Puerto Rico You lovely island
Island of tropical breezes
Always the pineapples growing
Always the coffee blossoms blowing
And no law school going.
According to tipsters, Puerto Rico School of Law is being shut down:
The University of Puerto Rico School of Law has been unexpectedly shut down for a week. Law students protested today (Tuesday) in streets during rush hour.
It’s hardly surprising if there are student protests. They have no place else to go. Our tipster reports:
The law school’s closure is not the only one. The president of the University of Puerto Rico has placed the entire system, except for its affiliated hospitals, on academic and administrative recess for a week in an effort to cut costs. This includes dormitories; students were ordered to vacate their dormitory rooms. The timing of the announcement came as a surprise, as students had expected that a vote by the student assembly set for today (Tuesday) would determine whether the school would be put on recess.
We’ve heard of workers being forced to take a furlough because of the recession, but not an entire university system.
Then again, maybe they don’t even need law school in Puerto Rico anymore.
More details after the jump.
Another tipster reports that the Puerto Rican government is no longer requiring lawyers to obtain bar membership. Sorry, I just have the Spanish version of the story, but luckily we do have bilingual tipsters. One offers this translation of the key points:
Last night, the governor [of Puerto Rico] Luis Fortuno signed the act which releases lawyers from compulsory affiliation, arguing that he did not feel represented by the State Bar.
“I felt obligated to pay dues that would end up promoting ideas with which I did not support”, stated the governor in an interview with Univision News….
The governor said that the State Bar will now have to offer an excellent service with new alternatives to convince lawyers to join the group [State bar]. He cited as examples the activities he receives from the American Bar Association, which he said, motivate him to belong to the institution voluntarily.
Our source notes that just because Puerto Rican lawyers no longer have to be members of the State Bar, they still have to pay dues:
Lawyers in PR can now choose to affiliate with the State Bar or simply pay their dues to the Supreme Court for pro bono work.
Hmm … maybe Puerto Rican lawyers can pay their dues to the Puerto Rico School of Law, so it can stay open. Two birds with one stone?
If that doesn’t work, law students at Puerto Rico are trying to keep the school open as best they can:
Two third-year law students have sought a preliminary injunction compelling the university to reopen by the end of the week.
If they are filing to reopen the school, it sounds like they don’t trust that the school is only going to be closed for a week.
We know we have a lot of Puerto Rican readers. Let us know what is happening on the ground.
Earlier: Westlaw Printer Access Restored for Puerto Rico!
Protesting, or wilding?
Firsty
Firsty
damnit…i suck
2+3
Westlaw must be behind this
PE,
Are you going to demand that Arlen Specter refunds your campaign contribution now that he has switched parties?
Wait – someone belongs to the ABA voluntarily??? Talk about a waste of money…
ABA? AALS? IALS? ALDA? SALT? AALL?
this is what’s happening:
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/10/13/puerto-rico-ready-for-the-national-strike/
Instead of protesting on the streets like hooligans, these “gusanos” should be picking coconuts, carting around a block of ice and selling those coco ice cones. Every time I visit Puerto Rico I can count on two things: “gusanos” playing dominoes on the corner and “gusanos” sporting wife-beater shirts.
As for the Specter question, I never contributed any money to that two-faced defector as I have no interest for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or its impoverished populace. I am sure the voters will retire Specter when he runs again.
Why are Puerto Rican Jews so nervous and sweaty all the time?
The airbrushed PR logo accompanying this story is racist.
if the UPR students paid their tuition with the expectation that a week of classes would not be canceled in the middle of the semester… i’m pretty sure there’s a legal theory that may allow them to recoup some of (or all?) of their tuition money if a finder of fact determines that their reliance was reasonable. help anyone?
The University of Puerto Rico is not shut down because of lack of funds, the UPR is shut down because the country is going on strike tomorrow Thursday.
The Governor has decided to fire around 24,000 state employees, among other measures, to close a 3.2 billion alleged deficit in the State budget. In response to this, labor unions, opposition parties and many social group have called for a one day national strike on Thursday Oct. 15. Historically, the UPR has been a hotbed of social activity and a rallying point for social movement like tomorrow’s strike. Student assemblies were scheduled in all 11 campuses for Tuesday, where the students were expected to vote to join in the strike. To prevent this, the University President decided to shut down all units of the system for the whole week for “security” reasons.
The law students have filed for an injunction against the University (oral arguments are happening right now) deeming the act as censorship and requesting all campuses to be open.
How have we gotten this far and no one has asked whether Puerto Rico School of Law is accredited by the ABA?
Wow… the fork story and Puerto Rico Law!
Slow news day…
About the state bar: it’s all politics. The State Bar (Colegio de Abogados) has supported the social movement in the island, and was advising students and unions in their protests blocking streets, shutting down government agencies, etc.
The State Legislature and the Governor, who is a lawyer, decided to hurt the bar financially eliminating the mandatory enrollment for all lawyers. It is expected that some lawyers affiliated with the ruling party will stop sending their annual dues come February 2010.
This talk of puerto rico and a deficit in the “state budget” is humorous. you are not a state. you are merely in a state of denial. The US will keep you around as a non state entity until such time as the rise in sea level that accompanies our burning of fossil fuels swallows you whole. But you will never be equal. You will never be a state. You will simply exist until such time as you go the way of Noah. Drop out of school and begin the construction of your boat.
Duh, they still need law school down there. Just because they’re eliminating mandatory bar membership doesn’t mean they’ve eliminated the bar exam. Same as NY.
Yes the University of PUerto Rico law school is accredited. And no, the University has not been closed because of lack of funds, it has been closed because of the strike happening tomorrow (as pointed out by someone). The only reason this students want the school to open, is so they can be the ones to close it.
Puerto Rico sucks.
what a cluster. this would never happen in Texas
13
I think it was in a book I read around page 90 or was it section 90? Did you read the same book?
It is closing because of the national strike, not lack of funds.
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/10/13/puerto-rico-ready-for-the-national-strike/
“The Governor has decided to fire around 24,000 state employees, among other measures, to close a 3.2 billion alleged deficit in the State budget.”
I wish this guy was governor of California.
I suggest you get a better translator the next time you decide to post something in a language you do not know. The article expresses things that are simply NOT TRUE. You can contact any student from the University of Puerto Rico Law School to help you translate and get the facts straight, contrary to you they know how to talk and write in both the English and Spanish language.
I hate to admit how the only comments I read on articles are Partner Emeritus’.
Wow, this article is so blatantly WRONG! Get a better translator.
PE using a term like “wife-beater” makes me think he’s not a P at all.
La Universidad de la Escuela de Puerto Rico de la Ley es una escuela de TTT.
So far, this comment thread has been far less racist than I expected it to be.
Does this mean that ATL readers are developing a conscience? Or have they simply gotten lazy? You make the call.
The president of the University of Puerto Rico decided to declare an administrative shut down in response to the strike declare by a sector of Puerto Rico who allege their defending the fired government workers. The last administration hired more than 30,000 workers without having the funds to pay them. For years the culture in Puerto Rico by the political parties was to enlarge the government by giving jobs to all their political contributors, as a way to gain more votes and establish political presence in all government agencies. Said practice has brought Puerto Rico to bankruptcy. Our current governor inherited a 3 billion dollars deficit, because of lack of fiscal responsibility and big governmental spending. Instead of doing more of the same, Governor Fortuno, knowing the political costs, decided to do what is best for Puerto Rico. He presented the unions with several options before the layoffs. First options was to establish four days working weeks, second to cut work hours, the unions emphatically rejected these two. For the third option the government opened a window for early retirement, the unions also rejected early retirement and told the workers not to retire. As a result the Governor had to layoff 17,000 plus workers in order to prevent a government shut down because of lack of funds.
The story behind all of this is that the strike called for Thursday is not for the defense of workers. The truth is that the unions who favor for decades independence for Puerto Rico, have chosen the layoffs as an excuse to their socialist agenda. The fact that they have chosen the biggest shopping mall in the Caribbean to start the march speaks for it self. They have blocked the entrance to banks and commercial offices.
A minority of students declared a strike last week and blocked the entrance to the university, none of the law school students filed any injunctions, and can you guess why?
This is a strike against capitalism, against a Governor that made the difficult but correct decision. The strike will not focus on the Governor, instead it will center in the gold mile of Puerto Rico where many banks and corporations house their headquarters and in the commercial center of the Caribbean. There are rumors that there is influence from Hugo Chavez, I have no credible information, but if true it will not come as a surprise.
What you will see in the news is not the reality for the majority of Puerto Ricans, who favor capitalism and democracy. Part of a democratic government is the right to protest, but not at the expense of the rights of people who want to work, study and do business in Puerto Rico. You will see local newspapers saying that Puerto Rico marched against the governor, that is far form the truth. Governor Fortuno won the election with the biggest margin in history.
Please report the news from all angles. It is true that many people are against the layoffs, but tomorrows strike is not about that at all. Obviously fired employees are angry, that we can understand, but to attack the economy of Puerto Rico will not bring back the Island from economic struggles.
Ironically the same students who voted to close the university in support of the strike, now they file an injunction to open it again, can anyone see what is in reality happening?
The law signed yesterday to eliminate compulsory bar membership to practice as an attorney is all about freedom of association. The Puerto Rico Bar for years used the attorney’s fees to promote and defend ideological agendas. For years their leaders used public funds to enhance the independence movement. So any attorney who did not favored their agenda had to still pay dues to be able to practice as an attorney.
I invite all to study the historical political situation of Puerto Rico first and you will see for yourself why all this is happening. For the past years Puerto Rico has lost millions of professionals to the states. Doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers and others had to flee the island in search of better jobs.
A big number of federal agencies for years have sent their recruiters to the University of Puerto Rico looking for talent. Puerto Rico is a great place with a lot of resources. Don’t be fooled by a minority. The silent majority is a working class.
Partner Emeritus: I have a seven (7) inch “gusano” in my pants waiting for you. After you eat, I promise to give you a coconut ice cone. UPRLS Alum
This blog no law no more, just crap, just gay. David, you getting too gay.
-Mom
“maybe Puerto Rican lawyers can pay their dues to the Puerto Rico School of Law, so it can stay open. Two birds with one stone?”
What the hell are you talking about Elie?? Money for the school is NOT the issue. Please inform yourself before posting stupidities like this.
UPR Law 3L here. The information here is wrong. Neither the Law School nor the state university as a whole is under extreme financial problems. The entire island has broken out in protests over the Republican governor’s Chicago School economics. Mass layoffs of government workers and the possible privatization of university campuses has moved the student body to participate in the protests. The university closed its doors to prevent a general assembly slated for Tuesday (the two students mentioned claim, among other things, that student’s rights and freedom of speech were violated by the administration. As far as our classes go, many professors have chosen to give their classes off-campus or have asked us to hand in assignments via email.
The vast majority of our law students and professors have also been working hard to organize the student protests and ensure no civil rights violations or acts of violence occur. I question the impartiality of this “tipster” and suspect he/she is motivated by political ideologies and/or spite against the law school and the protests.
A tipster told me that despite the budgetary concernos, the law school is still providing free forks. Also, the tipster says he wants to play ‘just the tip’ but I don’t know what that means.
It is highly unethical to publish such false and difamatory statements wihout the corroboration of information by reliable source. Language barriers are a poor excuse to publish a story without having the full extent or a complete scope of the situation.
FYI:
The University of Puerto Rico Law School is only ONE of Four other Law Shools in Puertro Rico.
It has been shut down for a week preventively by the president of the institution in an effort to deter acts of vandalism, violence, among other situations, due to statewide strike that will take place tomorow (thursday), not because of cutting costs.
The bill signed by Governor Fortuno does not eliminate admittance to the state bar. The bill adresses the compulsory payment of dues and membership of Lawyers to the Colegio de Abogados, a sort of union that represent lawyers in Puerto Rico. Admittance to the state bar is administered and directed by the State Supreme Court.
Note to Editor: It is a shame that such trash was even published in your website. Get your facts straight before you embarass yourself and your employer.
Thank you Guest #38!! The ignorance of the writer of this article is obvious. I can only hope he is NOT a lawyer, because the courts do not need ignorant and racist people.
Thank you Guest #38!! The ignorance of the writer of this article is obvious. I can only hope he is NOT a lawyer, because the courts do not need ignorant and racist people.
Thank you Guest #38!! The ignorance of the writer of this article is obvious. I can only hope he is NOT a lawyer, because the courts do not need ignorant and racist people.
^ That’s right. They need wise Latinas like myself!
Aye, yi, yi!
This story is completely wrong. The reason for the shutdown for the University of Puerto Rico system is not economic but rather because in all 9 campuses within the system student assemblies voted to create strikes in consideration of the national strike tomorrow. The President of the UPR then shut down the system in an effort to curtail the strikes. The UPR’s finances are in good shape because they automatically receive a 5% (+/- 2) portion of the state’s budget. Just to provide some perspective while a 3 credit class in an Ivy league would cost around $4000-5000 a three credit class in the UPR would cost $120.
#38: that “sort of union” is called a State Bar Association. You know they have those in the states, right?
Elie, if you don’t know the language don’t try to write a story about something you don’t understand or know anything about. Stick to writting about layoffs and lawyers getting married, which is what you apparently do so well.
WOW, ignorant americans, what a surprise.
WOW, ignorant americans, what a surprise.
33 TE AMO
#44 – Not all State Bar Associations are compulsory. Many (most?) states have a government agency that handles the licensing of attorneys and a separate private organization that handles the other functions that the Colegio de Abogados does. Perhaps attorneys in other states can comment on their organizations, but I doubt the bar associations of the various states are as politicized as the Colegio.
Also, I work in a firm on the Milla de Oro and we are handling things in a manner similar to the firms in Pittsburgh during the G20 meetings. Perhaps one of the brilliant UPR law students can explain to me why the protesters are marching from UPR to Plaza Las Americas (a large mall for those unfamiliar with PR) to protest government layoffs? Wouldn’t it make more sense to protest at the governor’s office and the legislature?
It seems #49 is bitter because he could not get into the UPR and now he calls its students “Brilliant UPR law students”. It is no secret that only the best can get in. Now he is the Milla de Oro’s law firm’s partners slave. Sad!
It seems #49 is bitter because he could not get into the UPR and now he calls its students “Brilliant UPR law students”. It is no secret that only the best can get in. Now he is the Milla de Oro’s law firm’s partners slave. Sad!
“WOW, ignorant americans, what a surprise.”
Who the hell are YOU? If you’re from Puerto Rico, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but:
YOU’RE AN AMERICAN.
49 here – I did go to la Yupi, so I wasn’t trying to insult the students, just be sarcastic about the protesters in general and the UPR law student protesters specifically.
#49, are idiots like you rampant at La Milla de Oro you self important ass? Have you ever heard of a strategic meeting place? No?
Sorry 52, ignorant GRINGOS, is that better?
#52, i can only guess that you are an ignorant American because it’s pretty clear from US Supreme Court jurisprudence (see Insular Cases) that Puerto Rico “belongs to, but is not a part of” the US and that extends to the “grant” of American citizenship to Puerto Ricans.
So basically, as much as it saddens me to say, we Puerto Ricans are not Americans, just merely belong to it.
#52, i can only guess that you are an ignorant American because it’s pretty clear from US Supreme Court jurisprudence (see Insular Cases) that Puerto Rico “belongs to, but is not a part of” the US and that extends to the “grant” of American citizenship to Puerto Ricans.
So basically, as much as it saddens me to say, we Puerto Ricans are not Americans, just merely belong to it.
32 and his “there is influence from Hugo Chavez” is crazy. Obviosuly he is from Fortuño’s party or from the PNP.
56 I agree. Whilst I have U.S. citizenship, I am of Puerto Rican nationality. The two are very different things.
#44 I will only comment on you idiocy because I can only ass-ume you have no knowledge of the spanish language and my descrption of the CAPR as a “sort of union” was in an effort to adress you ignorant folk in simple terms and differenciate this organization from the actual STATE BAR which is administered by the TSPR. I suggest you do some research before commenting on issues you are clearly unfit to comment on. As I wrote to the editor: GET YOUR FACTS STARIGHT.
El señor Elie, anuncia por favor su expediente y las cuentas colegial de LSAT.
So things have gotten even more interesting regarding the UPR students today… As part of an island-wide strike related to cuts in government spending, the students are currently engaged in a sit-in/tire-burning march, blocking a major highway between the law school and the hub of union-organized protesting activity by Plaza las Americas, about 2 blocks from the US District Court.
oh those wacky ricans.
Burning tires on the highway? Ricans are crazy!!!
While I didn’t agree with the decision to close down the university, you guys got the context all wrong.
I’m a 1L at UPR Law. In the first month and a half of class, we had several workers’ strikes that forcibly shut down the campus (read: padlocks and angry socialists barring the gates) over a disputed pay raise. Historically, the UPR’s student government has been dominated by a pro-independence socialist group that attends student assemblies en masse; however, the majority of students don’t subscribe to that ideology. They’ve simply become apathic towards student assemblies because anyone who promotes a non-socialist agenda is ruthlessly jeered and booed offstage. These socialist students organized to lend support to the “National” Strike on October 15th. Mind you, these people are stereotypically a few years late supposedly finishing a B.A. in Arts — they’re not exactly in it to graduate, but rather to live off the government grants (both state and federal) given to students. They don’t give a crap whether classes get canceled for the semester.
To make a long story short, pro-strike resolutions started being passed without any democratic participation from the student body; in response, the Central Administration closed 10 of the 11 campuses for what seemed like a week. In actuality, the 12th was a holiday and the students officially planned to block the gates the 15th, so the recess was actually three days long. There was talk of students shutting down the university on the 14th as well, which technically makes the recess 2 days long.
The academic recess was determined necessary both in preparation for the potentially violent marches scheduled for October 15th (the “National” Strike, which consisted of students and laid-off government employees blocking off the expressway and burning tires) and to take a stand against the improper procedures undertaken by the aforementioned minority student group. The truth is that, while it’s bad to have the administration shut the school down officially, it’s even worse driving to campus at 8 AM rush hour only to find a bunch of jerks blocking off the entrances because they feel they aren’t getting enough attention.
If it were up to me, anyone blocking the gates would be forcibly removed. Access to the state university should be ensured for everyone. Unfortunately, the UPR’s non-confrontationalist policies allow protesters to interrupt the semester whenever they please.
Cordially,
Manuel L. Iravedra
This information is so biased. I am a law student at UPR-Law and the two students who sought the injunction only wanted to open the school just to close it again. They are not planning on having the school open. They just wanted it to be the students making the decision to close the school and not the administration. This is a joke, many of us want to finish our semester and we don’t want time for immature students that have nothing to do than act like Che Guevara wannabes and force the school to close just because they want to be heard whining.
If they want to protest, well, they have the right to do so. They might as well be absent from school and protest all they want, but academic process should not be interrupted just because a few that is just looking for brawl.