Rector to surrender UI management to minister

University of Indonesia (UI) Rector Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri says he is ready to hand over the governance of the university to the Education and Culture Ministry if internal problems at the university are not resolved by the end of December.

“This is the minister’s authority, so he is welcome [to take charge],” he said Sunday, as quoted by tempo.co.

Gumilar explained that Government Regulation No. 66/2011, the regulation that he said sparked the problems in UI, stipulated that a rector is accountable to the minister and no longer to the university’s panel of trustees (MWA).

“A rector is a public official under the education minister, while the MWA no longer has the authority to appoint, choose and dismiss a rector,” he said.

Gumilar said his interpretation of the regulation was affirmed by the Supreme Court in October. The challenge now for everyone involved is to be able to come to a common understanding of the regulation.

Internal conflicts within the university hit the headlines in August when students and lecturers protested Gumilar's decision to award King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia an honorary degree in recognition of his contribution to the field of peace and humanity.

A group of UI protesters, including political communication professor Efendi Gozali, other lecturers and representatives from its Students' Executive Body, recently reported Gumilar to the KPK for alleged corruption and the acceptance of a gratuity.