The University of the South Pacific, one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in Latin America, will hold elections on Thursday (27) to choose the next rector. Voting will be conducted online by the University Council, which includes about 2,000 voters.
This grouping is responsible for indicating the tripartite list, in order of the most voted lists. The final decision rests with Governor Tarcisio de Freitas (Republican), who has the power to choose any of the candidates on the list.
Traditionally, the person with the most votes is chosen by the USP community, but there have been cases, such as in 2009, when then-governor José Serra nominated João Grandino Rodas for second place.
The three candidates are: Aloysio Segurado, from the School of Medicine in São Paulo; Ana Lucia Duarte Lana, from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism; and Marcelo Alves, from the Politecnica School.
With 4,969 votes, Segurado was the top vote-getter in the last 18 polls of teachers, students and staff. He was followed by Ana Lana (4,062) and Marcelo Alves (1,967).
Consultation with the academic community is for guidance purposes only. It is up to the University Council to refer the tripartite list to the governor.
The association consists of members of the University Council, in addition to the central councils, unit assemblies, and deliberative councils of museums and specialized institutes. The majority are full professors, but they also represent staff and students.
The chosen person will take office in January 2026 and must remain in office until the end of 2030.
For the first time, all three registered candidates, including women. However, none of the candidates came from outside the current administration of Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Jr., suggesting continuity.
The main point in common among the rectory candidates is an interest in preserving USP’s budget in the face of tax reform.
Currently, universities in São Paulo receive 9.6% of the ICMS tax collected by the state, of which 5% is allocated only to the University of São Paulo. In 2025 alone, this would represent R$8.1 billion.
With this reform, ICMS will be gradually replaced by Goods and Services Tax (IBS) from 2026, with no guarantee that the proportion and amount of transfers to educational institutions will be maintained. Negotiations are ongoing.
Preserving resources is seen as essential at the institution, which in 2023 faced a long strike over a shortage of teachers – 800 of whom left their positions in ten years without replacement. At the same time, investment in inclusion and belonging policies has grown, such as the creation of a specific dean’s office and the increase of the student attendance budget, which will reach R$207 million in 2025.