BEM UI Rejects Campus Facility Rental Fees, Citing Excessive Costs

The Student Executive Body of Universitas Indonesia (BEM UI) has voiced strong opposition to a new Rector's Decree that imposes significant rental fees for campus facilities. This decision, which reportedly sets daily rates at Rp100 million for external users and Rp50 million for internal users, is seen by BEM UI as an unacceptable burden on students who already contribute substantially through their Tuition Fee (UKT).

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From BEM, we reject it. We already pay UKT, which is also high. Campus facilities should be usable without additional costs.

Albani Ilmi, Head of the Action and Propaganda Department at BEM UI, articulated the student body's concerns, stating that they "reject" the decree. The core of their objection lies in the principle that campus facilities, funded in part by student fees, should be accessible without additional charges. Ilmi argues that these new fees could "hinder student activities," making it difficult for organizations and individuals to host events, discussions, or academic gatherings. The ambiguity surrounding which activities are exempt from fees further complicates the issue, creating uncertainty and potential barriers.

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If it has to be rented out to students, that's excessive. It could even revoke our rights.

BEM UI criticizes this policy as a symptom of the university's status as a state-owned legal entity (PTN-BH), which encourages self-funding. However, they argue that the university is pursuing revenue streams that "burden students" rather than seeking "productive funding sources." This approach, they contend, risks "revoking students' rights" to utilize campus resources, turning essential facilities into commercial assets.

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The model is like renting out assets, not seeking productive funding sources.

The university administration, through its Director of Public Relations, Erwin Agustian Panigoro, has countered that the information circulating on social media is incomplete and fails to mention provisions for fee exemptions for the academic community. He clarified that internal users engaged in academic activities like education, research, and community service would not be charged. However, BEM UI remains skeptical, questioning the clarity and implementation of these exemptions. From our perspective at Tempo, this dispute highlights a critical tension between the university's financial needs as a PTN-BH and its responsibility to provide accessible educational resources to its students. The debate over facility usage fees is not just about money; it's about the fundamental accessibility and purpose of a public university.

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That information is incomplete because it does not include the clause on fee exemptions for the academic community.