Unsoed Rector Responds to Student Protests Over Delegation to Gibran's Working Visit

The Rector of Jenderal Soedirman University (Unsoed) Purwokerto, Akhmad Sodiq, has explained the reasons for sending student representatives to accompany Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to Eastern Indonesia last week. This statement was made by the Rector as several students held a protest in front of the Unsoed Rectorate on Monday (22/6).

Initially, hundreds of students felt that the sent delegation did not represent the students’ stance and spirit of struggle regarding the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme and the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives. During the protest, the student alliance also displayed posters reading, ‘Campus Ambassador or MBG Kopdes Ambassador?’.

“We are accumulating anger and disappointment because we saw that the delegation from Jenderal Soedirman University did not represent the spirit of struggle of the students themselves,” said the President of the Unsoed Student Executive Board (BEM), Azza Febra Pramudika, following the protest on Monday (22/6).

“Therefore, we demand that in the future, such matters involve student participation through a form of approval and comprehensive communication,” he added.

Azza stated that students reject all forms of political compromise with power, especially when some students are actively voicing opposition to the MBG and Merah Putih Village Cooperative programmes. “At a time when Jenderal Soedirman University students are struggling to reject MBG and the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives, we reject all forms of political compromise with power. Yet, at the same time, Jenderal Soedirman University has failed to demonstrate a clear political stance,” he said.

Students also requested that the university leadership acknowledge the error in the process and ensure that similar incidents do not recur. Although the Unsoed Rector read a statement of position containing several student demands, Azza mentioned that they were not entirely satisfied and would continue to monitor the university’s follow-up actions. He hoped the commitment expressed by the Rector would not end as mere words.

“What the Rector stated today must not be undermined by political agendas of power without transparency to the students,” said Azza.

In response, Unsoed Rector Akhmad Sodiq stated that the university has heard all the input provided by the students and will use it as material for evaluation. “We have heard all six demands. Hopefully, this becomes a collective evaluation,” Sodiq said yesterday.

However, he emphasised that the position of the higher education institution remains within the framework of the ‘Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi’ (the three pillars of higher education): education, research, and community service. “For me, policies related to MBG and Merah Putih are policies from Jakarta. In the university environment, we conduct research, community service, and the like. So, it does not deviate from that framework,” he explained.

Regarding the controversy over sending students on the Vice President’s working visit agenda, Sodiq explained that the university received an official letter from the Vice President’s Secretariat containing the appointment of students to participate in the activity. “There was a letter from the Secretary-General. The subject was very clear, namely an appointment. The agenda was the Vice President’s working visit,” he said.

Sodiq explained that the letter did not detail the full series of activities the students would participate in. “It was not included in the letter. A letter is brief, only mentioning a working visit. And working visits involve many activities. MBG is only one activity in one specific region,” he added.

Sodiq also refuted the assumption that the students sent did not convey criticism. He stated that the student delegation actually provided various inputs based on the conditions they encountered in the field. “What our students sent was very good. They provided input based on their position as students observing field conditions. This was then compiled into a summary and given to the Vice President,” he explained.

Regarding the six points of the statement of position read during the forum with students, Sodiq emphasised that it was a joint stance between the university leadership and the students. “Yes, it is a joint stance. Together with the students. But our position remains within the framework of the Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi; it cannot exceed that,” he concluded.