Yogyakarta, March 30th 2020 – It has already been two weeks since the online learning process starts. The learning process which used to be held with a “face to face” method, is now held through online platforms such as Webex, Zoom, Google Classroom, or Whatsapp Groups (WAG). Gadjah Mada University’s instruction for all scholars to use online platforms was issued to minimalize the spread of Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The term social distancing is familiar in the midst of this global pandemic. A term that asks people to minimize social contact for the time being. This policy creates some pros and cons in the society because of several effects that the policy made, especially in the aspect of economy.
This global pandemic creates several effects that is felt by the majority of people that encounters difficulties because of social distancing in their work and economic life. This effect is also felt by students of universities all across Indonesia, one of them being the students of the Faculty of Social Science and Politics (also known as FISIPOL). There are a lot of complaints by FISIPOL students about the policy of the online class learning process. There are complaints about network problems, sessions with their guiding professor, and about the online task assignments. Inputs from students were received by Faculty members through the Dean Online Hearing, specifically by Dr.Wawan Mas’udi as the Vice Dean of Academics and Student Affair Department of FISIPOL. This online hearing was accommodated by FISIPOL Media Team through the Instagram Live feature.
In conducting the Dean Online Hearing, Dr Wawan Masudi or better known as Mas Wawan, tried to reply to several complaints that sums up the majority of complaints taken. The first reply is towards the network problems experienced by students. In light of this problem, the faculty will give a prepay subsidy. Mas Wawan also explained to the viewers of the Online Hearing that this subsidy is an alternative solution that will be facilitated immediately by the faculty to FISIPOL students. Next, the issue of difficulty in conducting sessions with their guiding professor is also answered. To respond to this issue, the faculty creates a special SOP that is given to the Departments and Professors to optimize online communication when assisting final year students who are trying to finish their final essay.
Mas Wawan did not just address two problems. He also gave a reply about the amount of online task assignments that students consider overwhelming. To address that issue, Mas Wawan said that Gadjah Mada University have issued an announcement for professors to give a rational and reasonable amount of tasks. The university also gave an announcement for professors to not increase student’s work load. The mid term final will also be erased. Other than that, the faculty also announced that the online learning process should be held in a 30 minutes span so that it doesn’t weigh on the student’s internet network. The learning process can then be continued with an online discussion by using platforms such as Whatsapp group that doesn’t take much of the student’s internet quota.
When finishing this online hearing, Mas Wawan reasserted once again that this online learning process will go on tentatively. This decision is made in consideration with the sudden and sporadic spread of Covid-19 in several cities in Indonesia. The University and Faculty will also give a subsidy of basic food consisting of rice, egg, and noodles to university students in need. An alternative solution for the upcoming final test is included in the online learning process policy by the University. According to this policy, the final term will either be conducted before Eid or after Eid. This policy will be reiterated by the University and Faculty member in the future. It is hoped that of FISIPOL scholars are willing to pay attention to the points already made in this online hearing.