The public sphere has recently been inundated with discussions surrounding the circular letter from the Dean of the UGM Faculty of Engineering No. 2480112/UN1/FTK/I/KM/2023.
This circular allegedly pertains to the Prohibition of LGBT within the Faculty of Engineering at UGM. However, misinformation and hoaxes are swirling around, finding their way into various media outlets, both social and mainstream.
UGM Vice-Rector for Education and Teaching, Professor Wening Udasmoro, underlined UGM’s unequivocal and resolute stance on this issue.
Firstly, UGM, as an educational institution, is firmly grounded in values of integrity, diversity, respect, protection of rights and basic freedoms, and non-discrimination, all of which are mandated in the Indonesian Constitution and various laws related to human rights conventions.
Secondly, UGM is dedicated to fostering a campus environment that is secure, comfortable, conducive, and inclusive, guided by Minister of Education Regulation No. 30 of 2021 on the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence in Higher Education and Minister of Education Regulation No. 46 of 2023 on the Prevention and Handling of Violence in Educational Units in Indonesia.
UGM maintains internal policies against violence, as articulated in Rector’s Regulation No. 1 of 2020 on the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence at UGM, subsequently updated in Rector’s Regulation No. 1 of 2023 addressing the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence by the UGM Community.
Thirdly, UGM operates under a strategic plan (Renstra), providing the bedrock for shaping and managing educational, research, and community service processes. This plan distinctly underscores UGM as a campus fostering an inclusive environment driven by values of tolerance and social solidarity in all interactions at UGM.
Fourthly, UGM is unwavering in its commitment to scrutinizing internal policies, including the circular letter from the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering No. 2480112/UN1/FTK/I/KM/2023. Policies will be revised to align with national policies and prevailing laws and regulations.
Lastly, as an educational institution, UGM is in a perpetual state of social responsibility development, nurturing an academic culture that prioritizes constructive dialogue to bridge differences.
Author: Satria