Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Panut Mulyono, M.Eng., D.Eng., said there was no a dropout warning to students related to a Leadership in Millenial Era seminar that was planned for Friday (12/10).
“The faculty management or university management had never issued a dropout warning, and there was no statement saying that the students hosting the event was threatened to drop out,” said Panut to reporters on Monday (15/10).
Panut also said the cancelled permit for room use was not due to pressures from certain people but due to unsuitable procedures. Hence, he asked people not to link this matter with political contestation.
“UGM as a national campus always stays neutral in responding to domestic political events,” he affirmed.
Dean of Faculty of Animal Sciences UGM, Prof. Dr. Ir. Ali Agus, DAA., DEA., said the Faculty had policy related to the use of its facilities which is for research, education, and community service, involving the Faculty’s academic community.
He explained when the request for room use was submitted on Thursday, the Faculty thought it was organised by a student executive body and gave permit orally. But when they learned it was not so, the Faculty revoked the permit.
“The procedures for external groups are different. Requests should be made 7 days in advance. (Request for) This event had just been submitted 2 days before,” he said.
On the inclusion of logo of the student executive body in the seminar poster, chairman of student executive body of the Faculty, Angger M Ghozwan Hanif, said they were not the one who organised the seminar. The student executive body never issued a publication in any forms, including the poster already circulating.
“There was an error in the poster with the logo being put on top, giving the impression that it was the student executive body event. I can confirm that this is not the event of the student executive body, we just helped the committee in getting the permit,” said Angger.
He added he had asked the committee to coordinate with the Dean’s office on hosting the seminar. But it turned out that the committee did not follow suit.
At the same place, Vice-Rector for Education, Teaching and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Ir. Djagal Wiseso Marseno, M.Agr, said this case ought to be a lesson for students to take responsibility for what they did.
UGM, he said, was open for giving the forum for discussion that involves presidential candidates teams if it is done in the academic framework and under the right procedures.
“We welcome anyone that wants to hold a discussion. The duty of the university is to explore sciences, including politics,” said Djagal.