Involving Students

To Make Campus Regulation

(Jitro Tamu Ama, Mathematics, Unkriswina-Sumba)

Pro and contra will always appear toward new policies issued by a party that bind others. It is natural dynamic. It also happened when the leader of Wira Wacana-Sumba Christian University issued a regulation regarding with smoking prohibition and disposing betel nut spit carelesssly in campus area. The regulation itself has been effective since the beginning of new periode 2018/2019. The rector announced the regulation in the prayer & worship of civitas academica Unkriswina attended by all lecturers, staffs and students.

The regulation made by campus and announced by the rector surprised all students, even some were rather shocked and then asked why such rules should be made, while some others gave opinion about smoking ban was not needed to be implemented by considering that all in campuss are mature and not high school students anymore. The parties who agreed with it, said that campus should be smoking-free area in order to avoid disease. Actually the regulation itself was related with problem of campus cleanliness.

The involvement of student is part of democracy

The existence of pro and con parties towards new regulations made by campus, could be understood by the writer, the writer didn’t disagree with the regulation as it related with health and campus cleanliness. However what the writer regretted was campus did not involve students to make the regulation and there was no regulation publication to students but it must be followed by all campus stakeholders.

Student involvement to make campus regulation showed that campus respected democracy. In this case, campus should invite student organizations to discuss first, because they were some representatives of  students.

Campus should provide specific space for students who eat betel nut and smoke, also realizes that there are many students eating betel nut, even smoking. In order to accommodate everyone to be happy in campus, campus should provide a space for those who eat betel nut and smoke.

In conclusion, the writes did not reject the regulation because it was a good will, considering students were not aware of maintaining cleanliness when smoking and throwing away betel nut spit. The writer just needed to criticize the campus which did not involve student organizations to have discussions about it first. The regulation should be obeyed by all campus stakoholders, such as lecturers, staffs and students. The regulation should be obeyed by all stakeholders without exception. It reflects that  democracy  works well. ***