Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca

The Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca[1] (Spanish: Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca, UABJO) is a public university located in the city of Oaxaca de Juárez in state of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca
MottoCiencia, Arte, Libertad
("Science, Art, Freedom")
TypePublic university
EstablishedJanuary 8, 1827 (1827-01-08)
PresidentRafael Torres Valdez
Location
Oaxaca de Juárez
,
Mexico

17°02′53″N 96°42′44″W
CampusUrban
ColorsBlue & Gold   
Websitewww.uabjo.mx

The University was founded on January 8, 1827 as the Oaxacan Institute for Arts and Sciences. Initially courses were offered in Medicine, Surgery, Civil and Natural Law, Public Law, Canon Law and Ecclesiastical History, Political Economy, Statistics, Geography and Physics, Mathematics, Logic, Ethics, English, and French.[2]

History

In December 1943, governor Major General Vicente Gonzalez Fernandez decreed that the Institute of Arts and Sciences would be granted autonomy. Then on January 18, 1955 General Manuel Cabrera Carrasquedo enacted a law elevating the Institute to University status. The school then became known as Universidad Autónoma "Benito Juárez" de Oaxaca. The university was named in honor of the full-blooded indigenous national to become president of Mexico, Oaxacan native Benito Juárez (March 21, 1806 – July 18, 1872).[2]

2006 Oaxaca protests
The school of Veterinary & Zoological Medicine on the main campus of UABJO.
Panoramic photo of the Centro Cultural Universitario & Rectoria on the main campus of UABJO.
The UABJO School of Languages campus, located near downtown.
Main article: 2006 Oaxaca protests

In May 2006, a teachers' strike began in the Zócalo in the Mexican city of Oaxaca, Oaxaca. 2006 was the 25th consecutive year that Oaxaca's teachers have struck. Previously, the protests had generally lasted for one to two weeks and had resulted in small raises for teachers. The 2006 strike began in protest of the low funding for teachers and rural schools in the state, but was prompted to additionally call for the resignation of the state governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz after 3000 police were sent to break up the occupation in the early morning of June 14, 2006. A street battle lasted for several hours that day, resulting in more than one hundred hospitalizations but no fatalities. Ortiz declared that he would not resign.

On November 2, 2006, Federal Preventative Police advanced on the University, occupied by students and displaced protesters from the Zocalo. Since the University is autonomous, the police are forbidden from entering the grounds, unless invited by the Rector.[3]

Thousands of protesters arrived in the following hours, surrounding the police and eventually forcing them to withdraw from the area surrounding the university. The Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca had received permission by the university rector to broadcast their messages through the university radio, which they used to criticise political parties, the Institutional Revolutionary Party specifically. Opinions against the APPO were quickly taken off the air [4]

After criticism by the private sector, political organizations and the press (specifically Grupo Formula's news anchor Denise Maerker) for his remarks towards the APPO the rector declared that he had requested respect for the rights of students and faculty [5] and that an operational attempt by the Federal Police would not provide a solution to the issue [6]

Current status

Through an agreement with the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) the CEC (Center for Continuing Education) was established, that allows the university to offer additional baccalaureate degrees in conjunction with UNAM.

In 2001, the UABJO's School of Languages initiated a study abroad exchange program with the College of the Mainland, in Texas City, Texas, United States. This has led to increased exposure for the university as well as helped to further the mission of university's School of Languages.[7][8]

Noted alumni

Several prominent figures in the political life of Mexico have been alumni of UABJO and its predecessor, the Oaxacan Arts and Science Institute:

Presidents of Mexico[2]

References
  1. "THE “BENITO JUAREZ” AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY OF OAXACA Archived July 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." Benito Juárez Autonomous University of Oaxaca. Retrieved on March 6, 2011.
  2. "Facultad de Idiomas de la Universidad Autónoma "Benito Juárez" de Oaxaca". Archived from the original on 2008-08-05. Retrieved 2011-03-06.
  3. Staff (2006-11-03). "More violence in Oaxaca protest". BBC News. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  4. Morales, Alberto (2006-11-09). "Radio Universidad, voz estratégica de APPO". El Universal (Mexico City) (in Spanish). Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  5. LUIS IGNACIO VELÁSQUEZ (2006-11-08). "Exige rector de la UABJO a Segob se respeten garantías individuales". Noticias de Oaxaca (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  6. Staff (2006-11-08). "Busca el rector de la UABJO reestablecer actividades en Ciudad Universitaria". Olor a Mi Tierra (in Spanish). Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  7. Bernard, Lori (2004-03-18). "COM to enter exchange agreement". Texas City Sun. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  8. Collette, Mark (2008-04-18). "COM extends international agreement". Galveston County Daily News. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
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