The union demands that the contract with the teacher receiving two salaries at Novaya be terminated

The Union of Teachers of Greater Lisbon (SPGL) said this Wednesday that “the visiting professor contract that the rector of the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa maintains with one of the faculties of this institution” should be declared null and void.

The position arose after the disclosure of the situation of João Sahagua, who receives the salary of the rector of Nova and a visiting professor, “coming from two different contracts that the rector maintains with his university,” explains the union.

João Sahagua is a career professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (NOVA-FCSH) and will “receive other remuneration under a contract as a visiting professor with the same faculty.”

When the case was made public, Science, Technology and Higher Education Minister Elvira Fortunato began by asking the General Secretariat of Higher Education (SGEC) to assess the legality, and last week also asked the Advisory Council of the Attorney General’s Office. (PGR).

This Wednesday, Lusa asked questions to the minister’s office as well as the PGR about the results of these two requests, without receiving a response so far.

Also answering a question about this case, the rector only said that “until the decision of the Advisory Council of the Attorney General’s Office, NOVA University of Lisbon has nothing to add.”

For the union, even if the accumulation of functions is not illegal, there is “deontologically reprehensible behavior that deserves the most vehement condemnation.”

“The possibility of the rector maintaining teaching activities during the performance of his position is provided for, but this fact does not allow the payment of additional remuneration. This situation contrasts with the diligence and dedication of NOVA teachers and researchers, in particular of whom develop their activities beyond the limits of teaching load provided by law, and others in a situation of great instability,” warns SPGL.

According to the newspaper Público, the monthly salary of the rector is 6,399.53 euros gross, to which is added 1,086.21 euros for the teacher.

The union considers wage hoarding “morally reprehensible” and therefore argues that faculty and university bodies “must act in a manner that guarantees the good name of their institutions and all those who work in them.”

Regarding SPGL, “the contract of visiting professor that the Rector of NOVA University of Lisbon maintains with the faculty in which he is a full-time professor should be declared null and void.”

In a statement sent to Lusa, the union recalls that Elvira Fortunato is a professor at the New University of Lisbon and was the vice-rector of João Sahagua until she accepted the position of minister.