The only candidate to lead the department of Nursing and Physiotherapy of the Universitat de Lleida withdrew his candidacy yesterday and leaves without aspirants elections that were scheduled for next Wednesday. The vote is canceled due to no candidates and now it will be the governing council of the UdL who will be able to designate the position directly, as the internal protocol foresees.
The withdrawal comes after the warning from the student assemblies
The decision comes after the three student assemblies of the university alerted on Thursday of a situation that, in their opinion, could violate fundamental rights of the students and the principles that should govern a public institution. The students demanded the annulment of the electoral process by denouncing alleged sexist behaviors, inappropriate touching in the academic context and inadequate communications with students.
The student protests demanded to stop the electoral process due to the presentation of this teacher as the sole candidate for the department's directorship.
Background on the Igualada campus
The case has precedents. In January 2019, a group of students from the Igualada campus presented an anonymous letter in which they denounced inappropriate attitudes and comments from the professor. The legal services of the UdL then concluded that there were no indications of a crime, although they did observe an attitude that could constitute a serious offense, punishable with one month of suspension from employment and salary.
Furthermore, the teacher was suspended from duty and pay for violating the regulations on incompatibilities in labor matters after the opening of an informative file.
Acquittal in the judicial path
The judicial procedure opened against the professor ended with his acquittal. Despite this, the controversy has been reactivated with the process to choose the department's direction, finally frustrated by the withdrawal of the only candidacy.
"In more than 25 years of profession and teaching I have never had a complaint from any student for the use of sexist language, nor for harassment, nor for any other reason" - affected professor
With the formalized withdrawal, the UdL now remains pending the decision that its governing council adopts to cover the direction of the department of Nursing and Physiotherapy in a context marked by student protest and by a background that has once again been placed at the center of the university debate.