Girardot maintains university stamp

By: Alejandro García Suárez – Advisory Office of Communications

A key meeting took place at the Fusagasugá campus of the University of Cundinamarca between Rector Adriano Muñoz Barrera, the Mayor of Girardot, Salomón Said Arias, city council members, and members of the university's senior management. There, the mayor announced that the Pro-University Development stamp program would remain in effect, leaving the final decision regarding its continuation to a judge.

Said Arias explained that the municipal administration will accept the proposal presented by the university rector to have the courts determine how these funds are managed. He also indicated that he will seek to work with the Cundinamarca department to extend the funding to all 116 municipalities, promoting a more equitable system. “It’s only fair that we all contribute so that this can grow, not just a few,” he stated.

For her part, the University's legal director, Dr. Laura Ortiz Becerra, explained that Municipal Agreement 013 of 2011, which mandates the collection of the stamp tax, remains in effect and retains a presumption of legality. She noted that Law 1230 of 2008 granted clear powers to local governments to guarantee this revenue collection and that eliminating it would be a step backward in the face of the fundamental right to education. "These 14 years of revenue have supported infrastructure and key projects for institutional development," she stated.

The director of the Girardot branch, Miguel Ángel Ávila Díaz, assured that the legal analysis allowed for the clarification of essential points of the Revenue Statute, paving the way for the councilors to verify that the rule that supports the stamp is not repealed.

For his part, the councilor who presented the project, Vladimir Matulevich, stated that the decision directly benefits students and stressed that it is also necessary to move towards a final judicial concept that provides legal certainty.

In turn, Luis Miguel Castañeda Galindo, coordinator of Environmental Engineering, highlighted that the stamp allows for strengthening research and institutional growth.

Meanwhile, student Laura Márquez, representative to the Academic Council, highlighted that the dialogue allowed progress in agreements that guarantee essential resources for academic and infrastructure projects.

Likewise, Cristian Yair León, the outgoing student representative, concluded that this decision provides peace of mind and reaffirms the commitment to the academic development of the region.

The day consolidated a common message: the stamp is a vital tool for the educational future of Girardot and the strengthening of the University of Cundinamarca.

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