Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) held a coordination meeting together with the Kasihan Koramil, Kasihan Police Department, Bantul District Health Office, and the heads of the Kasihan, Tamantirto Village and other subdistricts around it, Thursday (4/6). The meeting that was chaired by the Rector of UMY, Dr. Ir. Gunawan Budiyanto, M.P, IPM, discussed the scenario of students returning from their home areas to campus. This is done in order to fulfill new normal policies and design strict health protocols.
“We are aware that it is not possible to return to conditions like before COVID-19 existed, so we must be prepared with ‘new normal’,” he said while chairing the meeting at the K.H Ibrahim UMY Building.
Then, Gunawan also explained that UMY had made preparations to continue online lectures for students. This is done to welcome the new semester which will begin in September 2020. However, he also mentioned that not all lectures can be done online. Examples include practical activities that must be carried out face-to-face by several Study Programs.
“UMY is already preparing for online studies in the new semester in September, but practicum lectures are not possible online. Practicum laboratories will be reduced from the maximum capacity of 30-40 people to 10 people for one laboratory,” continued Gunawan.
Kasihan Sub-District Chief Slamet Santoso, S.IP, also added that there is a need for massive and careful coordination to anticipate the return of students from their home regions. This was done to anticipate the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Regarding the plan to reopen offline lectures, there needs to be a solution for student residence and mobility because it is difficult to control the map spread,” he added.
At the same time, the Head of the Disease Prevention and Control Section of the Bantul District Health Office, dr. Sri Wahyu Joko Santosa said that the higher education sector is one of the complicated sectors to be handled during an outbreak. This is because the handling does not only involve the campus, but also involves residents around the campus where the students live.
“This has become very difficult because it is related to norms and culture in the surrounding community. If this continues, the existence of stigma in society becomes an obstacle to the implementation of a new life (new normal). People are afraid to face social life,” he said.
For this reason, Joko stated that the campus should continue to coordinate regularly with the surrounding community. In addition, he also asked students to comply with regulations made by the campus and also report to the authorities and obey the policies in their place of residence.
“The travelers are asked to carry out existing health protocols with independent isolation and continue to implement existing basic health protocols. The community also needs to support and monitor the new travelers based on instructions from the regent and governor, “he concluded.
UMY has set 1 – 5 July 2020 as the time of arrival for students to the Special Region of Yogyakarta. For final students and those in practicum, the status of the Disaster Emergency Response COVID-19 has been extended until 30 June 2020. Practicum activities, lab skills, and professional practice or practical work or apprenticeship for the Even Semester 2019/2020 will be held on July 20, 2020 – August 30, 2020.
UMY continues to make preparations to help the student travel process, including by providing a certificate as a final student or practicum, which can be downloaded via KRS online. (ak)
