When the Military Enters Campus: Balancing Discipline and Academic Freedom

PADANG, JurnalPost.com - The university campus serves as a space for exchanging ideas, engaging in discourse, and developing critical thought. Beyond acquiring knowledge, students learn to question every idea, evaluate rules and policies, and express opinions with full responsibility. Consequently, the presence of the military within the campus environment can trigger resistance from students. This phenomenon raises questions regarding the boundary between building discipline and normalizing obedience to authority.

This debate was evident during the 2026 Academic and Student Culture Introduction (PBAK) at UIN Alauddin Makassar. On September 1, 2026, a number of new students unfurled a banner reading “Reject the Military Entering Campus” while the Commander of the XIV/Hasanuddin Military Regional Command was present as a guest speaker. This action was followed by the summoning of students, sparking a broader debate regarding military involvement on campus. News reports also mentioned the emergence of rumors regarding potential sanctions and expulsion (DO), though these threats have not been confirmed as official university decisions (Syamsir Anchi, 2026).

A similar case previously occurred at UIN Walisongo Semarang in April 2025. When students held a discussion titled 'Fascism Threatens the Campus: The Shadow of the Military over Academic Freedom,' a member of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) arrived at the event location. The TNI explained that the visit was part of regional monitoring. Meanwhile, the university stated that students should remain critical and are permitted to organize discussions (Ul Haq, 2025). Both cases highlight the ongoing debate regarding the presence of security forces on campus and how students' freedom to express their views should be protected.

This phenomenon can be analyzed using Michel Foucault’s theory of disciplinary power. In his book, Discipline and Punish, Foucault (1995) explains that power does not always operate through punishment or coercion, but also through surveillance, rules, and the formation of behaviors deemed 'normal.' In education, discipline is indeed necessary to create an orderly learning environment. However, this discipline becomes problematic when students are pressured to follow authorities without being given space to question or express disagreement.

The presence of military personnel in academic activities does not automatically indicate militarism. However, if an educational environment makes students feel that criticizing authority carries the risk of consequences, this condition must be evaluated. Students should be able to express ideas and opinions responsibly without losing the opportunity to learn and participate in the academic environment.

This perspective can be deepened through the thoughts of Paulo Freire. Freire (2000) explains the importance of education that encourages dialogue and critical consciousness. Quality education provides opportunities for students to ask questions, discuss, and test ideas. From Freire’s perspective, the actions of the UIN Alauddin students can be understood as a form of expressing their views on the academic environment they desire.

It is important not to equate all forms of discipline with militarism. Campuses require rules, students require responsibility, and academic activities require good governance. What we should criticize is when hierarchical patterns and obedience are considered more important than dialogue, or when dissenting opinions are viewed as disturbances that must be immediately controlled. Discipline that supports education should not make students afraid to express their opinions.

Education is not merely about producing orderly and obedient students. Campuses also need to shape individuals who dare to think critically, are capable of dialogue, and are responsible for their opinions. The presence of the military on campus should not erode these principles. If discipline is used as an excuse to narrow the space for criticism, education risks losing one of its most important functions: forming individuals who are not only able to follow rules and policies, but also understand, evaluate, and take responsibility for those rules.

References
Anchi, S. (2026, September 2). The case of UIN Alauddin new students rejecting the military on campus during PBAK, leading to expulsion rumors. Metro Selebes.
Foucault, M. (1995). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Vintage Books.
Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed: 30th Anniversary Edition. Bloomsbury Academic.
Ul Haq, A. Z. (2025, April 16). UIN Semarang students surprised by TNI visit during discussion, Military Command provides explanation. detikNews.