16 ITB students suspended

16 ITB students suspended

BANDUNG (JP): Sixteen university students of the prestigious
Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) have been suspended for
taking part in the initiation week that led to the death of a
first-year student early this year.

Three of the students were suspended for two semesters, with
the other 13 for one semester each, beginning in the first term
of the 1996/1997 academic year which has just begun.

When the suspension period is completed, the students will
face one probational semester.

"The suspension notice was signed on Sept. 10, but I did not
receive the notice until Sept. 16," Ida Bagus Made, who is being
suspended for one semester, said.

Zaki Tiffany Lazuardian, an 18-year-old freshman at the
department of physics, died early last month after joining the
rigorous 12-day initiation period organized by his seniors in the
department.

At least two other students had to be hospitalized, while the
institute's polyclinic reported that 176 first-year students
sought medical treatment after taking part in the initiation
week.

Two students, M. Ridjal and Budi Sumarso, were expelled from
the university for reportedly going beyond the normal procedures
of initiation week by forcing exhausted first-year students to
eat grass and do strenuous physical exercises.

Budi is filing a lawsuit over his dismissal at the Bandung
State Administrative Court. The first hearing was scheduled for
today.

The institute's officials held a meeting yesterday to discuss
the latest developments. It was attended by, among others, chair
of the disciplinary commission Pingkan and deputy rector for
communication and culture Tresna Darmawan.

They declined to explain specifically what they discussed.
"If you want information about the meeting, please contact the
deputy rector in charge of student affairs, Indra Djati Sidi,"
Darmawan said.

Indra was not available for comment. His staff said he was not
in his office. (17/14)