In a bold move, students from the Architecture Faculty at Havana's University of Technology (CUJAE) have penned a letter to the institution's rector, voicing their discontent over the non-renewal of Professor Abel Ernesto Tablada de la Torre's contract.
The letter, endorsed by the Council of the University Student Federation (FEU) from the faculty, challenges both the decision not to renew Tablada's employment and the refusal to allow him to continue teaching voluntarily without pay.
"We believe that the action taken is both excessive and contradictory to the core principles that should guide a higher education institution," the letter states.
Within the letter, students argue that the reason behind the decision — personal reflections shared by Tablada on his Facebook account — is unrelated to his professional performance, teaching abilities, or ethical conduct within the classroom.
"Punishing an educator for exercising their right to voice personal opinions on matters of public interest undermines the university's role as a bastion of critical thought, respectful debate, and diverse ideas," the students expressed.
The letter also emphasizes that universities should not only focus on imparting technical knowledge but also on developing professionals who can think independently and contribute thoughtfully to societal development.
The student protest erupted after Professor Abel Tablada de la Torre, an architect and tenured professor at CUJAE, was ousted from the institution following Facebook posts in which he critiqued the country's situation and the Cuban university system.
In a message to his students, Tablada noted that some reflections shared on his personal wall "did not sit well with the university management."
The posts in question included two significant texts: one discussing the future of the Telecommunications Company (Etecsa) in 2025, and a more recent piece titled "The University and Resilience," dated February 2nd.
In this latter text, Tablada described the harsh realities faced by Cuban universities, including power outages, transportation issues, low faculty salaries — estimated between 10 and 15 dollars monthly — and material shortages affecting both teachers and students.
"Too much resilience can lead to accepting as normal conditions that should not persist for so long," wrote the academic, warning about the decline in student preparedness and the loss of equity in access to higher education.
Following the circulation of the letter, numerous students and alumni showed their support on social media using the hashtag #ArquitecturaConTablada. In the comments, some labeled the administrative decision as "shameful" and invoked the historical tradition of the Cuban student movement.
"CUJAE is all of us, not just them," a user commented on Instagram, referring to the university's leadership.
As of now, CUJAE's rector's office has yet to publicly respond to the FEU Council's letter.
Understanding the Significance of the CUJAE Student Protest
Why did CUJAE students protest?
Students protested the non-renewal of Professor Abel Tablada's contract, arguing that the decision was unjust as it was based on his personal social media posts rather than his professional or ethical conduct.
What were the main issues highlighted by Professor Tablada in his Facebook posts?
Professor Tablada's posts critiqued the operational conditions of Cuban universities, including power outages, transportation problems, inadequate faculty salaries, and material shortages which he argued were affecting both educators and students.
How did the university community respond to the protest?
The university community, including students and alumni, showed support on social media using the hashtag #ArquitecturaConTablada, criticizing the decision and highlighting the importance of the student movement's historical legacy.