What are the functions of Indonesia's university rectors
What are the functions of Indonesia's university rectors
By Mochtar Buchori
JAKARTA (JP): What is the main function of university rectors
in Indonesia?
Two opinions have emerged from this question. The first one
holds that university rectors are primarily managers. So anyone
who has proved himself or herself capable of managing an
organizational unit, be it in business or other endeavors of
life, should be eligible for rector candidacy.
Thus retired generals should be considered qualified to become
a university rector. It should not be overlooked that generals
are tested managers: managers of crises, managers of
administrative units, managers of fighting forces and so on.
For an experienced general, the job of a university rector is
child's play. President Eisenhower was a successful president of
Columbia University before he became President of the United
States.
The second opinion holds that university is an academic
community, and therefore, being university rector is basically an
academic job. Only those with proven academic credentials and
academic careers in their past should be considered qualified for
the position of rector. To place someone, without proper academic
qualifications and experience, as a university rector can only
bring academic disaster to the university.
In my view, these two opinions each contain elements of truth.
But each of them also oversimplifies the matter a little. I think
it is true that a good rector should have managerial
capabilities. But it should also be added that a rector should
possess "academic managerial capabilities." I don't think any
manager can be converted to become a good university rector. And
by "good university rector" I mean a rector who can lead the
university to a more mature and meaningful academic existence.
Not just serving his or her tenure without any serious incident.
I also think, besides being an academic manager, a good rector
should also be able to provide academic and intellectual
leadership to the institution. As a manager, a rector has to see
to it that the existing system runs smoothly. But as an academic
leader he or she should improve the existing system, identify the
weaknesses that exist at present, and introduce changes and
innovations that will eventually overcome the existing
weaknesses.
The most difficult part of being a rector, in my opinion, is
to act as an intellectual leader. Within the present politico-
cultural climate of Indonesia, the essence of intellectual
leadership within the university setting is, I feel, to provide a
campus environment which will encourage the community within the
campus to be concerned with problems of public interest. And to
think about each problem on the basis of accepted academic
principles.
This is not a light demand that is easy to fulfill, since
conflicting demands will, without doubt, come from many quarters.
Not everyone in the society wants solutions based on academic
reasoning. There are many problems which many people would like
to see solved in a "business manner", or on the basis of partisan
politics primarily. So, providing intellectual leadership can
very well mean that a rector has to swim against the popular tide
in certain cases.
A remark which should be made, with regard to the second
opinion mentioned above, concerns the argument about the
imperative of being 'academic'. What precisely is meant by this
word? It is necessary to ask this question, since in my opinion,
in many institutions, this "academic principle" has been violated
already. Appointing deans and rectors on the basis of political
popularity and political acceptability without regard to academic
competence is, I feel, a violation of this very principle. And
yet such institutions unashamedly insist on being considered
'academic'.
This to me means the word 'academic' is not clearly understood
in such institutions, and that it has often been used mainly to
shield themselves against any idea that comes from outside and
which they, for various reasons other than academic, do not like.
To recapitulate, university rectors in Indonesia today have
to fulfill the roles of academic manager, academic leader,
intellectual leader, and guardian of academic principles. This
is, admittedly, a very big demand for any person. But we should
not forget that rectors do not operate alone. Rectors have their
deputy rectors and administrative personnel to help them. They
will take care of much of the managerial job.
But in fulfilling all these roles, he is expected to be in the
forefront. Unless they have the moral and political courage to be
in this position, there is not much they can do to bring their
institutions to a more mature and more respectable existence.
The writer is rector of Muhammadiyah University, Jakarta.