Bina Nusantara must introspect

Published in The Jakarta Post of Nov. 6, 2000 are two letters, one complaining of poor service at Bina Nusantara University, and the other responding to the complaint.

As someone who is financially supporting a mature, intelligent and hardworking student in the same program (MMSI Dual Master's), I have been hearing the same complaints, and others, for more than a year. Thus, I tend to believe that what the complainant reported has much basis in reality. I am continually astounded that so many poor educational and administrative practices appear to be common at this very expensive private university that boasts of cooperation with reputable international universities.

It also seems that the university may have indirectly acknowledged at least some of these complaints as a result of the publication of the letter, since I have heard that a number of the problems identified have suddenly been rectified. Unfortunately, Ms. Anna Maria's printed response, on behalf of the MMSI program, indicates yet another example of a less than sophisticated approach to educational management: chastising the complainant's poor academic performance is not a proper response to his specific complaints (it is known as ad hominem, in fact). Possibly, even, the complainant's alleged poor performance may have partly resulted from Bina Nusantara's poor quality of service.

Perhaps it is time for Bina Nusantara's ISO 9001 certification and its BAN accreditation to be reviewed. Certainly it seems it is time for Bina Nusantara to do some serious introspection and improve its quality of service, for the good of all.

TIM BABCOCK

Adjunct Professor

York University, Toronto

Canada