Leonardo Lomelí, rector of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), ordered the university to publish the dates and locations for its control exam on Tuesday [1].
The move follows significant division and pressure within the university community regarding the exam's implementation. By finalizing the schedule, the administration aims to resolve uncertainty for students and faculty before the start of the new academic term.
The control exam has become a point of contention, sparking debate across the institution. To address these tensions, the rector's order ensures that both the dates and the specific venues, including foreign sites known as sedes foráneas, are made public today [1].
This administrative push comes as the university adjusts its broader academic calendar. The college of directors has established that first-entry classes for new students will begin on Aug. 31, 2026 [1]. This represents a delay of two weeks compared to the original plan [3].
Continuing students will follow a different timeline. According to the university, regular classes for these students are scheduled to begin on Sept. 17, 2026 [1].
The rector's directive to release the exam details immediately is intended to provide clarity after the college of directors set the revised start dates for the student body [2]. The publication of these dates is the final step in preparing the university for the upcoming semester amid ongoing internal friction [1].
“Leonardo Lomelí ordered the university to publish the dates and locations for its control exam on Tuesday.”
The delay of the academic calendar and the friction surrounding the control exam suggest a period of administrative instability at Mexico's premier university. By decoupling the start dates for new and continuing students, UNAM is likely attempting to manage the logistical and political fallout of the contentious exam process without disrupting the entire student population simultaneously.
