WELFARE AT UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE COLOMBIA

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Javier Augusto Rojas 
javirse@yahoo.com.mx
Publicado en Capital Letter No. 5
Mayo de 2004


Studying at Universidad Nacional de Colombia is a great privilege and a motive to be proud of. Within its campus a person has the possibility to develop or improve his or her academic as well as cultural, sporting and social talents with veiy little-if any-additional money required. Besides the basic component of the major, there are a lot of subjects such as elective context and free courses in each science and topic that may be taken by any student. Furthermore, many cultural, environmental and social activities are frequently offered by students themselves.


Unfortunately, there are many students who can not take advantage of such a great range of possibilities because of their economic situation. Although many people are economically supported by their parents, others have to make an incredible sacrifice to keep on studying. Fees, photocopies, transportation fees and food are obtained by selling things at the campus or by working in whatever position that can fix into their free time, taking away all the opportunities of personal and social development offered at the university. Indeed, it is almost impossible to study properly without having neither breakfast nor lunch... very soon, the academic drop will be felt.


In order to soften the impact of that problem, the university has developed institutional programs such as the crédito-beca and the bono alimentario which are directed to those students facing hardship and economic problems. Obviously, these programs can not give a comprehensive solution, but they help somehow to fulfill, at least, some of them.


The crédito-beca is made up of an amount that is given monthly to the students that have applied for it, and that have been accepted. On the other hand, the bono alimentario consists of a daily meal that is offered to the students who should work in return for six hours per week at a university office.


Further information about these and other programs is provided at Bienestar Universitario offices in each school of the university.

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