Src Highlights - Volume 8

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

VOLUME 8.1 |

SEMESTER 1, 2005/2006

COWARDS ON THE LOOSE

It doesn’t need an eagle eye to notice that a number of banners to promote various programmes have been sabotaged recently. Passers-by were completely thunderstrucked on the morning of 27th July 2005 when they saw this; harsh and uncivilized words were sprayed

upon the banners for the SRC’s Students’ Activity Carnival 2005 (STAR ‘05) programmes. Indeed, it seems that there are individuals who are not in favour of our programmes. No matter what their intention, the SRC is disgusted at such attitude and we approve not their

cowardly acts. If such were actions to show disapproval, we ask these people to come forward and confront us in a professional manner. Spraying our banners obviously would not do any good, though we must admit that it certainly is a good way to attract ‘attention’!

STAR ‘05: THE UMMATIC SPIRIT

‘Unity in Diversity’ that was the theme chosen for STAR ‘05. With the objective to unite all society activities in one big programme, STAR ‘05 proves

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to be a great success. Speaking at the opening ceremony for STAR ‘05, Ustaz Hamidon Abdul Hamid, Deputy Rector of Student Affairs

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& Alumni, congratulated the SRC for having successfully managed to initiate a programme that is of ummatic essence. Promoting coordination and collaboration among societies in this University is one of our manifestation. Nothing is impossible and we have proved that societies are able to unite under one big umbrella to conduct one big programme. We hope to see such programme in the next SRC tenure, insyaAllah. 1

EVENTS

HELMET REVISITED: DIALOGUE SESSION In the previous edition of SRC Highlights, we featured an article regarding the implementation of helmet usage in IIUM. True to their words, the Legal Unit had organized an open dialogue between the authorities and the students on 19th July 2005. However, no clear-cut decisions were yet to be made due to a few factors, mainly, the inability of the authorities in-charge to attend it. Only their representatives were present. Nevertheless, it was obvious that the majority of the students and staffs of IIUM are opposed to the very idea. The SRC, whose main concern is to be the extensive voice of the students, have prepared and submitted a proposal to the authorities on the 27th of July pertaining to this matter. According to Br. Rosdam Hanabi Mohamed (Chairperson for Da’wah & Training Secretariat), they prepared the proposal after taking into consideration several factors especially those regarding the well-being of the students. The SRC is not by any means, against the implementation of the new rule, but they are only asking for more time. Among the factors are lack of facilities and safety awareness SRC MICRO HIGHLIGHTS VOLUME 8.1

among students. The SRC has included in the proposal the request to have covered parking spaces in all parking areas in order to protect the helmets as well as the vehicles when it rains and to provide shelves or lockers at every Kuliyyah for the safekeeping of the helmets. They also stressed on the need to instill safety awareness among all students first, by providing adequate early advertisements and notices. This will help to better prepare them in accepting the new rule and SRC is more than willing to assist in the process. Apart from that, the SRC has also submitted the proposal to delay the enforce-

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ment directly to Ustaz Hamidon Abdul Hamid, Deputy Rector of Student Affairs and Alumni on 22nd July 2005. However, since no answers have been given yet regarding this controversial issue, let us pray and hope that the authorities will consider the students’ interest and make wise and appropriate decisions.

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NEWS

INTERNET IN MAHALLAH: ITD REVEALS IT ALL

Responding to the new circular released by the government, the ITD unit of IIUM decided to realize the mission of producing ITliterate university students by adding another service to its list: providing wireless internet connection around IIUM. This project also aims at encouraging students to buy their own notebooks and desktops, as well as to enable students to netsurf anywhere and everywhere around the university area. The area covered would be at the numerous cafes, administration section and its vicinities, the general labs, the library, Nescafe Kiosk and most importantly, the mahallahs and their respective offices. This project has already gone through its initial stages and is well in progress. Just a few months back, ITD gave the permisSRC MICRO HIGHLIGHTS VOLUME 8.1

sion to the service providers to do a pretest on this venture at a few female mahallahs and Alhamdullilah, as the result of the trial is positive, the project has moved to installing hotspots at each mahallah. Conversely, although the ITD Unit is outsourcing this mission, the whole process would be done by the service providers. Thus, students will have to pay a minimum of RM 30 in order to enjoy this privilege. This price is nevertheless subjected to change and is still under negotiation. IIUM members also have to install wireless network adapter to their notebooks and desktops before they could use this service. The question of where to install this equipment is not a problem: the service providers will be the ones selling these adapters to us when the time comes. On the http://www.iiu.edu.my/src

other hand, people without their own laptops and desktops do not have to worry; they could still utilize the speedy connection at the computer labs around IIUM. The ITD unit also will indirectly monitor the students’ netsurfing activities by asking the service providers to record the websites visited by the IIUM Community every month just to ensure that the students especially, will not check out the ‘adult’ websites. ITD would also block some undesirable websites in order to strengthen the protection and to make the monitoring job easier. As this project is a large-scaled one, it would not be materialized this semester. According to the service providers, the IIUM campus is quite large and it will take them around 2 or 3 months to complete the whole procedures and set up the right equipments. However, insyaAllah, by the coming semester 2, we could surf the net in the privacy of our own room. A huge pat on the back should be given to the ITD unit for their tireless effort in upgrading their services and hopefully, IIUM members would benefit from this venture. 3

NEWS DIALOGUE SESSION CALLING ALL DIRECT INTAKES! As mentioned in our previous SRC Highlights (Volume 8), the fate and problems of our direct intakes has yet to be resolved. As a matter of fact, this issue has been ongoing since a few years back. The SRC has tried to sought out ways to solve this problem. We have tried to make arrangements with pertinent authorities but response was obviously scarce. We thus call upon all direct intake students to come to a closed dialogue session which

will be attended by representatives from CELPAD, A&R Division, and Finance Unit. Details of the dialogue are as follow: Date: Thursday (11th Aug. ‘05) Time: 8.00pm Venue: Moot Court, Law. The occasion is intended for direct intake students only. A registration counter will be set up to verify that only direct intakes will be there to discuss their problems with the authorities. For that purpose, please bring along your matric card.

REVISED ACADEMIC CALENDAR In response to the SRC’s appeal to revise the academic calendar for semester 1, session 2005/2006, a revised version has been issued out by the A&R Division. Prior to the new version of the said calendar, the final exam was scheduled to be held after ‘Eidl-fitr. Since many students were not in favour of this, we have sent our proposal to the authority so that changes can be made to the calendar. Alhamdulillah, as endorsed in the 306th Senate Meeting (Special) on 22nd July 2005, the academic calendar was reviewed and hence, a new one was issued. We would like to thank the administration for taking into account our proposal. May Allah reward them. Here are datails of the new academic calendar. Take note that the mid-semester exam has been shortened to three days. However, we will be starting our inter semester break on the 2nd July 2005. SRC MICRO HIGHLIGHTS VOLUME 8.1

LECTURES: 11th Jul. ‘05 - 4th Sep. ‘05 (8 weeks) BREAK: 5th Sep. ‘05 - 7th Sep. ‘05 (3 days) LECTURES: 8th Sep. ‘05 - 19th Oct. ‘05 (6 weeks) EXAMINATION PERIOD: 20th Oct. ‘05 - 1st Nov. ‘05 (1 week 6 days) INTER SEM. VACATION: 2nd Sep. ‘05 - 4th Dec. ‘05 (4 weeks 5 days) Note: National Day (31st Aug. ‘05) Nuzul Qur’an (21st Oct. ‘05) Deepavali (1st Nov. ‘05) ‘Eid Ul-Fitr (3rd - 4th Nov. ‘05) IIUM Convocation (20th - 22nd Aug. ‘05) School Holidays (20th - 28th Aug. ‘05) http://www.iiu.edu.my/src

Personal Growth Gr oup (PGG) Counseling Services Department The PGG gives an opportunity to develop confidence which combines the method of motivational experience by sharing with others. Bearing the motto of “To know yourself is to know others, to know others is to know yourself”, PGG encourages the members to build up their capabilities. The idea of forming this society was introduced in 1997 by Mdm. Zuraidah Abd. Rahman, a professional Counselor invited by Counseling & Career Department of IIUM. PGG aims at bringing out the best in each student in response to the positive influence and support gained from other group members. Specifically, this program serves as a means for the students to boost their selfesteem. The objectives of PGG are: ☺ To identify the individual’s potentials by discovering the determining personal strengths and weaknesses. ☺ To equip the members with practical social skills and guidance. PGG is open to all 1st nd and 2 year undergraduate students only. For more information, you may just stop by the Counseling Services Department (CSD) Student Affairs Division of IIUM. 4