Students' expulsion final: Rector
Students' expulsion final: Rector
BANDUNG (JP): The rector of the Bandung Institute of Technology, Wiranto Arismunandar, said the college's decision to expel two students following the death of a freshman is "final".
"The college's decision is final. However, we will treat all ensuing objections and criticism as input for us to improve our educational system," he told the press on Saturday.
Wiranto dismissed a local legal aid office's suggestion that those who objected to the decision should file a lawsuit against him.
"That's capricious. Why not ask President Soeharto to resign as well? He's the highest leader in this country," Wiranto said while accompanying Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman who visited the campus on Saturday.
By last week's rectorial decree, ITB expelled M. Ridjal and Budhi Sumarso, two senior students from the physics department, for their involvement in last month's initiation week which led to the death of 18-year-old Zaki Tiffany Lazuardian.
Colleagues of the two students immediately protested the expulsion, saying the decision was not educative. Parents of the students, however, held their own demonstration in support of the expulsion.
Wiranto said the two students were dismissed because they "violated the ethics and norms of education" at the college.
Ridjal and Budhi reportedly went beyond the normal procedures of initiation week by forcing exhausted freshmen to eat grass and do strenuous physical exercises.
Indra Djati Sidi, the deputy rector in charge of student affairs, said the decision was not taken arbitrarily nor was it intended to sacrifice the two students. "Instead, we did it in order to educate the other 10,000 students here," he said.
A number of ITB students lodged a protest over the expulsion with the House of Representatives on Friday. Indra, however, got there first and met with the legislators earlier on the same day.
"What's wrong with my going to the House to explain the background of the case?" he said defending his action. (17/swe)