Versi BM; English version below.

KMUM KEKAL TEGAS BERPENDIRIAN DALAM MENUNTUT KEBEBASAN MAHASISWA/I DALAM MEMILIH MOD PEMBELAJARAN

Pada 8 April 2022, Fakulti Sastera dan Sains Sosial (FSSS) telah pun mengeluarkan kenyataan di mana mereka membenarkan pelaksanaan kelas secara dalam talian bagi semester ini. Walau bagaimanapun, kenyataan tersebut telah ditarik balik pada 9 April 2022 akibat daripada campur tangan pihak pentadbiran universiti. Pembatalan keputusan sebegini telah membuktikan bahawa: i) Tuntutan dari mahasiswa/i untuk tidak mewajibkan kelas secara bersemuka terutamanya dari pelajar aliran bukan teknikal adalah rasional dan boleh dilaksana; ii) Keputusan yang diambil pihak pentadbiran universiti adalah tidak munasabah kerana ianya dibuat dengan mengabaikan kebajikan mahasiswa/i. Pihak Kesatuan juga ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mewakili mahasiswa/i daripada FSSS bagi mengucapkan jutaan penghargaan kepada pihak pengurusan fakulti atas pertimbangan dan kerjasama yang diberikan mereka demi menjamin kemaslahatan pelajar-pelajarnya. 

Pihak Kesatuan dengan ini ingin menegaskan sekali lagi pendirian kami terhadap isu ini:

1. Pihak Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (KMUM) tidak menentang pelaksanaan kelas secara bersemuka. Sebaliknya, kebanyakan ahli eksekutif KMUM beserta mahasiswa UM telah menyatakan kepada pihak pengurusan fakulti masing-masing bahawa mereka BERSEDIA untuk kembali ke kampus untuk kelas bersemuka pada Minggu ke-8.

2. Walau bagaimanapun, kami menuntut supaya mahasiswa/i UM, terutamanya daripada aliran bukan teknikal untuk diberikan kebebasan untuk memilih mod pembelajaran mereka bagi semester ini. Tuntutan ini dibuat setelah mengambil kira perancangan dan persediaan yang telah dibuat oleh mahasiswa/i di awal semester berdasarkan pengumuman oleh beberapa fakulti yang telah menyatakan pelaksanaan kelas dalam talian sepenuhnya bagi semester ini.

3. Tambahan pula, notis untuk mengadakan kelas bersemuka sebegini sepatutnya dikeluarkan sebelum semester bermula supaya pelajar dapat membuat persiapan awal, seperti mencari tempat penginapan dan sebagainya. Notis lewat ini hanya menyukarkan pelajar apabila mereka perlu memberikan tumpuan kepada komitmen akademik dan bukannya mencari tempat penginapan serta berpindah-randah dalam tempoh ini.

4. Pihak Kesatuan terbuka untuk menerima keputusan ini sekiranya pengecualian diberikan seperti yang telah dijanjikan oleh Timbalan Naib Canselor (Akademik & Antarabangsa) dalam sebuah mesyuarat bersama Presiden KMUM dan semua dekan fakulti sebelum ini. Walau bagaimanapun, ia kemudiannya dijelaskan bahawa hanya pelajar antarabangsa yang mempunyai sekatan perjalanan serta pelajar yang mempunyai masalah kesihatan sahaja yang boleh memohon pengecualian. Hal ini menjadi asbab bagi KMUM untuk membuat desakan sebegini terutamanya apabila keputusan tersebut adalah tidak rasional untuk pelajar tahun akhir, pelajar dari Sabah & Sarawak serta pelajar yang akan menjalani latihan industri di negeri lain yang kebanyakkannya terpaksa menandatangani kontrak rumah sewa selama satu tahun walaupun kelas fizikal hanya akan dilaksanakan kurang daripada 3 bulan. Secara logiknya, pelajar yang dikecualikan daripada kelas bersemuka ini juga harus diberikan pengecualian daripada peperiksaan bersemuka atas rasional yang sama.

5. Akhir sekali, pihak Kesatuan juga menuntut pihak pentadbiran universiti untuk mengeluarkan SOP dan garis panduan yang jelas pada 15 April 2022 dan 22 April 2022 untuk pengajaran dan pembelajaran (PdP) serta peperiksaan bersemuka. Tambahan pula, pihak universiti mesti menyediakan garis panduan alternatif bagi peperiksaan bersemuka sekiranya kes Covid-19 di dalam kampus melonjak tinggi bagi membendung risiko jangkitan serta untuk menjawab beberapa pertanyaan penting seperti:
i) Penempatan kuarantin bagi pelajar yang positif Covid-19 kerana akan timbulnya isu kekurangan bilik untuk menampung kesemua pelajar

ii)  Ruang terhad dan tertutup di dewan/bilik kuliah dibandingkan dengan jumlah pelajar

iii) Langkah yang perlu diambil oleh pensyarah sekiranya kelas hibrid dilaksanakan untuk memastikan pelajar positif COVID-19 dan antarabangsa dapat mengikuti kelas walaupun tidak dapat untuk hadir ke kelas secara fizikal

6. Kesimpulannya, pihak Kesatuan menuntut pihak berkenaan supaya:

- Memberikan hak memilih mod PdP kepada semua mahasiswa/i yang bukan daripada aliran sains.

- Mengeluarkan notis dan garis panduan yang jelas sebelum 15/4 dan 22/4 bagi kaedah PdP serta peperiksaan akhir secara bersemuka 

- Menyediakan pelan alternatif untuk pelaksanaan peperiksaan akhir jika kes positif terlalu tinggi sewaktu tempoh peperiksaan berikut.

Ayuh, berikan pilihan kepada mahasiswa!

#StudentPower

BERKHIDMAT DEMI MAHASISWA

Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya 2021/2022

 

REAFFIRMING OUR STANCE IN DEMANDING THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THE MODE OF LEARNING FOR STUDENTS

On 8th of April 2022, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences had agreed in writing to allow online classes to resume throughout the semester. However, on 9th of April 2022, the statement was retracted due to the interference from the central university administration. This serves to tell us two things : i) What our non-science students are demanding is rational as there is no such need for a sudden change in the decision for classes to be mandatorily physical starting week 8 and ii) our central university management are being unreasonable by neglecting student welfare and making arbitrary decisions against student interest. Nevertheless, we would like to represent the students from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences to record our sincere gratitude to the Faculty management for their initial kind consideration and collaboration for the best of student interest.

With that, we hereby reinstate our stance towards this entire nonsensical issue:

1. UMSU and its fellow students are not against having physical classes. In fact, many of our executive members and students supporting the cause have reflected to our respective faculty management that WE ARE willing to return to campus for physical classes in Week 8. 

2. However, we demand that students, especially from non-science backgrounds, be given the freedom to choose their mode of learning.
This is because at the beginning of the semester, the university administration has misrepresented to the students from some faculties that classes will be conducted fully online. As a result, students have made their academic plans accordingly and have even withdrawn from their residential colleges.

3. Additionally, the notice to have physical classes which should have been given even before the semester for students to make the necessary arrangements for students to seek accommodation and settle in came in only during week 2. This late notice has caused much hardship upon students as they struggle between their academic (assignment period peaks around week 8) and personal commitments with the need to seek accommodation and move in.

4. The students would have accepted the decision if proper case-by-case basis exemption were to be given as promised by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic & International) in a prior meeting with the President of UMSU and all the faculty deans. However, it was later made clear that only international students with travel restrictions and students with medical conditions could apply for exemption. This was the turning point that prompted UMSU to take action and fight back, especially since it is irrational for final year students, students from Sabah & Sarawak and students soon to be interning in another state to sign a 1-year rental contract for less than 3 months of physical classes. Logically, these students who are exempted from physical classes should also be exempted from physical exams on the same rationale.

5. Lastly, we are also demanding that the university administration issue clear SOP and guidelines by 15/4/2022 and 22/4/2022 for the teaching and learning as well as for physical exams respectively. Furthermore, there must be a plan B for physical exams in the event Covid-19 cases on campus spikes drastically. Such SOPs are necessary to contain outbreak risks, as well as answer crucial questions like:
i) Where should the COVID-19 affected students be quarantined when there is already a lack of rooms to accommodate the students

ii) Where will the lectures and tutorials be conducted since it will be conducted in a closed space and the halls are too small in comparison to the number of students in a class

iii) What are the actions needed to be taken by the lecturers to conduct hybrid classes to ensure that the COVID-19 and international students could attend the classes despite being physically absent. 

6. In conclusion, the Union demands that :

- All students from non-science courses and faculties which requires no hands-on classes be given the freedom to choose their mode of learning. 

- Clear SOP and guidelines must be given before 15/4 dan 22/4 to state how in-class learning and final physical exams should be conducted. 

- The university must have a clear alternative plan for physical exams in the event that there is a major Covid-19 outbreak in the campus. 

Ayuh, mansuhkan kelas fizikal mandatori!

#StudentPower

SERVING THE STUDENTS

Universiti Malaya Students’ Union 2021/2022