IPB University’s engineering and technology faculty dean Slamet Budijanto said a joint team from the faculty and the campus security and protection office had summoned the complainant on Apr 15, after the university received the report a day earlier.
On Apr 16, the faculty called the parties involved for further investigation and evidence collection, then imposed sanctions in the form of a one-semester suspension on the 16 students found to be involved. The suspension took effect on Apr 17.
“Based on the examination process and available evidence, the faculty imposed a one-semester suspension on the 16 students,” he said.
Slamet warned that the suspension was intended as a deterrent measure for the student perpetrators to not reoffend, after the university’s team investigated the report it received.
He further stressed that IPB University does not tolerate or normalise any form of sexual violence under any circumstances.
Meanwhile, the university said that it stands with the victims and will prioritise their protection and recovery.
“Restoration of victims’ rights, both academically and socially; provision of psychological assistance and ongoing support; guarantees of protection from pressure, intimidation, and stigma; as well as strengthening safe spaces for victims and complainants,” said Alfian Helmi, the university’s Director of Cooperation, Communication, and Marketing.
IPB University’s Student Executive Board (BEM) President Muhammad Abdan Rofi confirmed the incident occurred in 2024 and said that both the alleged perpetrators and the two purported victim were from the same cohort in the mechanical and biomedical engineering department, which is part of the engineering and technology faculty.
Abdan also said that the case had initially been resolved internally in 2024 through mediation by senior students within the department, but resurfaced after the sexual harassment case at the University of Indonesia.
IPB University has been investigating the case intensively, he added, with academic sanctions discussed prior to the perpetrators’ suspension.
“Currently, mediation between the parties is being handled by the faculty’s dean, with support from the institution and BEM,” he said.