09/2018: A Landmark Institution in Distress

Fewer students and less money will shape UPR’s future

The University of Puerto Rico (UPR), one of the Island’s longest serving, and most respected institution is facing a dire process of retrenchment. Realities on the ground simply caught up. The combination of a contracting population and stagnant personal income over the past 15 years (as well as several strikes) led to a slow decline in enrollment. The ongoing fiscal crisis is just the last straw on a long process of deterioration as debt restructuring stands now to override—for some time—any other consideration. The stakes, however, could not be higher with a reduction of over $200 mn. in its FY18 budget and its own debt restructuring to sort out, the UPR now risks losing its academic accreditation and, with that, access to Pell grants. Without these, enrollment could end up unraveling. Whatever the final outcome, this is the story of the inevitable.