[469 Cover] The Return of the Student Council:

   After four years, the Student Council has returned. Since 2022, Dongguk University has been operating under a temporary Emergency Committee instead of a Student Council. However, on February 28th, the head of the Emergency Committee, Baek So-yoon, resigned and ran for the position of Student Council president, marking a pivotal turning point. The Student Council election took place from March 24th to 26th, with 7,168 out of 13,728 eligible voters participating, resulting in a turnout of 52.21%. Of those, 7,068 voted in favor of “Dongbaek” securing 98.6% of the vote. With no invalid ballots cast, the election saw overwhelming support, leading to the formation of the 57th Student Council, “Dongbaek.” Limitations and challenges marked the four years under the Emergency Committee system. During this period, without a Student Council, there was no official body to represent students’ voices, making it difficult to implement real changes or improvements in university policies. However, with the reinstatement of the Student Council, students now have the opportunity to ensure their voices are genuinely heard.

Why the Emergency Committee could not represent students fully

   The Emergency Committee system is a temporary arrangement formed specifically to address the absence of a formally elected student leadership, usually arising from unsuccessful elections or the unexpected absence of a president. Unlike the Student Council, the Emergency Committee lacks a formal electoral mandate and therefore does not possess equivalent legal authority or official standing. Its scope is inherently narrower, restricted primarily to administrative tasks and maintaining basic functions rather than setting long-term policy directions or robustly advocating for student-driven initiatives.

   Although the Emergency Committee can temporarily assume some responsibilities typically handled by the Student Council, such as facilitating limited st udent-ad ministration communications or managing essential day-to-day activities, it faces significant constraints. Due to its non-elected nature, the Emergency Committee struggles to achieve full representation of students’ diverse voices, perspectives, and concerns. The absence of a direct electoral process can also result in a perceived legitimacy deficit among students, making active participation, trust-building, and broad-based support difficult to achieve.

   Additionally, without the institutional legitimacy or negotiating strength granted by a formal electoral process, the Emergency Committee often finds itself in a weaker position when engaging with the administration. Its influence on university policies and programs is therefore significantly diminished, making it less capable of securing substantial or sustained improvements in student welfare or campus life.

   Ultimately, the fundament al distinction lies in representation and legitimacy: The Student Council system is rooted firmly in democratic representation, providing students with influential, accountable, and responsive governance, whereas the Emergency Committee system is inherently limited, temporary, and less capable of enacting meaningful long-term change. These structural differences significantly shape the ways in which students experience, engage with, and influence campus politics, governance, and community life.

How the Student Council empowers student participation

   In contrast, the Student Council system consists of a president, elected through a formal and democratic election, who serves as the primary representative voice of the student body and plays a pivotal role in shaping campus policies and priorities. Alongside the president, elected council members from diverse academic backgrounds collectively manage the organization’s operations, reflecting the wide spectrum of student perspectives and experiences. With broad authority, the Student Council collaborates actively with various academic and administrative departments, facilitating effective and sustained dialogues to enact meaningful changes across campus life, such as improving student welfare, academic programs, extracurricular activities, and overall campus conditions.

   Beyond policy-making, the Student Council fosters a vibrant, inclusive campus community by providing essential platforms for student expression, advocacy, and collective action. It regularly organizes events, such as town hall meetings, open forums, and focus groups, creating continuous opportunities for students to voice concerns, suggest initiatives, and share ideas. Through these interactive channels, the Student Council actively strengthens community bonds, enhances student engagement, and ensures transparency in campus governance.

   As an officially recog nized representative body, the Student Council wields substantial negotiating power with the university administration, enabling it to follow through on policy commitments and bring about tangible improvements. This formal authority allows student representatives not only to propose ideas but to hold the administration accountable in implementing agreed-upon changes. Consequently, students see direct results from their participation, enhancing their trust in democratic governance within the campus environment.

Representing students’ opinions with authority

   The Student Council is an essential body for representing students’ opinions and incorporating them into univeristy policies. During the period governed by the Emergency Committee system, the channels for effective communication and collaboration with the administration were severely restricted. As a result, many students felt their perspectives went unheard, and their concerns often resulted in limited or negligible changes to actual univeristy policy. In contrast, the reinstatement of a fully elected Student Council provides students with a recognized, legitimate platform, through which their diverse voices can be properly channeled into tangible actions.

   Having a Student Council, led by a student president democratically chosen by the student body, significantly enhances students’ collective ability to shape their educational environment. This structure ensures that students are not merely passive recipients of administrative decisions, but active participants in shaping the policies and conditions that affect their daily lives. Through its elected leadership, the Student Council can effectively articulate shared concerns, mediate between student interests and administrative priorities, and build a more responsive campus culture rooted in mutual dialogue.

   The Student Council is empowered not only to address student welfare and academic conditions but also to actively influence critical university policy decisions. This includes advocating for curriculum adjustments, improved learning facilities, and fairer evaluation systems, as well as raising concerns about broader campus issues such as inclusivity, mental health, and sustainability. By maintaining a consistent channel of communication with university officials, the Student Council plays a crucial role in translating student needs into concrete, actionable outcomes.

After four years, the Student Council is back

   It can initiate meaningful dialogues, propose practical and actionable changes, and directly advocate for improvements that students themselves identify as essential to their academic experience and campus life. By aligning its efforts with students’ lived realities and pressing concerns, the Student Council becomes a driving force for reforms that genuinely matter to the student body.

   Moreover, because the Student Council has returned after a four-year hiatus, it brings renewed enthusiasm, fresh perspectives, and an increased sense of responsibility toward the student community. Council members are motivated by a commitment to transparency and responsiveness, ensuring decisions reflect a broader range of student experiences and concerns. The elected representatives will conduct surveys, organize open forums, and maintain active communication channels to accurately capture and relay student demands.

   With the official mandate of a formal election process, the Student Council gains legitimacy and credibility in its interactions with school administrators. This legitimacy strengthens its negotiating position, fostering more balanced, constructive, and impactful dialogues. Consequently, the administration is more likely to take student concerns seriously, leading to meaningful policy adjustments and enhancements in campus life.

   Ultimately, the newly reestablished Student Council promises to cultivate a healthier, more inclusive campus atmosphere. Through proactive engagement, committed representation, and genuine collaboration with the administration, the Student Council will not only improve practical aspects of student life but also restore students’ trust in their collective ability to effect change.

The 57th Student Council, “Dongbaek”

   The 57th Student Council “Dongbaek” presented over 50 pledges across seven areas, including facilities, education, and welfare. During the Dongguk University election hearing on March 19, Dongbaek declared its core campaign message as “With unwavering passion, for Dongguk.” This theme was inspired by the meaning of the camellia flower, symbolizing the passion their campaign embodies for the students of Dongguk University.

   Additionally, among the more than 50 pledges, the three main ones emphasized by the campaign are the reserve forces bus, addressing tuition fee increase demands, and the creation of a direct KakaoTalk channel, as communication is seen as essential — all of which were highlighted during the candidate hearing.

   In practice, Dongbaek has fulfilled one of its key campaign pledges by launching a direct KakaoTalk channel. By searching for “Dongguk University Student Council” and adding the channel, students can access announcements regarding academic schedules, partnership benefits, and welfare initiatives. The channel is intended to serve not only as an information platform but also as a communication bridge between the Dongbaek and the Donggukians. In addition, Dongbaek has also followed through on its pledge to address the tuition increase issue, which had been a major point of contention prior to this semester. Dongbaek submitted a list of student demands to the Tuition Review Committee, including requests for expanded merit-based scholarships that are not dependent on income level, as well as increased funding for central student clubs. Dongbaek stated that several of these proposals were accepted and reflected in the committee’s decisions.

   These initial efforts are promising, but lasting impact requires more than a strong start. Student engagement, not just through support but also through scrutiny, will be key to holding the Student Council accountable throughout its term.

   The return of the Student Council marks more than just the revival of a suspended organization. It signals the restoration of a space where students can voice their concerns, set priorities, and hold both the administration and their own representatives accountable. While the overwhelming support for Dongbaek in this election reflects deep trust and expectation, that trust must now translate into ongoing civic engagement. The Student Council must act not only as a proactive advocate but also as a transparent partner in shaping campus life. At the same time, students must go beyond passive support—offering encouragement, yes, but also keeping a watchful eye. True democracy on campus is not just about electing a representative body, but sustaining an environment where that body continues to earn legitimacy through action, openness, and responsiveness.