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

The Rector of Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (Unsoed) Purwokerto, Akhmad Sodiq, has explained his reasons for sending student representatives to accompany Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to Eastern Indonesia last week. The rector made the statement as a number of students staged a protest in front of the Unsoed Rectorate on Monday (22/6). Initially, hundreds of students assessed that the dispatched delegation did not represent the attitude and spirit of the student struggle regarding the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme and the Merah Putih Village/Subdistrict Cooperatives. During the protest, the student alliance also unfurled a poster reading ‘Campus Ambassador or MBG Kopdes Ambassador?’. ‘We are accumulating anger and disappointment because we saw that the delegation from Universitas Jenderal Soedirman did not represent the spirit of the students’ struggle,’ said Unsoed Student Executive Board (BEM) President Azza Febra Pramudika after the protest, Monday (22/6). ‘Therefore, we demand that in the future such matters involve student participation through comprehensive approval and communication,’ he added. Azza stated that students reject all forms of political compromise with power, especially when some students are voicing opposition to the MBG and Merah Putih Village Cooperatives programmes. ‘At a time when Universitas Jenderal Soedirman students are fighting to reject MBG and Merah Putih Village Cooperatives, we reject all forms of political compromise with power. But at the same time, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman has failed to show a clear political stance,’ he said. The students also requested that the campus leadership acknowledge the error in the process and ensure that similar incidents do not recur. Although the Unsoed Rector read out a statement of position containing several points of the students’ demands, Azza said his side was not fully satisfied and would continue to monitor the follow-up actions taken by the campus. He hopes the commitment conveyed by the rector will not stop at mere statements. ‘What Mr Rector stated today must not be betrayed again by political power agendas without transparency to the students,’ said Azza. Meanwhile, Unsoed Rector Akhmad Sodiq said the campus had heard all the input conveyed by the students and would use it as evaluation material. ‘There were six demands that we have listened to. Hopefully, this will become a joint evaluation,’ said Sodiq. Nevertheless, he emphasised that the university’s position remains within the corridor of the three pillars of higher education, namely education, research, and community service. ‘For me, the policies relating to MBG and Merah Putih are policies from Jakarta. We in the higher education environment conduct research, perform community service, and the like. So we do not step outside that framework,’ he explained. Regarding the controversy over sending students to the Vice President’s working visit agenda, Sodiq explained that the campus 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 series of activities the students would follow. ‘It was not mentioned in the letter. A letter is short, it only said working visit. And the working visit activities are numerous. MBG was only one activity in one region,’ he said. Sodiq also denied the assumption that the dispatched students 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 younger siblings who were sent conveyed was very good. They provided input according to their position as students observing conditions in the field. This was then compiled into a resume and given to the Vice President,’ he explained. Regarding the six points of the position statement read out in the joint forum with students, Sodiq affirmed that it was a joint stance between the university leadership and the students. ‘Yes, a joint stance. Together with the students. But our position remains within the corridor of the three pillars of higher education, we cannot exceed that,’ he concluded.