Following the Harassment Case, UI Campus Tightens New Student Selection

DEPOK - The University of Indonesia (UI) will tighten the selection of new students following the alleged case of sexual harassment involving dozens of students from the Faculty of Law (FH UI). This step is taken as an effort to prevent similar cases from being repeated in the campus environment.

UI Rector, Heri Hermansyah, emphasized that the strengthening of the selection is supported by the academic capacity of the campus, including multidisciplinary studies such as gender studies to comprehensively analyze the root of the problem.

"In the future, we need to encourage more holistic and multidisciplinary studies to see the root of the problem in its entirety. From there we can formulate a more appropriate methodology so that similar events can be minimized," said Heri Hermansyah in an official statement, Wednesday, April 22.

In addition to selection, UI will also strengthen education through the orientation program for new students. Mandatory materials will include issues of sexual violence, immorality, drugs, and other contemporary issues by involving the Task Force for the Prevention and Handling of Violence (PPK).

This step is expected to make the delivery of material more comprehensive and have a strong foundation. The University of Indonesia also emphasized that the temporary deactivation of the students involved was not the final sanction, but rather part of the examination process.

"UI emphasizes that this temporary deactivation is not a final form of sanction, but rather part of an administrative process in the context of an examination. The university continues to uphold the principles of presumption of innocence, justice, and the protection of the rights of every individual," he continued.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Empowerment of Women and Child Protection (PPPA) appreciates UI's quick steps in handling this case, including the policy of temporary deactivation to maintain the objectivity of the process.

Minister of PPPA Arifah Fauzi emphasized the importance of strengthening national coordination in handling cases of violence in universities, including clarifying the role of the Task Force and encouraging the exchange of good practices between campuses.

"We need to sit together in a national coordination forum to formulate positions and strengthen the Task Force at universities, as well as learn from existing good practices. In addition, the approach to students must also be more participatory, by involving peers so that the prevention message is easier to accept," he explained.

The entire process of handling this case refers to applicable regulations, including the Regulation of the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Number 55 of 2024 and the UI Rector Regulation Number 37 of 2025 concerning the prevention and handling of violence in the campus environment.