Draft bill 308.

Summary.

The draft bill establishes weighted voting for the election of rectors and other elected authorities of Panama’s public universities. Its system is based on university democracy, representation, equal voting within each constituency, transparency, and rotation in the exercise of power. Faculty, students, and administrative staff would participate. It would apply to the University of Panama, the Technological University of Panama, the Autonomous University of Chiriquí, the Specialized University of the Americas (Universidad Especializada de las Américas), the International Maritime University of Panama (Universidad Marítima Internacional de Panamá), the Autonomous University of Indigenous Peoples (Universidad Autónoma de los Pueblos Indígenas), and any public universities established later.

To determine election results, Article 5 assigns 40% to faculty, 10% to administrative staff, and 50% to students, according to legally recognized electoral rolls. University voting would be governed by universality, equality, freedom, secrecy, transparency, democratic participation, and fairness, with verifiable voting conditions for each constituency.

Article 7 amends Article 65 of Law 24 of July 14, 2005, to weight elections for Rector, Deans, Vice Deans, and Directors and Deputy Directors of Regional Centers at the University of Panama. It covers academic staff with at least 3 years of service, regular students, and administrative staff with at least 5 years of service. It defines regular students as those enrolled in a degree program or completing graduation work within the prescribed periods who meet admission and continued enrollment requirements.

Article 8 announces an amendment to Article 9 of Law 17 of 1984, concerning the Technological University of Panama. Article 9 sets out voting weights for professors and researchers based on their appointment status, length of service, and teaching duties; it also covers students and administrative staff. Researchers who do not teach would vote as administrative staff, and researcher status would depend on having obtained the position through a competitive selection process. The same article includes an amendment to Article 35 of Law 4 of January 16, 2006, concerning the election of the Rector of the Autonomous University of Chiriquí. It regulates voters’ length of service and continued eligibility, the election calendar, weighting among constituencies, ballot boxes at the main campus and extension campuses, and regular student status.

Universities whose organic laws do not specify percentages must adjust their organic statutes and electoral regulations. All public universities would have no more than 12 months from promulgation to bring them into line. The proposed provisions would prevail over conflicting statutory, regulatory, or administrative rules on voting weights and would take effect upon promulgation; Article 15 repeals conflicting provisions. The indicative article also mentions Law 24 of July 14, 2005; Law 57 of 1996; Law 17 of October 9, 1984; and regulations derived from Law 81 of November 8, 2012. The content is relevant to the named universities, their electoral bodies, and faculty, student, and administrative constituencies.