An anonymous student put up a hand-written poster that opposes incorporation next to the President's statement and other students show an enthusiastic response to it. Also Kim Ah-young(Department of Linguistics)formed a student organization opposed to incorporation, 'N-Keeper'. Their activity is attracting a lot of attention. They are putting up hand-written posters and post writings on the Baek-ma board.
However, many students still do not know bout the incorporation problem and do not have an interest in that problem. It needs a Lot of student attention because the incorporation problem is very important problem to all of us. Let us Listen to the a student's opinions in this column.
In Incorporation? Noncorporation!
Recently, a big issue in CNU has been the CNU will be incorporated. Most students think incorporation will have a negative effect and that it will raise tuition. But, if it is really helpful to the development the CNU and it will be benefit us, then we should do it. However I think, in the long-time, the incorporation of CNU in more negative than positive.
First, the decline of fundamental studies is a concern. If school authorities incorporate, CNU then financial rights will be handed over to CNU from the government so that CNU will have the freedom control the budget. The budget will obviously be concentrated on studies like natural sciences and engineering. If financial support from the government is suspended in order to secure financing, the budget will be concentrated in areas that are easily linked to companies outside of the university that have a benefit. Financial support to studies which can't make a profit, like the humanities or the basic sciences, will correspondingly diminish. Finally, in order to concentrate more money on more profitable studies, it will bring about the abolishment of studies like humanities or basic studies. That means the abandonment of the main role of a comprehensive national university and the promotion of a variety studies.
The next issue is the lack of local capital foundation. If the budget is concentrated un certain departments for the pursuit of financial support or profit from outside companies by academic-industrial cooperation then we will have a problem because regardless of their ability those companies arc often not in the Daejeon. In fact, most big Korean companies or Industrial facilities are concentrated m Seoul, Gyeonggido, Incheon and Kyungsangdo. Recently, SNU(Seoul National University) and the University of Inchcon or Ulsan college have pushed ahead toward incorporation, because they have a regional foundation. However, Daejeon dues not have enough capital in its region. Futhermore, KAIST is also in Daejeon and has a greater reputation than CNU in local industrial society. In this situation, how can we make a profit? To concentrate on some studies by abolishing other studies will not benefit us the way we want. It is to commit suicide. Getting funds from outside and distributing the on to the University from the incorporation's supporters is not realistic. It will lead to CNU becoming an equal with any other local private university.
Finally, we can also find an example nearby, the incorporation of universities in Japan. Actually the Korea government's plan of incorporation is modeled on Japan. Japan has pushed ahead with the incorporation of universities since 2000 and now after almost 10 years, the result Is that 'big-name' universities have been successful. Of course, we cannot make a conclusion from it because it was under the different conditions and circumstances but we should examine it from an objective point of view.
Actually, this incorporation is a solution to the university's incompetence. It creates free competition, which should create the same conditions for every participant- However, it is different in every regional so how can we have a fair situation?
The President of CNU often cites SNU's case and compares CNU with it. I know SNU is the first university to push ahead with incorporation in Korea and they have a good influence on the idea of incorporation, but SNU is SNU and CNU is CNU. We are different. SNU is not always right and we have a different view-point from them. We shouldn't always follow SNU, we should examine SNU's case and take advantage of it. Besides even SNU, which the president really likes, is temporarily postponing incorporation. What are the thoughts of CNU's president? Dues he want to boast that he can incorporate CNU faster than SNU?
I Think it as childish vanity like a little buy's pride when he buys a brand-new toy faster than any other boys by pestering his parents and boasting about it on the playground. I wish the incorporation of CNU would stop.
By Gwon Dong-Bin , Junior
Dept. of English Literature & Language