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.