[471 Interview] Signaling the Start of Change:

   At Dongguk University, Sociology students have proactively united to address the serious shortage of faculty within their department. Recognizing the challenges this issue poses to their education, they have organized themselves into a committed group, engaging in continuous discussions with university administrators to voice their concerns and seek meaningful solutions. Beyond internal meetings, they have also reached out and built alliances with other student organizations and external supporters, strengthening their campaign for change. This article delves into their ongoing journey, shedding light on how crucial active student participation is in influencing the future direction of their department. It also emphasizes the importance of collective community efforts to ensure that the field of social sciences continues to thrive and develop within Dongguk University.

Q: Please introduce yourselves. What are your current roles and main responsibilities within the Sociology major?

   Hello, we are Lee Ha-na, President of the Sociology Student Council, and Heo Jung-won, Vice President. As representatives of the department, we plan and carry out various student- led initiatives and work to improve the welfare of our fellow Sociology majors.

Q: What led Sociology students to begin activities calling for faculty recruitment?

   As students, we faced numerous difficulties within the academic environment of the Sociology major. Not only were there very few courses available, but the lack of diversity in the curriculum was a constant issue. Many of us felt that the academic experience did not align with what we had envisioned when we first chose this major.

   While organizing the 2024 Sociology Night event, we took the opportunity to revisit previous student council reports and began collecting feedback from our peers. We launched a survey titled “Perception Survey for the Development of the Sociology Major” to better understand their concerns.

   The results made it evident that a significant number of students desired improvements in their learning environment and looked to the student council to advocate for change. That pivotal moment marked the official beginning of our faculty recruitment initiative.

Q: What was the biggest challenge in your efforts to recruit new faculty?

   The biggest challenge we faced was drafting and submitting a rebuttal statement, along with a petition of solidarity signatures, in direct response to the university’s feedback from our first official meeting. Until then, our efforts had primarily centered around calmly voicing our concerns, outlining the difficulties within our department, and appealing to the administration's understanding. We had hoped that clearly communicating our situation would be enough to prompt action. However, after receiving a disappointing and dismissive response, it became clear that stronger measures were necessary. Writing the rebuttal was not just about responding—it symbolized our first definitive move toward a more assertive and organized form of advocacy. It marked a turning point in our campaign, where we shifted from passive dialogue to active resistance.

Q: Can you describe the conflicts during meetings with the university? What was your impression of the university’s response?

Although we clearly conveyed the severity of the situation and the sincere concerns of the students, the university responded with vague and somewhat irrelevant criteria, such as employment rates, course performance, and donations. They claimed that the Sociology department had not shown sufficient effort to warrant further support. Even though we met the required conditions in terms of faculty-to-student ratios and research output, our genuine efforts were still dismissed without proper consideration. Additionally, the university accused our department of lacking internal cooperation and shifted the responsibility onto us by insisting that departmental efforts must come first before any support from the school is provided. These remarks unfairly downplayed our efforts and shifted blame, which left us feeling that the university fundamentally misunderstood and overlooked the realities of our department’s situation.

Q: How do you think the Sociology major will change as a result of the Faculty Recruitment Task Force’s efforts?

   We do not expect a dramatic transformation to happen overnight. That kind of change takes time, and we are aware of the limitations we face. However, we still hope to achieve small but meaningful improvements through our continued efforts. Even if the progress is gradual, we believe it can help prevent future generations of students from facing the same difficulties we have experienced. Our goal, ultimately, is to protect the future of our department and preserve what makes it valuable for those who will follow.

Q: Aside from recruiting more faculty, what do you think is needed to improve the Sociology major overall?

   In truth, faculty recruitment is deeply intertwined with all other necessary improvements within the department. Due to the recent implementation of the Open Major program, small departments like ours are experiencing a noticeable reduction in student admissions. This has led to increased pressure to improve competitiveness and secure the department’s future. As a result, the need for faculty recruitment has become even more urgent and critical. To truly improve the academic environment, we require more updated and diverse courses, as well as increased opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in meaningful research experiences. All of these improvements depend heavily on having capable, qualified, and stable faculty members. Ultimately, we hope the university fully understands the complex context and reasons behind our department’s desperate need to hire new faculty.

Q: You have used media interviews and public statements to raise awareness about the Sociology department’s situation. What kind of responses have you received?

   After the school journal covered our general student assembly and we posted a wall statement, we received significant attention. External media coverage followed, helping to generate public support for our cause. We are sincerely grateful for this solidarity, and the experience showed us how important it is to raise awareness externally during times of crisis.

Q: You have mentioned that this is not the end, and you plan to continue pushing for more faculty recruitment. Do you have any specific goals or plans moving forward?

   We do not have concrete plans yet for the next steps or specific goals. However, just as we have done so far throughout this process, we will continue to actively convey the needs of the Sociology department and work hard to amplify the voices and concerns of our fellow students.

Q: How did you build solidarity with other departments or universities, and what kind of support did you receive in the process?

   We requested solidarity signatures and letters of support through our official Instagram account to gather as much backing as possible. Despite the tight timeline and limited preparation time, many student organizations and groups responded with words of encouragement and even took the time to draft formal statements of support on our behalf.

Q: Why do you think Sociology students were so engaged in the issue of faculty recruitment? What motivated such active participation? 

   It is because students are the ones who most directly experience the negative effects of faculty shortages in their daily academic lives and face challenges firsthand. Since this issue impacts their own learning environment so profoundly and affects their educational experience, they had no choice but to actively participate and raise their voices. They understood that remaining silent would only worsen the situation for themselves and for future students. This collective awareness fueled their strong commitment to the cause. Their involvement was driven by a genuine concern for the quality of education they receive as well as the future prospects of their major and academic community.

Q: What was the most memorable moment or episode during this faculty recruitment effort? How do you think it contributed to the development of the department?

   After our meeting with the administration, we promptly convened a general assembly of Sociology students in order to continue and strengthen our efforts. Approximately 50 to 60students attended the assembly, which is a significant turnout considering that the department had a total of 113 enrolled students as of 2025. This strong show of support from our peers provided us with great encouragement and motivation to persist in our activities. We believe that this collective gathering and active participation greatly contributed to reinforcing the solidarity and unity within our department.

Q: Even though faculty recruitment has taken place, there are still many challenges ahead. Do you have a final message for your fellow students?

   Thank you to everyone who took an interest in our cause and joined us in the faculty recruitment campaign. We deeply appreciate your support and encouragement throughout this journey. We sincerely hope that you will continue to support and care for the Sociology department, so that together we can preserve and further develop this valuable space that we have built and nurtured as a community.