Office of Research, Publication, and Community Service (LP3M) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) conducted a briefing session for lecturers about their main duties as supervisors of Student Community Service (KKN). Held in Neo Awana Hotel Yogyakarta on Saturday (5/1/19), the briefing session focused on tasks and authorities which supervisors need to execute.
KKN teams are planned to deploy on 14-15 January 2019. Head of the LP3M Ir. Gatot Supangkat, M.P. urged that supervisors should not only act as facilitators but also monitor and get involved in the community service activities. He added that supervisors, as facilitators and companions of students, should be able to comprehend students’ programs well. They should uphold Islamic teachings (Syariat) and taawun (assist) the students because it was in accordance with a theme of the 106th Muhammadiyah anniversary. He also appealed that students and supervisors had to remove gaps, and should cooperate one another to serve people so that purposes of the community service could be achieved.
He continued, “The community service should benefit to people. A concrete example is community service in Kokoda, Papua. We provided Rumah Baca (library) for children to ease them to gain knowledge, so did community service in Bima, Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB). The students even refused to be repatriated from their post when earthquake occurred. We appreciated students’ awareness of helping people who suffered from the disaster. I have become a supervisor of community service since 1991. I believe that all supervisors will perceive pleasure when supervising the students.”
Additionally, Dr. Adhianty, S.Sos, M.Si stated, “Before the deployment, supervisors have already been given responsibilities to escort students in deployment locations and should help them arrange community service program planning. This observation conducted from 8-13 January 2019. Therefore, supervisors are responsible for accompanying and guiding students from an observation stage to a withdrawal stage.
“Supervisors are obliged to coordinate with headman of the village. Together with students, supervisors have to find out village potential. Each year we conduct Rencana Tindak Lanjut (RTL – Follow-up Plan) so that existing programs will be easily continued. Supervisors are also expected to always guide students until the programs are finished,” emphasized Ardhianty.
