Summary.
The bill establishes a rule for the election and appointment of officials at Panama’s public universities. Rectors, faculty deans and vice deans, and directors and deputy directors of regional centers would serve for the term set by the applicable law or organic statutes. After the term for which they were elected, they would be barred from standing for election or being appointed during the next two terms. The restriction would also reach university officials holding office, whether elected or appointed, when the proposed law takes effect.
The bill amends Article 35 of Law No. 17 of October 9, 1984 (Ley No. 17 de 9 de octubre de 1984). The proposed provision sets a five (5) year term for the rector and for deans, vice deans, and directors of regional technological institutes and regional centers, with no reelection during the following two terms. It also provides for the rector to appoint the vice rectors and secretary, subject to ratification by the General University Council (Consejo General Universitario), for five (5) years. Directors of research institutes and centers would be selected through a competitive process for five (5) years, while department heads would be appointed by the dean and ratified by the Faculty Board.
The amendment to Article 10 of Law No. 40 of November 18, 1997 (Ley No. 40 de 18 de noviembre de 1997) retains the term established in the organic statute for the rector’s election and bars reelection during the next two terms. The amendment to Article 34 of Law No. 24 of July 14, 2005 (Ley 24 de 14 de julio de 2005) provides that university officials elected under that law would serve five years, subject to the same reelection restriction.
The bill also amends Article 36 of Law No. 4 of January 16, 2006 (Ley No. 4 de 16 de enero de 2006). It sets a five year term for the rector, without reelection during the following two terms, and provides five year terms for deans, vice deans, and directors and deputy directors of regional centers, elected under the procedure applicable to the rector. The amendment to Article 26 of Law No. 81 of November 8, 2012 (Ley No. 81 de 8 de noviembre de 2012) restricts reelection of university officials and leaves the appointment of the other officials identified in its Article 7 to the organic statute. The text also proposes to amend Article 12 of Law No. 288 of March 10, 2022 (Ley No. 288 de 10 de marzo de 2022) to establish a single five year term and the restriction for the following two terms.
The bill identifies the provisions it amends and states that the proposed law would take effect upon promulgation. Its subject matter concerns the General University Council and faculty boards and could interest or affect public universities, their officials, candidates for those posts, and university communities.
What it proposes.
- Terms of office for university officials.
- Restrictions on candidacy, appointment, and reelection for subsequent terms.
- Election, appointment, and ratification of university posts.
Who it would affect.
- Rectors of public universities.
- Deans, vice deans, and regional center officials.
- Other university officials covered by the amended statutes.
- Candidates for posts subject to the restriction.
Key points.
- Rectors, deans, vice deans, and regional center officials would be barred from standing for election or being appointed during the next two terms; the rule would also reach those holding the posts when the proposed law takes effect.Art. 1
- Law No. 17 of October 9, 1984 would set five (5) year terms and restrict reelection of the rector and other elected officials; it would also govern appointments, ratifications, competitive selection, and designation of other posts.Art. 2
- The rector’s election under Law No. 40 of November 18, 1997 would retain the term set by the organic statute, with no reelection during the next two terms.Art. 3
- Officials elected under Law No. 24 of July 14, 2005 would serve five years, with no reelection during the next two terms.Art. 4
- Law No. 4 of January 16, 2006 would set five year terms for the rector and the specified regional center officials and restrict the rector’s reelection.Art. 5
- The amendment to Law No. 81 of November 8, 2012 would restrict reelection of university officials and leave the appointment of other officials to the organic statute.Art. 6
- The bill includes an amendment to Article 12 of Law No. 288 of March 10, 2022 establishing a single five year term and a reelection restriction for the following two terms.Art. 8
- The proposed law would take effect upon its promulgation.Art. 9