What is a Student Association – Sinaumed’s who have just entered college or are about to study at a dream university, of course they are no strangers to the term student association or better known as Hima.
When you become a student at a university and choose a particular major, Sinaumed’s will meet or even be offered to join as a member of Hima. What exactly is Hima? And what are the activities within the intra-campus organization? Check out the following explanation!
What is a Student Association?
The Student Association or Hima is a student organization that is at the department level and includes intra-campus organizations, as well as part of extra-curricular activities that every student can choose from and participate in. The presence of the Student Association organization comes from the principle of, by and for students.
Hima is a medium for its members to be able to develop the mindset, personality and potential possessed by each student related to scientific disciplines, so that after graduating from college students are ready to go directly into society.
Basically, there are two Student Associations, namely the Departmental Student Association or HMJ and the Study Program Student Association or HMPS which are at the faculty level and are under the coordination of the Faculty Student Senate or BEM, so that all activities held by HMJ or HMPS must have an affiliation. with programs in the Student Senate.
Activities held by student associations are usually limited to activities that can be held at the environment or department level, especially activities that have a framework for studying and scientific development in each department. For example, in a Faculty of Education, there will be a PLS student association. and so forth.
So that in each faculty, there are several student associations that are formed according to the departments in a faculty. However, if there is only one department in a faculty, then if in a faculty there is only one department, there will only be one student association.
In student association organizations, the management structure consists of five administrators as follows, namely the chairman, vice chairman, secretary, treasurer, and several other board members according to the needs of the student association. Administrators of student associations are generally elected in a general election such as general elections involving all students in a department.
Therefore, the principles that are carried out and owned by the Student Association are from, by and for students. So thus all the consequences, both costs and and will become the responsibility and burden of each student association, except if there are different policies from student organizations at the level above such as Faculty BEM, Dean or Student Senate.
Broadly speaking, a student association can be interpreted as an association whose members are students from the same major, and have the same vision, mission and goals.
Functions and Activities of the Student Association
As an organization that has the goal of advancing its majors and increasing the potential, mindset and personality of students, student association organizations also have several functions and activities within them to realize these goals.
1. Develop student abilities
The first function of the student association organization is to develop student abilities. Hima is present as an organization that provides a platform or place for students to develop their abilities in various fields of science and not only limited to the knowledge studied in the department. However, it also develops abilities in other scientific fields such as art, science to sports.
The form of developing student abilities carried out by Hima can be seen from the form of activities held. Such as organizing various workshops, competitions, forming clubs and communities to seminars.
In the activities held, students and members of Hima can develop their abilities well.
2. Connecting students with university parties
The second function of the student association is to act as a bridge between students and several higher education institutions. Especially the campus related to the administration of the study program. As a student, of course, Sinaumed’s will encounter moments where Sinaumed’s has to deal directly with the campus to take care of academic and financial issues, such as tuition fees, taking time off, re-registering and so on.
Apart from being a bridge between students and the campus, student associations can also be a place for students majoring in expressing their aspirations to the department through Hima members.
Hima is also a collector of information regarding scholarships, student exchanges, and other activities organized by the campus. All of this information was provided by the campus to Hima members who then had the obligation to disseminate this information to students. Thus, the presence of this organization can help establish communication between students and the campus.
3. Provide solutions to students who have problems
Aside from being a bridge of communication between students and the campus as well as a source of information related to academics and administration and others, the student association is also an organization that functions to provide solutions to students who have problems.
The third function of this student association can be seen from the division owned by Hima, namely the Student Welfare Advocacy Division or Adkesma. In particular, the Adkesma division in the student association is in charge of listening and providing solutions to students who complain of having problems. Whether it’s complaints about personal problems such as stress during college or problems related to the campus.
4. Bringing the good name of the department to external parties of the study program
The next function of the student association is to bring the good name of the department to outsiders of the department. Student associations have internal activities on campus that aim to develop the potential, mindset and personality of students better, through the Hima work program which includes external programs or commonly known as community service programs.
The purpose of holding this community service program is to make a real contribution to the environment outside the campus, as well as to maintain relations between universities, especially the wider community.
Some student association activities related to community service to bring the good name of the department include competitions, holding try outs for high school students, live in, workshops and so on.
5. Train students and members to organize on a small scale
The fifth function of the student association is to train students and members of the student association to be able to organize within a small scope.
When students choose to join a student association, there will be rules that must be obeyed by every member of each division regardless of their position. Thus, the regulations that bind members will make students required to be more disciplined in allocating time, more committed and responsible for the tasks they have as members of student associations as well as being responsible for being a student to complete the study period well.
Student associations can be a foothold for students who want to organize but are still afraid to take responsibility when joining large-scale organizations.
So that the student association as an organization in a small scope, can be an exercise for students in organizing before finally deciding to join an organization with a larger scope or scope.
As a student, Sinaumed’s is of course more mature and has bigger responsibilities too. While still a student, Sinaumed’s has many opportunities and time to hone his talents, potential and mindset.
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Why Should You Join a Student Association?
Why do you, as a Sinaumed’s student, have to join an organization, be it a small organization such as a student association or even a large scope such as BEM or an off-campus organization? Here are some reasons why Sinaumed’s, as a student, must join a student association organization.
1. Have the same background
The first reason Sinaumed’s should consider joining a student association is because of the similar background of each member and prospective members. Student associations, have a more exclusive character and are limited only to students in one department. Thus, only students who come from the same department, study program or department can join the student association. The same background of each of these members will create added value so that each student is able to establish good relationships, personally and organizationally.
2. Become the closest family on campus
Even though there are many other organizations at the university, the student association is arguably the closest family that Sinaumed’s has when they are on campus. Why? This is because the student association has a smaller scope, so fellow members of the student association will meet one another more often.
Not only in organizational activities, but also in class. So that the student association will feel like a home for its members and a family for the students who are members.
3. Relationships and acquaintances will be more
By joining a student association, Sinaumed’s can add to relationships and acquaintances. Even though the student association is an organization with a small scope, Sinaumed’s can still add to relationships. Because of course during college, it is impossible for Sinaumed’s to know all of his students just by being in class.
Therefore, by participating in various activities, even becoming a committee in events held by student associations, Sinaumed’s can add to relationships and acquaintances. At least within the scope of the department and the campus in the department or study program.
4. Helping the process of study in the academic field
Joining student associations will make it easier for Sinaumed’s to open up opportunities to be able to strengthen knowledge or scholarship in the field of study that has been taken.
Together with members of other student associations, Sinaumed’s can form a study group or a group needed when they are about to take part in a scientific work competition or other to increase achievement.
That way, Sinaumed’s can improve achievement as well as help the academic study process.
5. Make it easy for yourself to get used to socializing
As a student, having the skills to be able to socialize is important. In addition, social skills must also be possessed even after graduating from college.
Social skills include the ability to speak in public, communicate, influence others and so on. The ability to socialize, Sinaumed’s cannot get in the classroom. So to get used to socializing, Sinaumed’s as a student must actively participate in organizations, one of which is the student association.
6. Closer to the lecturer
Joining a student association organization will make Sinaumed’s as a student closer to the lecturers. This is because in student associations, usually the activities held will collaborate a lot with the campus such as lecturers.
An example is such as academic discussion activities with lecturers. So to hold the event, as a member of the student association, Sinaumed’s must be brave and have direct contact with the lecturers so that the activities can run smoothly.
7. Become a place for discussion
The seventh reason Sinaumed’s should consider joining a student association is because student associations can be a place for exchanging ideas and discussions.
Not only to fellow members, but Sinaumed’s can also discuss with lecturers or other parties above the student association to convey Sinaumed’s’ concerns, ideas or aspirations as a student.
Of course, ongoing discussions are not only about majors or academic fields, but can cover broad themes as well.
8. Coordination between members is easier
In contrast to other on-campus organizations that have members with different backgrounds, student associations are closer and fellow members have the same background.
Thus, the coordination process between divisions will usually be easier. Because each member knows about the activities, courses, classes and other activities that each member participates in.
This will make matching schedules to meet with members of student associations easier.
9. Can hone and improve the spirit of leadership
Even though they are not chairmen or leaders in student associations, students who join student associations can hone their leadership spirit.
Through activities such as departmental ospects, being a committee in various events, students are used to leading an event or group.
10. Train mentally
The tenth reason Sinaumed’s should consider joining a student association is because it can train you mentally as a student so you can behave better.
That is an explanation of what a student association is, the meaning, functions and activities held by a major student association or study program student association.
Through student associations or other organizations, Sinaumed’s as students will have many new experiences and new achievements that can be achieved. Apart from participating in organizations, Sinaumed’s can also become an above average student who is active by opening his horizons through reading books.