UNAS activities still suspended, but campus opens<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The disputed biology campus of Universitas
\nNasional (UNAS), one of Indonesia's oldest privately run
\nuniversities, has yet to resume academic activity although it
\nreopened yesterday after being closed down for over a week due to
\ninternal bickering.<\/p>\n
Responding to students' demands, the university's rector,
\nProf. Achmad Baiquni, last Saturday inspected the campus located
\non Jl. Kebon Binatang, Ragunan, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Ragunan campus was closed down on the night of June 25,
\nand fenced with three-meter-high metal sheets obstructing any
\nview of the campus buildings from the outside.<\/p>\n
Several men wearing plain clothes, claiming to be from the
\narmy, meticulously guarded the campus, taking exception to anyone
\nentering or even trying to observe the campus site.<\/p>\n
According to witnesses, five trucks arrived that evening
\ntaking furniture and seizing documents from the building.<\/p>\n
A sign was put up at the metal fence that read \"this building
\nis under renovation, no one is allowed entry ... on orders of the
\nUNAS rector No. 180\/R\/VI\/1994.\"<\/p>\n
Trouble at UNAS has been brewing for the past two years since
\nthe previous rector and founder of the university, Sutan Takdir
\nAlisjahbana, dismissed 15 lecturers.<\/p>\n
Upon Takdir's retirement, the new rector, Baiquni, reinstated
\nthe 15 lecturers. This infuriated Takdir, who, as head of the
\nYayasan Memajukan Ilmu dan Kebudayaan, the foundation in charge
\nof UNAS, tried to discharge Baiquni.<\/p>\n
The recent move to renovate the Ragunan campus has been
\ninterpreted by many students as a way for those under Baiquni at
\nthe other UNAS campus at Pejaten, South Jakarta, to take over the
\nRagunan site.<\/p>\n
Meeting with Baiquni last Thursday, representatives of the
\nbiology students senate explained that his actions had caused the
\nacademic activities of the biology faculty to be suspended.<\/p>\n
Following the meeting, the head of the senate of the biology
\nstudents, Cahyo Utomo, told his fellow students that Baiquni's
\ndecision was not meant to interfere with the students' studies.<\/p>\n
Baiquni thus promised to inspect the campus site and gave
\nassurances that the situation would return to normal by Monday
\n(yesterday).<\/p>\n
The rector kept his promise and examined the campus on
\nSaturday, reiterating that students would be able to return by
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
\"If there are students who wish to do research or complete
\ntheir theses, we will let them do that,\" he said on Saturday as
\nquoted by Republika, adding the renovations will take about one
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
Disappointed<\/p>\n
Despite Baiquni's assurances, many students were disappointed
\nyesterday when they found that the campus was not functioning
\nnormally as earlier promised. In fact most of the metal sheets
\nhave not been taken down.<\/p>\n
\"I am very disappointed with the whole proceedings,\" said
\nNovi, a final-year student studying biology.<\/p>\n
Her disappointment was shared by many of her colleagues, who
\nwere not merely frustrated at the week-long closure of their
\ncampus, but at the way the faculty have handled the problems.<\/p>\n
A student who asked to remain anonymous told The Jakarta Post
\nthat the biology students have fallen victims to a long-drawn
\ndispute between two warring parties.<\/p>\n
She explained that the current dispute within the biology
\nadministration is occurring at the expense of the students.<\/p>\n
As a result of this \"power struggle,\" biology credits taken
\nat the Ragunan campus during the past two years are not
\nrecognized at Pejaten.<\/p>\n
\"Because of this I have to take all my courses again, despite
\nthe fact that I have only my final thesis left,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The struggle for power between the two campuses has also led
\nto a parallel faculty staff, with those currently teaching at
\nRagunan likely to be dismissed if the school in Pejaten takes
\nover the Ragunan campus.<\/p>\n
\"If they fire the lecturers at Ragunan, it means many of us
\nwill have to do our thesis again since our councilors are all
\nteachers at Ragunan,\" said Novi who is currently writing on
\ncattle farming. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unas-activities-still-suspended-but-campus-opens-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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