SENATE ROOM: Need to Realize, The Presence of Professors in the Senate

 

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The academic senate is the highest normative body in higher education in the academic field, while Professor is the highest functional position for Lecturers who are still teaching in higher education. Professors have a role in advancing institutions, especially universities in their main duties and functions.

 

The duties of the Academic Senate include formulating higher education academic policies, formulating policies for performance assessment, skills, and the personality of the academic community, formulating regulations for the implementation of academic freedom, freedom of academic pulpit, and academic autonomy of higher education, formulating norms and benchmarks for higher education, assessing accountability leadership and implementation of policies that have been determined.

 

According to the websites of several universities, the Academic Senate is the highest normative body in the university in the academic field consisting of the Chancellor, Faculty Deans, Professors and Deputy Lecturers of Non-Professors who are elected by election, and other elements are determined by the Academic Senate. His job is to formulate policies, provide considerations, and supervise in the academic field.

 

 

Only One Professor

 

Meanwhile Permendikbud No.139/2014, describes the membership of the Senate of Universities, Institutes, Colleges, Polytechnics, Academies, or Community Academies. Namely (1) Senate members may consist of higher education leaders, representatives of higher education leaders, leaders of education implementation units (faculties or departments), leaders of research and community service implementing units and leaders of supporting units and / or technical units in the academic field. (2) The membership composition of the Senate consists of a chairman who is also a member, a secretary who is also a member and a member. (3) The chairperson and secretary are held by members who are not leaders of higher education institutions, and (4) the chairperson and secretary are elected from among the members, appointed and dismissed by the higher education leaders. In this decision, it appears that there are not the slightest rules that determine the existence of a great teacher.

 

Also in Permenristek No.35/2018 concerning the Statute of the Jakarta State Polytechnic, it can be seen in Article 28 paragraph 1 and paragraph 2 which explains that Senate Members consist of: 3 (three) Lecturer representatives from each department; Director; Assistant Director; Head of program; and Head of Research and Community Service Unit. (2) Senate members from the Lecturers' representatives as referred to in paragraph (1) letter a are selected from and by the Lecturers in each department.

 

So it can be seen in this Statute that there is no Senate slot filled by a professor, which is acceptable because when this Statute was enacted it was not at the Jakarta State Polytechnic. Until now, PNJ only has one professor.

 

Honor and Pride

 

Now, it is up to the direction of the PNJ Senate's future institutional policies towards the existence of professors. As we know, Lecturers with the functional position of Professor are not ordinary lecturers. They are lecturers with quality and proven professionals, academically and ethically.

 

Therefore, professors become Polytechnic assets as well as a driving force to develop professional lecturers in the future. Therefore, the person concerned must be in the Polytechnic Senate, without going through an election because the number is still rare. Last but not least, the Polytechnic Statute will be revised as soon as possible to adjust to current developments.

 

The functional position of Professor for Lecturers is an honor and pride. The award given as a permanent member of the Senate needs to be realized immediately. So that the PNJ will have stronger institutions, especially in the Senate which has the main task of making policy and carrying out its supervisory function. (Afrizal Nursin / Chairman of the PNJ Senate)