ST interviewed SSUTINGSTAR to check the progress of commitment and announce soongsilians extra plans of SSUTINGSTAR---------Ed
Last December, Student president Woo Je-won (14, Christian Studies) and vice student president Kang Kyul-hee (16 ,Software Engineering) of SSUTINGSTAR elected with a majority of votes. Now, we’re in second semester. It means, the 59th SSUTINGSTAR’s term is left only a semester. Soongsilian have right to identify the commitment that the General Student Association promises, and the procedures about the commitment. ST interviewed about the pledges that Soongsilian consistently demand.
ST: SSUTINGSTAR asserts that required general course should be improved. First, what was the way to improve required general course?
SSUTINGSTAR: Most Soongsilians have critic mind about required general course because they give lectures that are not proper to student’s demand. For improvement, SSUTINGSTAR requests for meeting with Baired college, discussion, and student’s satisfaction survey. Also, according to survey, rather than improving required general course, it’s better to secure the overall required general course, and build additional lectures. We are trying to offer better quality of lectures.
ST: Why do you think required general course must be improved, and specifically what subject are you planning to improve?
SSUTINGSTAR: According to 2017,2018 education demand satisfaction survey, satisfactory of liberal art appears second lowest part following school schorlarship part. Soongsilian want practical and developing one’s capability. But Modern man and Bible and chapel are only memorization, not giving philosophy teaching. In case of unification camp, it forces not to discuss various view of unification, only tell advantages of unification. Recently, SSU proceeds the project for program developing and required general course developing. We are going to monitor the real effect of new developed required general course. Also, we’re going to discuss with Baired to improve required general course more.
ST: Credit draft system visualize. How can you intend it and tell us about the procedure of agreement.
SSUTINGSTAR: Credit draft system was accomplished by academic affairs. First, Academic affairs made a question about this system. But after searching the other school’s examples, Credit draft system’s advantage is fully proved. In Seoul main school, there are only 3 schools that do not proceed credit draft system, So we decided to proceed it.. But, now, because the priority is delayed in u-saint, credit draft system will be introduced next year.
ST: There have been a flurry of inquiries about the SSU course retaking system on "Everytime" and "Facebook." Some Soongsilians said that SSUTINGSTAR's commitment to improving the course retaking system is a decisive factor in the election. What efforts have you made to improve the system?
SSUTINGSTAR: SSU is more restrictive than other universities in the 'strictness of grades' section, which is highly relevant to Soongsilians' credits. This is because the high score cannot be obtained from other indicators of university basics capacity diagnosis. In response, SSUTINGSTAR analyzed all course retaking system of 53 self-improvement universities. The data presented by the SSU proved insufficient as a basis for maintaining the course retaking system. Compared to other universities, the SSU's course retaking system proved to be too strict and discussed with SSU every month in the Section of Academic Services and Registration for half a year.
ST: What is the potential for improvement in the course retaking system, and how will SSUTINGSTAR improve it?
SSUTINGSTAR: Here is what SSUTINGSTAR is trying to improve. By starting grades quarter system, revise grades to less than 30% A, less than 70% A and B combined. Increase the number of course retaking times from 8 to 12. Lower available course retaking grade from C+ to D+. Increase the available grades to A- ~ Ao from B+ when Soongsilians retake courses. However, the SSU believes that improving the course retaking system can cause grades conflict among students, which may lead to Soongsilians opposing improving the course retaking system. And SSU insisted that both conflicting opinions were wrong. In addition, the limit on credit system claims that it violates professors' rights to teach. To bring the students' voices together, At the same time as the opening of the lecture, SSUTINGSTAR will receive signatures and questions to submit to the SSU to solve the process of granting grades unfavorable to students.
ST: There is Soongsilians who have a problem with checking the in-school phone charger proposed by SSUTINGSTAR. Due to frequent breakdowns, Soongsilians are practically difficult to use. Why don't you improve this?
SSUTINGSTAR: Last year, through the campaign and SSUBOX, schoolmates asked for improvements first, such as improving Wi-Fi, replacing all-in-one desks, adding more student rest areas, and improving the quality of food in student restaurants. In particular, 128 out of 223 SSUBOX facility surveys in December requested Wi-Fi improvements. On the other hand, the number of phone charger requests you asked for was relatively small in two cases. According to the service team, we received an answer that we should check the phone charging device once a year. In the case of mobile phone charging devices, we will check the broken area and improve it with an extra budget.
As of July 29, 2019, SSUTINGSTAR's overall implementation rate was 51 percent. The implementation of pledges that Soongsilians considered conclusively important has been confirmed. Also, pledges that have yet to be realized have been reflected in the school's agreement. As an organization representing students' interests, SSUTINGSTAR is expected to actively communicate with students and play a good role in improving school rules and systems efficiently.
Oh Jun-taek (ST Reporter)
legalmind@soongsil.ac.kr
Park Yoo-bin (ST Cub-Reporter)
ybpark5973@soongsil.ac.kr
