Before its official establishment as a faculty at Hasanuddin University (UNHAS), the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences was originally a private university called the Faculty of Public Administration (Fatma Tata Praja) at 17 Agustus University in 1945, founded by the late Mr. Tjia Kok Tjiang in Ujung Pandang. It should be noted that the Faculty of Public Administration was the first to be established in Eastern Indonesia. Over time, its founders attempted to merge the Faculty of Public Administration into the Faculty of Economics at UNHAS, which was planned to become an existing department and open in the 1959-1960 academic year. However, due to various technical difficulties, this plan could not be implemented. As a follow-up, efforts were made to integrate the faculty into UNHAS as a stand-alone faculty, in accordance with the original intention of its founders.
The plan for state-level education was originally expected to be realized on September 10, 1960, coinciding with the celebration of UNHAS’s 4th Anniversary, at which time the inauguration of the Faculty of Letters, Philosophy, and Engineering was also planned. However, due to various technical difficulties, the plan was only implemented through a Decree of the Minister of Education, Culture, and Sports, dated January 30, 1961, No. A.4692/U.U.41961, effective February 1, 1961.
With this inauguration, students were transferred to state-level education, subject to several conditions: they had to take a national examination administered by a committee formed by the Minister of Education, Culture, and Sports, consisting of UNHAS lecturers. It should be noted that in the context of the inauguration/nationalization of higher education and the development of UNHAS in general and FISIP in particular, they have provided significant assistance to the development of education. Among those mentioned are the XIV Hasanuddin Military Command (now known as the VII Wirabuana Military Command), Brigadier General M. Yusuf (former Minister of Defense and Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces and Chairman of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Agency), Andi Pangeran Pettarani (Governor at the time), and several other high-ranking officials.
Following the nationalization, the faculty head, Mr. Tjia Kok Tjiang, assumed the position of Acting Chairperson, while the Secretaryship was handed over to Mr. Soekanto. However, Mr. Tjia Kok Tjiang only managed to lead and develop this university for approximately five months. He died suddenly on May 3, 1961, during the national examinations for students required for the faculty’s state-level status. Following his death, the university was directly led by the President of Hasanuddin University (Arnold Monotutu) as Acting Chair.
At the time of its state-level status, the faculty had 16 teaching staff, including assistants. The total number of students was 228: 91 at the preparatory level, 61 at the Bachelor of Arts (BA)-I level, and 32 at the Bachelor of Arts (BA)-II level. Two staff members from the UNHAS office, assisted by a daily staff member, were transferred to handle administrative matters. Mr. Soekanto assumed the role of treasurer.
The next change to the Tata Praja College after its stateization was its status being changed to the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Hasanuddin University based on the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No. A/4692/U.U/5/1961, with two departments within it: the Tata Praja (Public Administration) Department and the Publicity Department. The Publicity Department was a transition from the Sulawesi Press and Publicity College, which was previously established in Makassar by a foundation with the encouragement and full assistance of Commander Brigadier General M. Yusuf to improve the quality and capabilities of “policymen.”
Over time, the Tata Praja Department underwent further changes and improvements. This was due to a misunderstanding among some who believed that Tata Praja was linked or associated with the Civil Service College. However, after the State Administration Institute (LAN) was inaugurated by the government, and the term “Public Administration” was officially translated as “State Administration,” the name Tata Praja was adjusted and changed to the State Administration Department. Meanwhile, the Department of Publicity remained in use after receiving approval from the Minister of Education, Culture, and Culture. It was also used as the name of the Department at the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta and the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Gajah Mada University.
On November 15, 1962, Mr. Soekanto was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences at Hasanuddin University, while