President Determinant of Rector

Koran Sindo, page 1

The state university rector (PTN) election mechanism will change; no longer determined by the senate and minister, but by the President. This policy is based on the reasoning that the rector is a strategic position. This was revealed by Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tjahjo Kumolo.

Tjahjo explained the policy aims to have a unity and uniformity in the election of the rector. Before deciding who is to become rector, there will be a consultation forum between Kemenristekdikti, the President, and related ministries. The system, he added, was no different from the determination of echelon I and provincial officials in which the candidates would be consulted to the President-directed final (TPA) team.

However, this plan sparks controversy. A number of circles think that the plan actually disrupts the independence of the campus, democracy, and was not well thought out.  Rector of UIN Walisongo, Semarang, Muhibbin rates, rector election by the President will precisely cause new problems. It may be that the elected rector is incompatible with certain campus characteristics.

Meanwhile, education observer Edi Suandi Hamid reminded that the rector’s decision by the President is not easy to do because it requires changing many regulations including the statute of PTN. In addition, it will also increase the burden of authority of the Head of State, where the current number of State Universities either under Kemenristekdikti, Ministry of Religious Affairs and other ministries and institutions amounted to 300 campuses.

Nevertheless, some circles appreciated the idea. House Commission XI member Dadang Rusdiana said the plan was good for the election of the rector to be more objective and clean. The President’s direct involvement, he continued, shows the state’s commitment to make PTN an important pillar of the nation’s progress.