[Special] 2025 DGU Election Hearing – Day2

   On March 19th, 2025, the second session of the public hearing for the Dongguk University student council election took place. The session began at 6 P.M. in the seminar room of the Main Building and lasted about one hour, concluding at 7 P.M. The hearing featured ‘Dongbaek’ (camellia flower), the candidate for the University-wide Student Council. During the question-and-answer sessions, Dongbaek answered about their vision and key policies aimed at improving student life, increasing student engagement, and enhancing campus facilities. This report focuses on the questions raised during the session and Dongbaek’s responses.

The Student Council

General Questions

Q: What is the core message of your campaign?

A: Let me explain the central theme of our campaign. Our core message at Dongbaek is "With unwavering passion, for Dongguk." This theme was inspired by the meaning behind the camellia flower, and it represents the passion that the Dongbaek campaign embodies for the students of Dongguk University.

Q: What are your three main pledges?

A: The three main pledges put forward by our campaign, Dongbaek, are the reserve forces bus, responding to the tuition fee increase demands, and the creation of a direct KakaoTalk channel, as we believe communication is essential.

Q: How would you evaluate this year’s student council?

A: Since I have been working as the undergraduate representative since last year, I have witnessed firsthand the issues directly affecting students, such as the increase in tuition fees, due to the absence of a student representative organization. I firmly believe that a representative body to advocate for students' rights and welfare is absolutely necessary.

Questions from The Dongguk Post

Q. What is the reason for conducting the summer semester classes online? There may be difficulties in carrying out team projects, and various challenges might arise in lecture management due to online classes. What is your stance on this?

A: It is not the intention to conduct all classes online. Team project classes need to be discussed through the faculty council. While it is unclear what specific challenges might arise in lecture management, a thorough investigation will be conducted on related matters before implementation.

Q. The overall focus of the campaign is on expanding and supplementing policies. In particular, the expansion of summer semester courses, chartering shuttle buses, and increasing merit-based scholarships are likely to require significant funding. How are financial considerations being addressed for these initiatives?

A: By adding the student activity fees and the increase in tuition fees, we can certainly proceed with the initiatives. I understand that the tuition fee increase has been paid by all the students here, and this increase is by no means a small amount. Since the total amount is in the tens of billions, I believe that if we request and negotiate with the school, it can definitely be carried out. While working as the undergraduate representative on the Tuition Review Committee, the school assured that if there are any inconveniences or desired systems from the students, they would be fully considered. Therefore, I believe the implementation is feasible.

Q. You mentioned conducting a thorough investigation and reestablishment of smoking areas. It seems that not only clearly defining the smoking areas but also improving the facilities will be necessary. How do you plan to address this issue?

A: A thorough investigation of the smoking areas will be conducted to redefine areas with high foot traffic as non-smoking zones, in order to prevent second-hand smoke exposure to non-smoking students. Additionally, during the investigation process, we will also review areas where improvements to the smoking area facilities may be needed and address those as well.

Q. You mentioned preventing student inconvenience due to the construction of the Lotus Building. Specifically, how do you plan to minimize the disruption caused to students during this process?

A: Since the construction of the Lotus Building has not yet begun, it is crucial to actively submit suggestions regarding the expansion of student facilities from now on. After understanding the specific facilities that will be included in the Lotus Building and their scale, we will assess whether there will be adequate space for student use. If it is determined that the space is insufficient, we will actively request the school to expand student-friendly amenities such as rest areas, study spaces, community areas, and cafes that students frequently use.

Q. You mentioned improving the rest areas in front of Nachebat and Gyesan Hall. What elements could be added or improved in these spaces?

A: For Nachebat, we are primarily focusing on renovating the existing facilities due to the deterioration of the wooden benches. As for the rest area in front of Gyesan Hall, there used to be a cafe until 2017, providing a space where students could stay. However, since its demolition, the area has remained empty. Therefore, we plan to install benches and additional facilities to create a space where students can relax.

Q. If study spaces are opened and their usage hours are extended beyond exam periods, how do you plan to manage the safety of these spaces?

A: We plan to proceed by having student council members on-site or by coordinating with the security team to ensure the process runs smoothly.

Q. You mentioned expanding rest areas in each building, using beanbags as an example. Since many students are expected to use these spaces, proper sanitation management will be essential. What are the specific plans for ensuring cleanliness in these areas?

A: Our student council candidate, Dongbaek, is aware of the hygiene issues related to the shared beanbags, and we will ensure that they are promptly washed whenever any inconvenience is reported. Additionally, we plan to regularly check the sanitation of these areas during break periods and other available times.

Q. You mentioned "modernizing and streamlining the student council regulations" as part of your campaign pledges. Are there any specific issues or inefficiencies in the current student council regulations that you believe need improvement?

A: The current student council regulations at Dongguk University include organizations that are no longer functional. For example, the Academy Popularization Struggle Committee, the Student Welfare Committee, and the Central Curriculum Committee are all part of the regulations but are not in use today, as these were established many years ago. Since these organizations are not currently active, the main goal is to remove them and add more relevant bodies, such as the Dormitory Students' Association, as mentioned earlier. Additionally, if we look at the regulations of other universities, they often include specific provisions such as office handling procedures or human rights issues. Introducing such regulations, or at the very least creating internal manuals for the operating committee, would be beneficial. I believe this approach will not only improve the student council this year but also provide a better foundation for the future of student governance.

Ku Ji-won

Jeon Han-gyeol