―The Endless Controversy Surrounding the Proposed Merger between CNU and HNU―
Approximately eight months have passed since February 16 when the controversy over the planned merger between Chungnam National University (CNU) and Hanbat National University (HNU) ignited. Nonetheless, it continues to this day and is still the hottest issue for both universities. This article is a follow-up to the previous article on the merger, discussing public opinion and progress to date.
● Public Opinion on the Merger
By emailing students and holding more than 36 conferences and briefing sessions, CNU has continuously promoted the merger since last February. Furthermore, CNU signed a contract with Samil PwC―the largest accounting firm in Korea―to strengthen its persuasive power for the promotion and presented a final report on CNU’s innovation method on June 21. Despite these efforts, however, the responses of students and some faculty members to the merger were unfavorable.
First, the position of the university so far seems hypocritical and unilateral. Since February, the university has taken the stance that it will not proceed with the merger without the consent of students and faculty. For example, CNU showed itself to be open-minded and interactive by creating a separate message board on its website in June to gauge public opinion. In reality, however, CNU has put its head in the sand. Despite students and some faculty members voicing their opposition by putting up big posters and raising objections on the message board, the university has been unaccepting and has continued to push for the merger. Ultimately, this has left students and some faculty members unconvinced of the need for the merger.
Second, the university's prioritization of the merger over minimizing inconveniences has made students and faculty turn hostile toward the merger. Since the university is tightening its belt this year, the library is no longer open 24 hours a day, thereby disrupting students’ studying. Moreover, the number of buses annually rented to take students home for Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) was halved this year because of the drastic cut in the welfare budget. Ignoring these problems, however, the university spent its budget on making a contract with the largest accounting firm in Korea, which has left students bitterly disappointed.
● Backlashes against the Merger
With the student council at the center, students have constantly requested the university to disclose information and address objections, but the results have been unsatisfying, eventually leading students to take action. On September 2, the student council and the steering committee displayed 17 protest banners on campus, which included messages stating, "The future doesn't exist at universities that ignore students." In addition, from September 21 to 29, the student council surveyed undergraduate and graduate students and found that 96.3% (7,831 people) of the respondents (8,129 people) opposed the merger. Based on this result, the student council plans to send an official request to the university to acknowledge these opinions.
Several faculty members concerned about the hasty merger have also raised their voices following a survey of professors in June. According to a statement issued by 66 professors in the College of Humanities on September 7, the university undermined the voting right of professors undemocratically by biasedly interpreting the result of a survey. Therefore, these faculty members are strongly demanding that the university invalidate the survey results and stop promoting the merger. They are also carrying out activities like hanging banners and big posters on campus.
Meanwhile, the student council and faculty of HNU, who had remained silent, also began to voice their opposition to the merger in September. On September 22, over a dozen anti-merger banners were unfurled around their campus, and on September 26, a forum opposing the merger was held at the student hall. Considering the position of HNU’ students, the question ‘For Whom does the Merger Proceed?’ is expected to be raised again―this time with more strength.
● The Merger toward a ‘Brave New World’
Hitherto, the university has argued that the merger is the solution to its ever-worsening financial problems and will strengthen its competitiveness, stating that it is essential for the ideal future of CNU. However, the university must not forget that ignoring human rights and pursuing only development will see CNU fall into a dystopia as in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. For a better CNU, university members must be in harmony and be pleasant companions for each other