UI ready for implementation of campus autonomy

JAKARTA (JP): The University of Indonesia (UI) is ready for the implementation of campus autonomy as it is an opportunity to overcome its financial problems, Asman Budi Santoso, a rector at the university said on Saturday.

Since the implementation of Government Regulation No. 152/2000 on Dec. 26 last year on campus autonomy, UI has become a state- owned institution (BHMN).

With the new regulation, the university took possession of the university's building and its land. However, its subsidy from the government was reduced as it was expected to financially support itself.

Asman said the government subsidy for state universities was very small anyway.

"UI only received a subsidy of some Rp 176 million (US$18,526) annually for its 12 faculties," Asman told reporters on Friday, after the graduation ceremony of UI's postgraduate students.

That is, he said, Rp 2,500 for every student a month.

The university pays Rp 96 billion for its staffers every month, he added.

"Therefore, we welcome the concept of campus autonomy and are quite optimistic about it too. We're quite sure we can find sources of revenue," Asman said, adding that in a recent charity night, the university collected some Rp 3.5 billion.

With its new status, UI will need a public accountant, he added.

"The transitional period for autonomy may take a year," he said.

Campus autonomy, Asman said, would help UI achieve its vision to become an integrated and autonomous international research university.

Campus autonomy concept was introduced by then minister of education Juwono Sudarsono during former president B.J. Habibie's tenure.

Under the autonomy, higher learning institutions (universities) will be allowed to seek funds for their educational projects as government subsidies will be cut. The universities will also be free to establish their own curriculum.

A pilot project was introduced this year at four leading state institutions, namely UI, the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University and the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB).

Asman admitted that there would be some tuition fee revision in the future.

But he declined to comment on the lawsuit filed by six UI students who were suspended after staging a rally to protest the newly-imposed additional college fees.

Beginning in 1999, students at the university must pay an additional fee on top of the Rp 500,000 ($52) tuition fee per semester.

The additional fee is Rp 1 million for students in the School of Engineering and the School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Rp 750,000 for students in the School of Social Sciences.

But the university has waived the additional fee for students who cannot afford it. (hdn)