The bad conditions of some buildings at Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Through the years you may have heard about a lot of problems at Universidad Nacional de
Colombia. However, really have these problems been explained or investigated in order to
look for real reasons that create them? For ourselves, the easiest is to find it guilty ofand
wait for actions to solve. However, if we are more thorough in our investigation we will realize
the culprit is not a person but money.
Historically the budget has been a problem which never disappears, even now when we
have an alternative president. As a result, many buildings and study spaces are in poor
condition, although not all buildings. While some faculties show more problems, there are
faculties with great spaces and buildings despite being part of the same university. Is it a
budget problem? A bad distribution of the money? Preferences over only some faculties?
Firstable, the huge problem is that the budget does not go to the necessary places. For
example, around 2015 and 2016 part of the budget went to the new parking lot for about 50
cars in front of the Medicine Faculty, which is the only one that has quality and expensive
materials in the whole campus. Therefore, the old parking lot was functional and we can see
everyday unrealistic waste of the budget. As a result, we can ask ourselves, Why does the
University not use this money to fix some basic damages in other Faculties?
Indeed, the issue about the wrong distribution of the budget from the state by the university
has led the majority of the faculties to look for resources for themselves to be able to give
classes. Also, looking for tools for the students and upgrading the buildings and classrooms.
Subsequently, this problem results in the faculties becoming more dependent to gain money
for themselves. However, all faculties do not have enough capacity to acquire those
resources, as well Human Science or Arts to compare Engineering or Medicine, they are
being affected at the moment that these departments want to invest in worthy space and
tools for the students.
As a result, inequitable distribution produces negative social effects for the culture and
personal development of human beings. Due to the Colombian context of poverty, the most
desired careers will be the most profitable ones. This leaves aside important aspects for
personal development such as literature, arts and humanities. For example, the art of
filmmaking needs to find more effective methods of financing than merely festivals, in which
it is more important to enjoy the festivity than to generate opportunities for expression. In
addition, policies benefit events such as carnivals to show off their cultural contributions.
Subsequently, investing in infrastructure in faculties that are not economically profitable is
not very attractive for entities that have the potential to do so.
All in all, the wrong distribution of resources by the university, as in unnecessary expenses,
means that different faculties do not have enough money to invest in topics that are really
necessary, such as the adequacy of study spaces. Hence, they must seek external
resources to have the capacity to invest in infrastructure, classrooms, equipment and other
supplies that make the study conditions of the university community worthy. However,
generating these resources is not as easy for all faculties because external entities are not
as interested in investing in the arts as in engineering.