The Rector of Jenderal Soedirman University (Unsoed) Purwokerto,\nAkhmad Sodiq, has explained the reasons for sending student\nrepresentatives to accompany Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to\nEastern Indonesia last week. This statement was made by the Rector as\nseveral students held a protest in front of the Unsoed Rectorate on\nMonday (22\/6).<\/p>\n
Initially, hundreds of students felt that the sent delegation did not\nrepresent the students\u2019 stance and spirit of struggle regarding the Free\nNutritious Meal (MBG) programme and the Merah Putih Village\/Sub-district\nCooperatives. During the protest, the student alliance also displayed\nposters reading, \u2018Campus Ambassador or MBG Kopdes Ambassador?\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are accumulating anger and disappointment because we saw that the\ndelegation from Jenderal Soedirman University did not represent the\nspirit of struggle of the students themselves,\u201d said the President of\nthe Unsoed Student Executive Board (BEM), Azza Febra Pramudika,\nfollowing the protest on Monday (22\/6).<\/p>\n
\u201cTherefore, we demand that in the future, such matters involve\nstudent participation through a form of approval and comprehensive\ncommunication,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Azza stated that students reject all forms of political compromise\nwith power, especially when some students are actively voicing\nopposition to the MBG and Merah Putih Village Cooperative programmes.\n\u201cAt a time when Jenderal Soedirman University students are struggling to\nreject MBG and the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives, we reject all forms\nof political compromise with power. Yet, at the same time, Jenderal\nSoedirman University has failed to demonstrate a clear political\nstance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Students also requested that the university leadership acknowledge\nthe error in the process and ensure that similar incidents do not recur.\nAlthough the Unsoed Rector read a statement of position containing\nseveral student demands, Azza mentioned that they were not entirely\nsatisfied and would continue to monitor the university\u2019s follow-up\nactions. He hoped the commitment expressed by the Rector would not end\nas mere words.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the Rector stated today must not be undermined by political\nagendas of power without transparency to the students,\u201d said Azza.<\/p>\n
In response, Unsoed Rector Akhmad Sodiq stated that the university\nhas heard all the input provided by the students and will use it as\nmaterial for evaluation. \u201cWe have heard all six demands. Hopefully, this\nbecomes a collective evaluation,\u201d Sodiq said yesterday.<\/p>\n
However, he emphasised that the position of the higher education\ninstitution remains within the framework of the \u2018Tri Dharma Perguruan\nTinggi\u2019 (the three pillars of higher education): education, research,\nand community service. \u201cFor me, policies related to MBG and Merah Putih\nare policies from Jakarta. In the university environment, we conduct\nresearch, community service, and the like. So, it does not deviate from\nthat framework,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Regarding the controversy over sending students on the Vice\nPresident\u2019s working visit agenda, Sodiq explained that the university\nreceived an official letter from the Vice President\u2019s Secretariat\ncontaining the appointment of students to participate in the activity.\n\u201cThere was a letter from the Secretary-General. The subject was very\nclear, namely an appointment. The agenda was the Vice President\u2019s\nworking visit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Sodiq explained that the letter did not detail the full series of\nactivities the students would participate in. \u201cIt was not included in\nthe letter. A letter is brief, only mentioning a working visit. And\nworking visits involve many activities. MBG is only one activity in one\nspecific region,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Sodiq also refuted the assumption that the students sent did not\nconvey criticism. He stated that the student delegation actually\nprovided various inputs based on the conditions they encountered in the\nfield. \u201cWhat our students sent was very good. They provided input based\non their position as students observing field conditions. This was then\ncompiled into a summary and given to the Vice President,\u201d he\nexplained.<\/p>\n
Regarding the six points of the statement of position read during the\nforum with students, Sodiq emphasised that it was a joint stance between\nthe university leadership and the students. \u201cYes, it is a joint stance.\nTogether with the students. But our position remains within the\nframework of the Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi; it cannot exceed that,\u201d he\nconcluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unsoed-rector-responds-to-student-protests-over-delegation-to-gibrans-working-visit-1782222846", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }