Controversy has arisen regarding student dues at a junior college in Chungcheongnam-do’s nursing department, where freshmen were forced to pay 400,000 won in student dues and were not permitted to request refunds. The student council provided a guide to freshman at an orientation in February, stating, “Please make sure to deposit all of them by March 2nd.” One freshman expressed dissatisfaction, claiming that the council did not provide any explanation or plan, and that the atmosphere was one in which everyone was required to pay without question.
The school returned the full amount to students who did not want to pay and announced the budget for student dues at each event, but some students were not refunded following the amount of the graduation-related fees was deducted from the dues. Additionally, the method of collecting student dues for the 8th semester was problematic, with students being required to purchase a department uniform called “Gwajam” (50,000 won, including badges) and pay for the Teacher’s Day event (10,000 won). One student criticized the forced purchase of the uniform, while another questioned why all students were asked to pay for the Teacher’s Day event and why it cost 2 million won each year.
Controversies like these are a chronic issue in the university community, and experts advise that all budgets and accounts be transparently disclosed to every student at the beginning of admission or at the general meeting at the start of each semester, as a significant amount of money is collected and used for student membership fees. The student council should play a more active role in ensuring transparency by involving and persuading students in the decision-making process.
yunhap news
Controversy is brewing over student dues, with the department of nursing at a junior college in Chungcheongnam-do forcibly collecting 400,000 won in student dues from freshmen and refusing to request a refund of student dues.
The student council of the department of nursing at this university said in the student dues guide handed out to freshmen at the freshman orientation (OT) at the end of February, “Please make sure to deposit all of them by March 2nd” specified
On the 7th, freshman A, who requested anonymity, said, “At OT, the student council gave only one notice and said, ‘Please deposit everything by March 2nd’ without any plan or explanation, so it was an atmosphere where everyone had to pay the student dues unconditionally. “The other students also had complaints, but since we have to keep seeing each other (with the seniors), it seems like everyone cried and ate mustard,” he said.
Regarding this, the school explained, “The school judged that the anti-compulsory collection of student dues was wrong, so it returned the full amount to students who did not want it, and from now on, we announced the budget to students at every event and asked them to collect dues.”
However, the answer returned to some freshmen who requested a refund of the student union fee was “I will refund it except for the amount used at graduation”, and they were not refunded in the end.
The method of collecting student membership fees for the 8th semester is also a problem, but students are forced to purchase Gwajam, including the cost of ‘Gwajam’ (department uniform) (50,000 won including badges) and Teacher’s Day event costs (10,000 won) He pointed out that it is also a problem to raise the cost of events.
One student criticized an anonymous online community on campus, saying, “The forced purchase of over-jam is really annoying. I have nothing to wear and the design is nothing, but I wonder why they force purchase.”
According to the details of student dues, the Teacher’s Day event is held with a budget of regarding 2,000,000 won each year by collecting 2,500 won of student dues per student, which is also anti-compulsory.
Freshman B said, “I don’t understand why all students pay for the Teacher’s Day event and spend 2 million won on this event every year.” I think that’s enough,” he said.
A student membership fee of 65,000 won is set for the Nightingale swearing-in ceremony and the eve of the ceremony.
A student asked a question in an online community, “A candle cost 6,700 won. Did you put gold on the candle?” “Last year, I did it with an LED candle, but I took it back following the event was over. I don’t know where the 6,700 won came from.” raised
As controversy arose over student dues, the student council told Yonhap News, “Until now, students have been notified through the department’s online cafe so that students can check accounting reports related to student dues.” guided,” he said.
However, freshman A said, “We said we were asked questions by freshmen, but we never gave a clear answer to what we were really curious regarding.” We did not disclose details or detailed item bills.”
I asked the student council for their position on controversies such as the anti-forced collection of student dues, the forced purchase of excessive sleep, and Teacher’s Day events and candle prices, but I might not hear an answer.
The school said, “As far as I know, the student council has undergone an accounting audit on the expenditure of student union fees, and the results have been transparently disclosed to students through an online cafe.”
The amount of student union fees varies greatly by department and department, and the nature of forced collection is strong, and it remains a chronic disease in the university community.
Experts advise that since a large amount of money is collected and used for student membership fees, budgets and accounts should be reported to all students on site at the beginning of admission or at the general meeting at the beginning of the semester, and all details should be disclosed transparently.
Kim Chang-in, CEO of the Youth Justice Party, said, “From the process of deciding why students should pay student membership fees, where they are needed and how they will be spent, the process of involving and persuading students is absolutely necessary.” “I think the student council needs to make its own efforts to ensure transparency,” he pointed out.
The issue of student dues remains an ongoing problem in universities and colleges, with many students feeling frustrated and powerless once morest forced collections and unclear spending. While the nursing department at a junior college in Chungcheongnam-do has faced scrutiny for their 400,000 won student dues, this is a problem that affects many students across different departments and schools. Experts suggest that transparency and involving students in the decision-making process for student dues is critical for creating a fair and accountable system. It remains to be seen if changes will occur, but for now, students continue to speak out and question the practices of their schools and student councils.
