After The Dean Of The Faculty Of Medicine Was Removed, Professors And Hundreds Of Civitas Unair Surabaya Threatened To Strike

A number of flower bouquets of support to lecturers Budi Santoso in the yard of Airlangga University, Surabaya, Thursday, July 4, 2024.

The removal of the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine (FK), Universitas Airlangga (Unair) Surabaya Budi Santoso, has sparked a polemic within the Unair campus. Hundreds of academic community at Airlangga University held a peaceful demonstration in front of the FK Unair building on Thursday, July 4, 2024.

There are two main points voiced in the action, namely the return of Budi Santoso's structural position as the dean and demanding freedom of opinion for all academics and doctors in Indonesia.

In addition, in the action, an invitation was voiced for a teaching strike. This strike was a form of protest against the arbitrary action of the Unair rector who unilaterally dismissed Budi Santoso.

"Senior and junior junior saw Budi Santoso's good achievements. So, we questioned what big mistake caused him to be sent suddenly from his position," said Hafid Bajamal, one of Unair's professors.

Now, he and a number of other professors are still waiting for the rector's reasons for the dismissal of Budi Santoso's position. His party also threatened to go on a teaching strike.

"We have united the existing lecturers and staff," he said.

Meanwhile, responding to the alleged dismissal of Budi for rejecting the import policy of foreign doctors, Head of the Unair Public Communication and Information Center Martha Kurnia revealed that Budi's dismissal from his position was an internal campus policy.

"The reason or consideration of Airlangga University leadership regarding this dismissal is an internal policy to implement better governance in order to strengthen institutions, especially in the FK Unair environment," he said.

He said that Unair would like to express his deepest gratitude and appreciation for Budi's service during his tenure. Budi Santoso was dismissed from his position as FK Unair dean on Wednesday, July 3, 2024.