On February 5th, Pascual Ortiz Rubio became the new president of the Republic. Narciso Bassols headed the Ministry of Education. The University paid homage to Portes Gil. The VII National Student Congress was celebrated in Monterrey.

A conflict in the School of Fine Arts resulted in the resignation of its head, Diego Rivera, who was replaced by Vicente Lombardo Toledano. In July, the Code of the Revenue and Administrative Commission, whose function was to design the University’s budget, was approved. Early steps were taken towards the building of a main campus,University City, and the president agreed to the acquisition of some land in Lomas de Chapultepec.

In November, the Code for the Provision of University Faculty, which established the diverse faculty categories, was approved. In December, the Code of University Extension, whose function was to offer education to those who could not attend the University, was approved. The year came to a close with the opening of the First Ibero-American Student Congress.

The divisions of Biological Sciences, Philosophy and Literature, Physics and Mathematics, and Sciences were created within the College of Philosophy and Literature. Within the National Preparatory High School, specialized bachelors degrees in the areas of architecture, jurisprudence, medicine and odontology, engineering and chemical sciences were approved.

From this year onwards, a compulsory medical examination was required upon admission. The University president, assessing the University’s financial situation, proposed a raise in tuition fees to compensate for the reduction in federal subsidies, but the proposal was rejected.

The University then received donations from private businesses, among them Aguas de Tehuacán. The Code of School Incorporation was established. Chemist Roberto Medellín became the University’s Secretary General.

General Plutarco Elías Calles’ presence in national politics, during what is known as the maximato period, resulted in great tensions between him and the nation’s president, to the point that in September, after his state of the nation address to Congress, President Ortiz Rubio resigned.

Abelardo L. Rodríguez was appointed as presidential substitute. Roberto Medellín became University president and Vicente Lombardo Toledano was appointed head of the National Preparatory High School, in spite of student protests.

New University codes were established: on the one hand, the law for automatic student unions was approved, and on the other it was agreed to regulate the supply of scholarships and award them based on students’ grades and economic background. The codes for Auditing and University Libraries were also approved.

A new crisis resulted in resignations from the University president and secretary general. In October the new Organic Law of the University was published.

The new law, also known as Bassols Law, established that the State would abstain from its commitment to subsidize the University. The adjective “national” was withdrawn from the institution’s official name, so that it now was The Autonomous University of Mexico. Manuel Gómez Morín was put in charge of the institution, and his position was confirmed in November.

The First Congress of Mexican University Members was established. The assembly concluded that the University should lean towards dialectical materialism, base its teachings on natural philosophy and seek to end the capitalist regime, especially at high school level. Given this situation, Antonio Caso said that the University’s teachings should be free of ideological orientations.

He spoke a couple of times to defend this thesis. Vicente Lombardo Toledano also intervened twice to support the Congress’ opinion. This debate was carried on to the press, and both teachers argued publicly for philosophical plurality, in the case of Caso, and Marxist unity, in the case of Lombardo Toledano.

Gómez Morín established the juridical organization of the University, which was approved by the University Council. This defined the meaning and scope of the University’s autonomy, as well as the relationship between the University and the State.

General Lázaro Cárdenas was chosen as the PNR’s presidential candidate. The magnitude of his campaign was only comparable to those of Madero and Obregón, although Cárdenas’ geographical outreach was much wider.

The National University of Mexico Statute was issued on March 1st. A selective entrance examination system was approved, as were the bases for the incorporation of private schools. UNAM accepted a 50-thousand dollar legacy from former ambassador Dwight Morrow. In August, University President Gómez Morín spoke to the press in support of the University’s autonomy and received popular support.

In October another strike took place. The University president presented his resignation, which was rejected, although he was finally allowed to take absence for one month. Doctor Enrique O. Aragón was appointed as acting University president. On November 26th, doctor and historian Fernando Ocaranza was appointed as University president. In 1934 General Lázaro Cárdenas was elected president for a term that lasted until 1940, since the presidential term had increased by two years.

The Six Year Plan, which would regulate governmental proceedings, was formulated. It included a socialist approach to education that made it necessary to reform Article 3 of the Constitution. The socialist educational system intended to teach a “rational and exact concept of the universe and social life.” The Economic Culture Foundation was established with the purpose of publishing specialized work in the field of economics. Daniel Cosío Villegas was its founder.

Antonio Caso raised new questions regarding the rewritten Article 3.  First he argued with Economics professor Francisco Zamora on the subject of Marxism, and then, once more, with Vicente Lombardo Toledano.

Towards the end of the previous year the discussions had begun and continued until March, receiving local media attention until April. The core issue was whether socialist education should also include university instruction. Caso defended the freedom of instruction above all things.

The reorganization of the National Preparatory High School’s study plan was authorized, returning to the five-year original arrangement previous to the establishment of the Junior High Schools.

Afterwards, an extension cycle that would substitute the first three years of High School was approved. The University Council decided to suspend University activities, given the precarious financial state of the institution. The society of Law students interpreted this as an act of federal abandonment.

At the same time, President Cárdenas declared that the University had to conform to constitutional law and that a new Organic Law would be prepared. Several professors resigned publicly because of the threat to freedom of instruction.

University President Ocaranza resigned on September 16th. Balbino Dávalos was appointed in his place but never actually took over the post. Starting on the 24th of September, Luis Chico Goerne, former head of the College of Law, became University president. Some colleges changed their denominations to that of “National Schools,” as was the case of Law, Philosophy and Literature, Medicine, Commerce and Administration and the National Teacher’s School. The School of Fine Arts gave place to the Architecture and Visual Arts national schools.

The Art Laboratory (which would become the Institute of Aesthetic Research) was created. The University’s health services were set up. The National School of Economics acquired a particular physiognomy. Campus 3 of the National Preparatory High School was built. There were plenty of changes in the diverse directorial positions of University schools. The assistant commission to the University presidency was authorized to sell the land meant for the construction of University City. It was decided to give back the part of the salaries that had been sacrificed to help the University to faculty members.

On April 10th, General Plutarco Elías Calles was expelled from the country along with his closest collaborators. This put an end to the maximato period. At the same time, the creation of a popular national front resulted in the Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM, whose general secretary was Vicente Lombardo Toledano.

The University approved the Payment Code for the following year. The tuition fee amounted to 10 pesos and a cost of 5 pesos was charged forextraordinary exams. The new University Statute was approved and took effect on July 15th.

The new legislation established the change from Art Laboratory to Institute of Aesthetic Research. Philosophy and Literature went back to being a College and its name now included “and of Higher Studies.” The National School of Engineers became the National School of Engineering, while Law went back to being Jurisprudence.

The Department of Physical Sciences and Mathematics became the National School of Physical Sciences and Mathematics. Also, the University Symphonic Orchestra was created.

On the national front, a great number of strikes broke out across the nation, some of which affected the oil industry. Globally speaking, the International Brigades got together to fight in defense of the Republic in Spain. Several Mexicans, David Alfaro Siqueiros and Octavio Paz among others, participated. President Cárdenas signed the decree that established the National Polytechnic Institute, providing a new national alternative for higher education.

Conflicts grew in the midst of the Mexican Student Federation. The University’s radio station, University Radio, which opened up new channels for national culture, began operation with Alejandro Gómez Arias was its first director. The Personnel section of the university began its duties.

The strike in the oil industry became general and the Supreme Court rejected the foreign companies’ appeals. On March 18th, President Cárdenas decreed the national expropriation of the oil industry and Great popular support accompanied this measure.

In May, General Saturnino Cedillo rose up in arms against the government, which quickly prepared to fight him in his territory. Among the popular shows of support for the expropriation was the one headed by University President Chico Goerne and attended by a multitude of University members.

The PNR became the Mexican Revolution Party or PRM, and was divided into four main sections: the peasant front, the laborer’s front, the popular front and the military. The first three had their bases in recently created confederacies such as the CTM, the National Peasant Confederation and the Confederation of Popular Organizations.

The House of Spain in Mexico was established as the Spanish Civil War drew to an end. The National Council of Higher Education proposed the creation of six university centers in different parts of the country. These would be in charge of developing higher education in Mexico. University President Chico Goerne spoke against the project, which brought about a new University crisis during the month of May and his eventual resignation. A Board of Directors took over until Doctor Gustavo Baz Prada was elected president.

The creation of the College of Sciences was approved and it would absorb the School of Physical Sciences and Mathematics. The College of Philosophy and Literature and Higher Studies went back to being merely the College of Philosophy and Literature. The research institutes of Physics, Mathematics and Geography were established. All of this was a consequence of the new University General Statute.

Manuel Gómez Morín, former University president and civil servant, as well as creator of the National Bank of Agricultural Credit, founded the National Action Party or PAN. The PRM nominated General Manuel Ávila Camacho, who had served as National Defense Minister, as their presidential candidate.

Political agitation shook the University once more but did not result in any institutional changes. The war in Spain was finally over. Great numbers of Spanish exiles flooded Mexico, among them many outstanding intellectuals who would contribute to the cultural enrichment of the nation. The University, in fact, welcomed many of them.

There were some problems because authorities refused to register degrees given by the University. The National School of Veterinary Medicine added “and Zootechnics” to its name. The College of Sciences began working, as did the University Press.

The first volumes of the University Student Library appeared. The National Institute of Anthropology and History was created in place of the old National Museum of Archaeology, History and Ethnology.