The Faculty of Communication Sciences, Padjadjaran University (FIKOM UNPAD) was established on September 18, 1960.
Initially, this faculty was named the Faculty of Journalism and Publicity , which was pioneered by a number of mass media observers in Bandung. In 1965 it changed to the Publication Institute , but not for long, its name in that year also became the Faculty of Publicity, and since 1982 it became the Faculty of Communication Studies.
“The birth of the Faculty of Journalism and Publicity (FDP) in 1960 was the fruit of the community’s need for the availability of publicist experts, in line with developments that occurred after the Republic of Indonesia celebrated independence de jure. The Indonesian people expect the presence of highly educated publicist experts to participate in guarding the country’s development.”
FDP's Journey to Become Fikom, Era 1960-1980
At first the establishment of the Faculty of Journalism and Publicity did not go smoothly. The pioneers who took the initiative to form this faculty faced severe challenges from a number of parties who opposed it. However, for their efforts to provide understanding, these challenges can be overcome.
The pioneer and founder of the Faculty of Journalism and Publicity is Maj. Gen. TNI Prof. Dr. Moestopo, TNI figures as well as scientists (lecturers of the Faculty of Dentistry), Azhari Sulaeman, AZ Palindih, Djamal Ali SH, S. Roehadi and AK Yacoby from the press, and R. Roekomy from the Information Service, and Prof. Iwa Kusuma Sumantri, SH, who at that time served as President (Rector) of Padjadjaran University.
Prof. Iwa Kusuma Sumantri, a figure in the struggle for Indonesian independence who also served in a number of ministerial positions during the Soekarno era, enthusiastically welcomed the idea of forming the Faculty of Journalism & Publicity. The activist of the Indonesian Association, who once published the newspaper Mata Hari Indonesia, in 1927 later accepted the idea and embraced it under the auspices of the Padjadjaran University Trustees Foundation.
With the Decree of the Chairperson of the Unpad Guidance Foundation on September 6, 1960, the Faculty of Journalism and Publicity, abbreviated as FDP, was opened. This faculty is under the auspices of the Unpad Guidance Foundation and its inauguration was held on September 18, 1960. At that time, the FDP was led by Prof. Dr. Moestopo. The FDP administration rented a house on Jalan WR Supratman No. 47 Bandung, while the lecture took place in the afternoon at the Unpad campus, Jalan Dipati Ukur No. 35 Bandung.
September 18 as the inauguration day of FDP was later designated as the birthday of Fikom Unpad, and is commemorated every year by holding various academic and social activities.
The number of students from the first batch of FDP in 1960 was 220, a sizeable number for a newly opened faculty. The change that should be noted is the change in the name of the faculty, from the original Faculty of Journalism and Publicity to the Institute of Publicity, and then the Faculty of Publicity. This is based on the awareness of the coaches, that what is needed by the community is the intensity, not the extensibility of education. Accentuation must be on Public Science. On the basis of this thought, changes were made until it finally became the Faculty of Publicity.
Having the status under the auspices of the Padjadjaran University Trustees Foundation, the Head of the Unpad Publication Faculty is still not satisfied. In their view, in order to develop more rapidly in accordance with the rapid development of society, FDP must turn into a state faculty within the Padjadjaran University environment, it is not enough just to be under the auspices of the Padjadjaran University Trustees Foundation.
In 1962, the Publication Faculty Publication Support Committee was formed. National figures and leaders of the press and information in West Java are in it, such as Prof. H. Moh. Yamin, Prof. Iwa Kusuma Sumantri, SH., Sartono, SH., Sudjarmo Tjondronegoro SH., Adam Malik, BM Diah and Adinegoro. The supporting committee, reflecting the strength of this community, has sent a delegation to Jakarta to meet the Minister of Higher Education and Science.
Like the struggle to form the FDP in 1962, the struggle to make the Faculty of Publicity a State Faculty was not as easy as it was originally thought. However, the Publication Faculty Publication Support Committee continues to struggle with optimism. The results began to appear when on November 30, 1962, the baccalaureate certificate of the Faculty of Public Relations of the Padjadjaran University Trustees Foundation was equated with the state diploma according to Decree No. 145/1962. Following later the equivalent of the Bachelor’s degree on February 27, 1964.
The culmination point of the struggle was finally reached, Publicity officially became a state faculty at Padjadjaran University based on the Decree of the Minister of PTIP No. 255 of 1965. Thus, the Publication Faculty is one of the eleven faculties at Padjadjaran University.
The first dean of the Faculty of Publicity, Prof. Dr. Moestopo (1960-1965) was continued by Oemi Abdurachman, MA. Oemi Abdurachman, MA. is a graduate of Syracuse University , United States, with a specialization in Journalism. In the era of Oemi Abdurachman’s leadership, the administrative building was still on Jalan WR Supratman No. 47 Bandung and the lecture took place at Jalan Dipati Ukur No. 35 Bandung and the SMAN 2 building on Jalan Cihampelas Bandung.
The third dean of the Faculty of Publicity (1970 – 1975), was Dr. Phil. Astrid S. Sutanto whose doctorate degree was obtained from Freie Universitat, West Germany. Prof. Astrid is the daughter of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs in the era of President Soekarno, Prof. Dr. Soenario Sastrowardojo. During the leadership of Astrid, the administrative secretariat of the Faculty of Publicity, or in today’s terms referred to as the dean, was located in the back room of the Unpad Hall building on Jalan Dipati Ukur No. 35 Bandung (now Graha Sanusi Hardjadinata), while the lecture rooms are in several rooms on the Unpad campus.
An important thing that can be noted in the era of Astrid’s leadership is that the Unpad Publication Faculty has brought ten ministers on an ongoing basis to give public lectures at Unpad, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Information, Minister of Education, and Minister of Tourism. At this time, the Faculty of Publicity began to accept students from neighboring countries, Malaysia. Noted alumni of the Faculty of Publicity from Malaysia who take part in their country, are Datuk Muhamad Sulaeman 9 batch 1969 as the Deputy of the Minister of Information who later became the Team of the Minister of Health and Sofian Efendi (class of 1971) who had served as the Chief of the Kuala Lumpur Police.
The fourth dean of the Faculty of Publicity is held by Prof. Onong Uchjana Effendy, Drs., MA. (1975 – 1982). At this time, the Faculty of Publicity was increasingly recognized as a faculty that produced many educated personnel in the field of mass media. Therefore, the number of applicants entering the Faculty of Publicity is increasingly competitive, and from year to year the number of student admissions continues to grow. However, the Faculty of Publicity at that time did not have a special building because the administration and dean rooms were still on the second floor of the Unpad Library building known as the Graha Soeriaatmadja building, Jalan Dipati Ukur No.46, while the lectures were on Jalan Dipati Ukur No. 35 Bandung.
From Sekeloa to Jatinangor Era 198 2 – 2000 's
At the end of Onong Uchjana Effendy’s term of office, the Publication Faculty (1982) changed its name to the Faculty of Communication Studies (Fikom). Most of the faculty figures at that time thought that the change was because the schools and traditions of studying Communication Science had shifted from European (German) Public Science to American Communication Studies. This is marked by the proliferation of studies of the mass media and the press industry. speech communication, and the American tradition of mass communication effects research.
The change from the Faculty of Publicity to the Faculty of Communication Sciences is based on the Decree of the President of the Republic of Indonesia No. 47 of 1982 dated 7 September 1982. This decree regulates the organizational structure of Unpad based on the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No. 133/O/1983 dated March 5, 1983 regarding the Organization and Work Procedure of Unpad.
The fifth dean of the Faculty of Communication Studies (formerly Publicity), is Drs. Hartoyo Kusumo (1982 – 1988). Starting in 1983, apart from managing three departments as a legacy of the Faculty of Publicity, namely the Department of Journalism, Department of Public Relations and Department of Information, Fikom Unpad became a forum for the development of the Department of Library Science. The decision letter as a stipulation is the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture No. 0457/O/1983 dated December 8, 1983. The Department of Library Science came from IKIP Bandung so that the lecturers who managed it at that time mostly came from the university.
During the leadership of Hartoyo Kusumo, Fikom Unpad still did not have an independent campus. Even the administration room of Fikom Unpad moved to the former shared lecture room (currently the Postgraduate lecture room on the first floor). The move from Fikom Unpad to the shared lecture room was in line with the development of Unpad’s library which had a large collection of books and optimization of the reading room.
In 1985 Fikom Unpad had its own administration room and lecture room in the vicinity of the Faculty of Dentistry campus. The Fikom Unpad campus in Sekeloa (not far from the Dipatiukur campus) consists of two three-story buildings. At that time, Fikom Unpad had relatively adequate photography and graphics practicum facilities, while radio, television and film laboratories had to cooperate with other agencies.
FXA. Ins. Semendison Drs.,SU was the sixth Dean of Fikom Unpad (1988-1994). Along with the construction of the Padjadjaran University campus in Jatinangor. At that time Ins. Semendison as the dean of Fikom Unpad also planned and supervised the construction of the building to be occupied by Fikom Unpad.
Fikom Unpad leadership stick from FXA. Ins. Semendison Drs.,SU turned to Prof.Dr.Soleh Soemirat, Drs.,MS (1994-2001). In January 1994 the Fikom Unpad campus moved to Jatinangor with three buildings, namely two three-story buildings and one two-story building.
With the development of Communication Studies and the needs and demands of users of Fikom graduates, in 1996, the Department of Information changed its name to the Department of Communication Management (abbreviated as Department of Communication). The name change was the result of a meeting between universities in Bandung and Jakarta which have the Department of Information Science.
In the next development, since 1997 the Faculty of Communication has organized the Unpad Fikom Extension Program in Jatinangor. The Extension Program has since 2009 changed to the Fikom Unpad Bandung Class program for the S1 Program (110 credits) and the Bandung Class Program (147 credits) for the morning class. The curriculum and study load in the Bandung class is the same as the regular program developed at the Jatinangor campus.
In 1998 Fikom Unpad opened the Diploma III Program for Applied Communication Expert Education (PAKT). This Vocational Program is held with a study load of 110-116 credits. The diploma sub-programs developed include Broadcasting, as a result of collaboration with the Central Jakarta Indonesian National Private Broadcasting Radio Association (PRSSNI), Public Relations, Advertising, Business Communication, and Library and Information Science.
Prof.Dr.Soeganda Prijatna, Drs.,MM became the Dean of Fikom Unpad for the period 2001-2008. In the 2000s the development of mass media, print and electronic was very rapid so that mass media institutions increasingly needed many graduates of the Faculty of Communication Studies. So it is not surprising that Unpad Fikom enthusiasts continue to increase every year in Unpad, so Unpad Fikom enthusiasts are ranked second for the choice of Social Sciences. In addition, Fikom Unpad becomes the Advisory Faculty for Communication Studies Programs or Departments at Private Universities in various parts of Indonesia.
Fikom Unpad has two study programs, namely the Communication Science Study Program and the Library Science Study Program. Based on the Decree of BAN PT No. 07397/Aa/IX-S1/012/UPILM/VII of 2005 for the Study Program of Communication Studies and SK BAN PT. 07505/Ak-IX-S1-015/UPASIP/VIII/2005 for Library Science, each received accreditation with an A rating.
Likewise, the PAKT Diploma III Program has been accredited with an A rating. This decision is based on BAN-PT Decree No. 021/BAN-PT/Ak-VII/Dpl-III/2008 which was established in Jakarta 22 February 2008. The accreditation decree is valid for five years (22 February 2008 to 22 February 2013).
Prof. Deddy Mulyana, MA, Ph.D. (2008-20012 and 2012-2016) is the ninth Dean of Fikom Unpad. Since 2008, the interest in Fikom Unpad has always been high, but the number of new student admissions has been reduced to achieve the ideal ratio between students and lecturers.
To produce quality Fikom graduates, apart from improving the quality of lecturers through formal education, seminars, trainings, and workshops, educational facilities are also being improved to create a conducive teaching and learning process.
In the past, Fikom Unpad only had an undergraduate education program, now in line with the availability of more qualified lecturers, Fikom Unpad manages educational programs from the third diploma program to the doctoral program.
Currently in Jatinangor, the Faculty of Communication Sciences, Padjadjaran University has six buildings consisting of: building 1 as a Dean’s room, building 2 for lectures, a Photography laboratory, a CMC laboratory (computer) building 3 for the management of study programs and departments as well as a Television laboratory, building 4 as a building management of Diploma III programs, computer laboratories as well as for lectures, building 5 for lectures, building 6 is Student Center, canteen and sports facilities. Fikom also has the most magnificent Postgraduate Communication Science building on the Unpad campus. In this building there are a number of lecture laboratories, and an auditorium which is quite magnificent and not owned by other faculties.
The accreditation of study programs within the Faculty of Communication Sciences Unpad has always been “A”, even the Postgraduate Masters program in 2013/2014 became the only Master of Communication Science program with A accreditation in Indonesia.
Fikom Unpad has also won various awards, one of which was from Mix Marketing Magazine (SWA group) as The Best School of Communication for the category A-accredited PTN since 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
SOURCE: Processed from FIKOMUNPAD’s 50 Years Book, as well as other sources.