UI Student Body Rejects Rector's Decree on Campus Facility Rental Fees
The Executive Board of Students at Universitas Indonesia (BEM UI) has rejected Rector’s Decree Number 105/SK/R/UI/2026 regarding the implementation of rental fees for rooms, buildings, and open areas on campus.
In a post on the Instagram account @bemui_official, BEM UI highlighted the rental fee provisions, which are said to reach Rp100 million per day for external users and Rp50 million per day for internal users.
BEM UI’s Head of the Action and Propaganda Department, Albani Ilmi, stated that students object to having to pay again to use campus facilities. According to him, students already bear the costs through the Single Tuition Fee (UKT).
“From BEM’s perspective, we reject it. We have already paid the UKT, which is also high in value. Campus facilities should be usable without additional costs,” Albani said when confirmed on Friday night, 17 April 2026.
Albani assessed that the policy could complicate student activities. He mentioned that using campus spaces becomes complicated due to the additional cost burden.
“Activities we want to carry out have to pay again. That’s the same thing,” he said.
The 2024 batch student from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) UI also criticised the university’s funding model as a Public University with Legal Entity (PTN-BH). According to him, the campus is seeking income by renting out facilities.
However, Albani said, students have the right to use campus facilities simply with coordination to avoid schedule conflicts.
“If it’s rented out to students, that’s already excessive. It could even revoke our rights,” he stated.
He also highlighted the lack of clarity in the categories of activities exempted from fees. According to him, only academic activities are said to be free of charges, but the definition is considered not firm.
“For example, a public discussion with NGOs or figures, is that considered academic or not, it’s still grey,” Albani said.
Albani assessed that this issue is inseparable from the PTN-BH policy that encourages campuses to seek independent funding sources. However, he criticised the approach because it is seen as burdening students.
“The model is like renting out assets, not seeking productive funding sources,” he said.
He also alluded to education budget policies that are seen as reducing subsidies to universities, thus campuses seek alternative income sources.
On the other hand, UI’s Director of Public Relations, Media, Government, and International Relations, Erwin Agustian Panigoro, stated that the information circulating on social media is not complete.
According to him, the post ignores the provisions for fee exemptions for the academic community.
“That information is incomplete because it does not include the fee exemption clause for the academic community,” Erwin said.
He explained that in the fee guidelines which are part of the decree, internal users such as students and lecturers are not charged for academic activities.
The activities in question include education, research, and community service as long as they are non-commercial and do not involve sponsors.
“Students can still use facilities without charge as long as their activities are non-commercial. Fees are only imposed if the activities are commercial, involve sponsors, or sell tickets,” Erwin said.