On November 20, the public hearing of 52nd student council’s election was held at 1 p.m. While not many students could participate the hearing because of their course schedule and late notice, the questions were received through online survey and the election administration provided the live video through the instragram of current student council’s account (@51today). And here are some of the questions and answers from the public hearing.
Independence of Student Body
Winning the Direct Presidential Election and Increasing the Proportion of the Students’ Vote
During the interview with Sookdae Shinbo, you said that you consider the promise of direct presidential election as the most important. How will you fulfill your campaign promise?
Lim: There are various ways to protest. One of the means is to persuade the professors one by one. However, the most important thing is to show how important this agenda is and how we will continue to keep our promise. For now, I’m concerned to declare all our details, but we all surely promise to exert all the endeavors to win the direct presidential election.
What transformation do you expect from school after winning the presidential election?
Lim: The students’ opinions will be reflected a lot in the promises of presidential candidates. Currently, the students’ opinions are not reflected at all in the promises, and the students’ education rights are violated. When the direct presidential is obtained, the students’ demands will be met, and the presidential candidates will also suggest promises concerning the students of Sookmyung so that the students’ rights are not infringed.
More question concerning the topic
Please tell us more about how to implement data archive platform of student council. How do you think about the public object and extent? Plus, I wonder about the example from other universities which operate this kind of platform.
Han: We are considering Google Drive. Even if we don’t open a website, we think Google Drive is appropriate for data archive. We are planning for student council (of each college) to upload their data in the folder. If we can consult this with school, we are thinking of opening the website in the future. In case of Korea University, there is a website for student council. We are thinking of releasing the resources from all meeting records to budget proposal and report to enrolled students. However, if there’s any agenda that needs confidentiality, we will manage it flexibly.
Right of Education
Establishing a Consultative Group of School System
Among your four promises, there is also a new promise about a consultative group of school system. Then, how will you organize the members of the new consultative group? And it is thought that school system needs Sookmyung’s cooperation, so is it the issue which is already discussed with Sookmyung?
Han: We think the members of that group will be composed of not only the execution staff of student council and college representatives but also the students who want to participate in. Also, we will also require that the proportion of students and the faculty be fair. We think it is difficult to consult with the headquarters as a candidate before being a formal organization. Including direct presidential election, we think, getting permission and discussing all promises with school will result in denial of student sovereignty. Of course, we also recognize that the only importance of student council’s opinion could not make promises be achieved.
What do you think of the reform process of the liberal arts that didn’t have the process of gathering students’ opinions regarding the establishing a consultative group of school system?
Lim: In the process of preparing the establishing a consultative group of school system as a promise, we are also very angry that the Sookmyung’s headquarters reformed and informed the curriculum without asking students’ thoughts. Therefore, it is necessary to form a consultative group of school system. If we are elected as the next student council, we will emphasize the importance of that group and demand it strongly.
Introducing Autonomous Assessment System
In the case of Ewha Womans University, after introduction of autonomous assessment system, there were some problems of that system such as the professor’s random grading, grade inflation and difficulties of students’ requesting of grade corrections. Even though it has the side effects, why do you think it is needed? And what is your plan about how to solve these problems?
Lim: The autonomous assessment system we propose is to define the maximum and minimum additional proportion of a and b grades on each evaluation. Also, we will require the criteria for scoring. Therefore, we don’t think the problem you concerned about will occur. Furthermore, many students agree with the irrationality of the principle of relative evaluation, and there are many side effects. That’s why we think if we adopt one grading method (autonomous assessment system or relative evaluation) according to each class rather than the relative evaluation for all classes, we can make up for relative evaluation’s side effects.
How will you achieve the autonomous assessment system promise?
Lim: In this semester, absolute evaluation system was introduced in some classes such as major classes which consisted of 10 or fewer students. From this introduction, we can know that Sookmyung also regards this system positively and understands this system’s purpose. Thus, we will prepare a proposal to introduce the autonomous evaluation system during the winter vacation and discuss our requirements with the Sookmyung headquarters. Through this process, we will require them to present specific directions within the 1st semester next year and plan to be able to introduce an autonomous assessment system on a trial basis in the 2nd semester next year.
More question concerning the topic
After the destruction of auditorium due to a typhoon in 2010, students of Department of Physical Education are taking lectures in poor environments every year. What will you do to solve the problems of educational rights for the students in that department?
Lim: We are also aware of the violation of the rights of students of Department of Physical Education by disappearing the auditorium. Therefore, if we can work as a student council next year, we will solidarize and struggle with students for their rights of education by talking the violation of the rights of students and foundation of new auditorium.
Human Rights
Installing Women’s Studies as Interdisciplinary Program.
What criteria did you determine that there was a demand for Interdisciplinary Program for Women's Studies, even though they were abolished due to a lack of student numbers in the past?
Lim: I think the social trend has changed greatly from the period when the Interdisciplinary Program for women's studies was abolished in our school at the time. As there is a saying that ‘feminism reboot,’ it is undeniable that the interest in feminism and women’s studies has grown in Korea since the 2016.
More questions concerning the topic
I have seen many human rights guidelines, but I have no idea how the ‘human rights charter’ will be realized in everyday life. What does the charter mean on campus and what is different from the guidelines?
Lim: The guidelines were made at every event such as festival. Therefore, we intend to establish a charter that would encompass these guidelines so that it would not be cumbersome and that Sookmyungians would be more equal and not be discriminated against.
What do you think is the lack of the first Human Rights Week? And how will the second Human Rights Week supplement this?
Lim: Human Rights Week was held in this year to make the agenda of human rights more familiar to Sookmyungians, but since it was first held, I think many Sookmyungians have not been able to join. Therefore, if we hold the second Human Rights Week, we will run a wider variety of programs, present a more intimate and familiar human rights agenda for all Sookmyungians, and provide opportunities for more people to participate in, discuss, and talk about human rights.
Kim Ma Seunghee / Editor-in-Chief
smt_msh@sookmyung.ac.kr
Kim Shin Hyerin / Society Section Editor
smt_shr@sookmyung.ac.kr
Oh Kim Youbin / Culture Section Editor
smt_kyb@sookmyung.ac.kr
