Rector issues Circular Letter number 001/UN8/SE/2023 concerning Campus Integrity

BANJARMASIN – The Rector of the University of Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) issued a Campus Integrity Circular regarding the prohibition for students and teaching staff to give or receive money in any form related to academic services within ULM. Circular letter number 001/UN8/SE/2023 is addressed to all Faculty Deans and Postgraduate Directors of ULM. There are four policies contained in the letter, the first is a prohibition regarding the provision of consumption from students when carrying out Proposal Seminars, Thesis Examinations, Theses, and other similar activities. Second, the prohibition for lecturers to make scientific writing for students. Third, it is forbidden for students to give money in any form to teaching staff. Fourth, all employees within the ULM environment are prohibited from receiving gifts in any form from students or parents of students related to academic services.

With the publication of this circular, it reaped various comments from ULM campus residents. Like the Coordinator of the Education Technology Study Program Hamsi Mansur, he said the policy in the first point was an initiative of students. “In my opinion, the provision of consumption by students is an initiative of the students because they feel bad if the examiner is not given any consumption at all,” he said.

This is in line with the response given by a student of the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Program (PBSI) who has completed his thesis session, Cahaya Nor Hidayah. He said that the provision of consumption during the trial has existed from the previous generation so that future generations will follow this custom. “This is an initiative that arose out of habit. In the beginning, the provision of consumption was indeed an initiative of the students, but over time this has become a habit,” he said. With this letter, he hopes that students will be more enthusiastic about carrying out their role in realizing ULM as a campus with integrity.

“I think the circular letter is indeed for the common good,” he continued.

Besides that, the Dean of the Teaching and Education Faculty (FKIP) Chairil Faif Pasani emphasized that if the implemented policy is violated, it must be reported immediately. “Actually, circulars regarding integrity facts have been around for a long time and are taking place within ULM. I really appreciate it and I’ve done that. Now, if students feel aggrieved or made it difficult, they can report it,” he said.