary permission from the adjoining neighbor for the heater to exit.
However, Ferravante was surprisedl found publications on social networks that denounced the conditions of the space, using the name of United Italy and describing problems that he claims do not exist.
«Italia Unida is fully enabled for any type of activity, with all insurance up to date and no complaints from the more than 1,500 people who pass through our facilities. “These publications were a surprise and a fallacy that as president I cannot allow,” declared Ferravante.
The club’s reaction was to suspend the Visual Arts chair in its facilities, questioning the veracity of the complaints and suggesting that these “are part of an internal policy within IUPA«. Ferravante emphasized that the rest of IUPA’s activities, such as choir and sports, have not presented problems and that, for the moment, they will continue as established.
He also denied specific complaints about the bathrooms, explaining that they are equipped with “automatic downloads that can be blocked due to misuse, but are easily resolved when informed.”
«This specific activity will not return again. “I want to make it clear that we as an institution have nothing to do with the internal claims of IUPA,” Ferravante stressed. “The space has adequate heating for normal activities, but not for the special requirements of the Visual Arts department.”
The president of Italia Unida invited to verify the conditions of the headquarters, defending the reputation of the institution that “It has served the community in solidarity for 105 years.”
