THE disarray over the election of rector of the Sebelas Maret University (UNS), Surakarta, Central Java shows once again that commercialization and politicization can endanger the autonomy and democracy of campuses. Instead of being a means of selecting the best leader, the election of rectors often turns into a contest to expand access to sources of power and money.

A plenary session of the UNS Board of Trustees in November 2022 elected Sajidan