Bandung (May 10, 2015), the Widyatama University Student Family (KM-UTama) was busy with a series of major activities, namely the KM-UTama General Election. This general election aims to find candidates for leadership positions in the coming academic year. In this election, candidates for Student President (PresMa), Student Consultative Council (MPM), and Chair of the Student Senate (SEMA) will be selected. The KM-UTama General Election is a means of developing the creativity, leadership, and intellectual abilities of Widyatama University students in terms of organization. These general elections are also a means for the student community to practice democracy, channel their aspirations, and elect candidates for leadership positions in the Widyatama University Student Council.
This year’s elections will have the theme HAK KITA (Harus Ada Kepemimpinan Atas Dasar Kepedulian Integritas Tentang Mahasiswa ), which means that we as students have the right to elect leaders who have integrity and care about students. Every student has the right to vote and be elected, so that they can become leaders with leadership capabilities.
The series of activities determined by the KM-Utama Election Organizing Committee (Panpel) includes training guided by Widyatama lecturer Arry Hutomo MDKSP, S.Si., M.T., with the hope that the prospective leaders will gain insight from a lecturer who has held a structural position in student affairs at the Bandung Institute of Technology. After that, the candidates were given time to present their vision and mission to the Rectorate, represented by the Vice Rector I for Learning and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. Davidescu Cristiana Victoria, and the Head of the Student Affairs Bureau, Asep Sudrajat, S.E., M.T.
During their campaigns, candidates were free to campaign dialogically through free speeches so that they could explore themselves in introducing their vision, mission, and work programs to Widyatama University students. This year’s election was contested by 2 candidates for Student Body President, 4 candidates for MPM Chair, 2 candidates for SEMA FBM Chair, 3 candidates for FE Chair, and single candidates from SEMA FT and SEMA FDKV. The election is scheduled to take place over 3 days from May 18-20, 2015, with four polling stations.
Enthusiasm VS Apathy among Widyatama University students
Many active students in student organizations and student associations hope that the new leaders, who will lead more than 3,000 students in their aspirations, will be able to embrace students who are less appreciative of organizational activities. “There needs to be synergy when new leaders take office, with students who are unaware of campus information, to be more persuasive in how to make them more aware of university or foundation activities,” said Gitta, one of the KM-UTama 2015 Election Committee members. She also emphasized the need for ongoing collaboration between educational institutions and organizational bodies, particularly the various offices involved in supporting organizational activities.
