UINSA Rector Removed After Protests, Students Demand Official Proof

Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar officially removed Akh Muzakki from the position of Rector of Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Ampel (UINSA) Surabaya. The decision is contained in Minister of Religious Affairs Decree (KMA) No. 060729/MA.KP.07/09/2026 issued on 23 September 2026, a day after Muzakki submitted his resignation letter. The move came after a wave of student demonstrations that culminated in the sealing off of the campus.

Irony accompanied the resignation. Muzakki had just been inaugurated for his second term on 15 September 2026, meaning he lasted only about a week before deciding to step down. Head of the Human Resources Bureau of the Kemenag General Secretariat, Muhammad Zain, explained that the dismissal decree was issued following the resignation statement submitted on 22 September 2026. "Through the KMA issued on 23 September 2026, the Minister of Religious Affairs dismissed Prof Muzakki with honor and thanks for his services to date," Zain said in a written statement, Wednesday (23/9).

To prevent a leadership vacuum, the Minister of Religious Affairs immediately appointed Director General of Islamic Education Amien Suyitno as Acting (Plt) Rector of UIN Surabaya. Zain stressed that Suyitno would carry out the duties until a definitive rector is inaugurated as soon as possible. The appointment is expected to maintain the academic and administrative stability of the campus, which is currently in turmoil.

From the campus, Professor of the History of Classical Islamic Thought at UINSA, Prof KH Imam Ghazali Said, confirmed the resignation news. He ensured the letter had been received by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. "The letter was sent yesterday at 22.00 WIB and this morning it had arrived at the Ministry of Religious Affairs," Prof Imam said when confirmed, Wednesday (23/9). This statement reinforces that the administrative process is proceeding according to procedure.

Although the Ministry of Religious Affairs has issued the KMA and appointed an Acting Rector, the wave of student protests has not subsided. The UINSA Student Executive Board (DEMA) is still sealing off the campus and refuses to believe the news before seeing black-and-white proof. Vice President of DEMA UINSA, Fadlurrakhman Fazle Purwardana, stressed that his side demands administrative proof of the rector's resignation before ending the boycott. "If it is true that the rector has decided to resign, what we want is normative proof that he has resigned. Not through news, not through statements or talk," Fadlurrakhman said at UINSA Campus 1 Surabaya, Wednesday (23/9).

The case at UINSA is not merely an internal campus matter. It highlights the dynamics of the relationship between religious higher education authorities and student participation in overseeing campus governance. In recent years, waves of student demonstrations at various state universities have increasingly demanded transparency and accountability in leadership. The resignation of a rector who had just been inaugurated again raises questions about the selection and evaluation mechanisms for higher education leaders, especially within the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which oversees many UINs and IAINs.

For the Indonesian public, this event mirrors how student pressure can force policy changes in educational institutions. However, DEMA's refusal to lift the seal shows that trust cannot be built through official announcements alone. Two-way communication and verifiable documentary evidence are needed to ease tensions. Otherwise, the boycott could spread and disrupt academic activities ahead of the odd semester.

Going forward, attention will focus on Amien Suyitno's steps as Acting Rector. Can he bridge student aspirations and restore the campus atmosphere? And will the Ministry of Religious Affairs open access to the resignation documents to meet student demands? The answers to these questions will determine UINSA's direction in the coming months.