The Rector of Sunan Amperm State Islamic University (UINSA) Surabaya,\nEast Java, Prof Akh Muzakki, is reported to have officially resigned\nfollowing a wave of student demonstrations that resulted in the sealing\nof the campus.<\/p>\n
A resignation letter has been confirmed to have been sent to and\nreceived by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag). This\nwas confirmed by a member of the University Senate, Prof KH Imam Ghazali\nSaid.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is true [Muzakki has sent his resignation letter to Kemenag]. The\nletter was sent yesterday at 10:00 PM WIB and arrived at Kemenag this\nmorning,\u201d said the Professor of Classical Islamic Thought History when\nconfirmed on Wednesday (23\/9).<\/p>\n
According to Imam, Akh Muzakki\u2019s resignation from the rector position\nfor the 2026-2030 period has been approved by Kemenag. Consequently, he\nstated that the highest leadership position at UINSA will be temporarily\nfilled by an Acting Rector (Plt).<\/p>\n
He explained that this step was taken to avoid a leadership vacuum\nwhile waiting for the process of appointing a new rector.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe information is that an Acting Rector will follow, as the Decree\n(SK) has already been issued. I actually proposed that there should be\nno Acting Rector, but it turns out that is not possible because the\nDecree is already in place; therefore, to prevent a vacancy, an Acting\nRector will be appointed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
As of the time of publication, neither the Ministry of Religious\nAffairs nor Muzakki has issued an official statement.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the news of Akh Muzakki\u2019s resignation has not prompted\nstudents to lift the campus seal. The UINSA Student Executive Council\n(DEMA) refuses to accept the news at face value and is demanding\nnormative proof of the rector\u2019s resignation before ending the\nboycott.<\/p>\n
The Vice President of DEMA UINSA, Fadlurrakhman Fazle Purwardana,\nemphasised that they require tangible administrative evidence, rather\nthan mere rumours, news reports, or verbal statements from third\nparties.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it is indeed true that the rector has decided to resign, what we\nwant is normative proof that he has resigned. Not through news, not\nthrough statements or talk,\u201d said Fadlurrakhman at the UINSA Surabaya\nCampus 1 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
He also challenged Muzakki to come directly to the campus to meet\nrepresentatives of the Student Senate and DEMA if he cannot provide a\ncopy of the official letter. He requested that the rector announce his\nresignation publicly.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that it can strengthen all the assumptions stating that he has\nstepped down,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Fadlurrakhman stated that as long as this \u2018black and white\u2019 evidence\nhas not been submitted, students will ensure the campus sealing\ncontinues. As a result of this blockade, in-person teaching activities\nhave come to a complete standstill and have been forced to move online.\nHowever, DEMA guarantees that administrative services for students and\nalumni will continue to run normally.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not placing any restrictions on educational staff [tendik]\nwho wish to carry out public services, such as services for alumni or\nstudents,\u201d explained Fadlurrakhman.<\/p>\n
Previously, the Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar,\nadmitted to being surprised by the case of the Rector election at UINSA,\nwhich was rejected by students. Nasaruddin explained that he had\npreviously consulted with the Ministry of Research, Technology, and\nHigher Education regarding this issue. He did not expect the rector\nelection to become such a serious controversy, as previous processes had\nalways run smoothly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn fact, some time ago we consulted with colleagues from\nRistekdikti\u2026 because every rector election used to run smoothly,\u201d\nNasaruddin said during a Hearing with Commission VIII on Tuesday\n(22\/9).<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has never been unrest such as what has occurred in several\nother higher education institutions,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
He also noted that the regulations for electing a rector remain the\nsame, yet a controversy has emerged specifically at UINSA.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Surabaya, I am honestly surprised. We used the same machinery,\nthe same laws and regulations, yet the reaction produced is different,\u201d\nNasaruddin said.<\/p>\n
Nasaruddin emphasised that he will closely examine the situation\nregarding the rector and the students at UINSA. He will also review the\nregulations to see if any deviations have occurred.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly, there are matters that I personally must scrutinise\nregarding what is actually happening in Surabaya. I must look at it from\nthe perspective of the regulations\u2014is there any deviation from the\nregulations we follow?\u201d he continued.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/senate-member-states-uinsa-rector-resigned-following-student-protests-1790171846", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }