ON NOV. 10, 2021, Yonsei University’s Central Election Committee officially registered candidates for the 57th General Student Council Election. Over the course of one month, members of the Yonsei community were presented with policy debates and campaign activities covering policies from career support to student life. From temporary nullification of the election because of low voter turnout to the unexpected disqualification of candidate party Uni, this year’s election was full of surprising turns. After a rocky election period, the newly elected student council now faces a student body ready to revert to offline settings following eased COVID-19 regulations.

How do Student Council Elections work?

   The General Student Council represents the voices of the 25,000 undergraduate students from both Sinchon and Songdo International campuses. In Yonsei University General Student Council elections, campaign teams are elected directly by popular vote. All Yonsei undergraduate students, including registered students on a leave of absence and exchange students abroad, are eligible voters. In accordance with Yonsei University General Student Council Constitution Chapter 7 and Bylaws on Yonsei University General Student Council Election and General Student Vote Chapter 3, the Central Election Committee had notified the school of the council election on October 26. After a pre-registration period and advocative signature period where campaign teams were required to collect 600 or more endorsement signatures from Yonsei students, campaign teams beyond and Uni were officially registered on November 11. Since then, teams participated in policy debates and joint campaigns until the days leading up to the election. From November 23 to 25, voting took place. 

   The school’s Central Election Committee is responsible for overseeing the election’s various procedures and maintaining transparency, from regulating campaigns to counting ballots. The committee also mediates discussions between the candidate teams and school organizations involved in the campaign process. The Central Election Committee faced the additional challenge of adhering to social distancing guidelines for this year’s 57th General Election. For instance, following discussion and preparation with the Yonsei Press Committee, the committee organized two policy debates in Yonsei University's Sinchon and Songdo campuses. Complying with pandemic restrictions, the committee limited the number of people admitted and provided wristbands to keep a tally of guests attending the debates. 

   While the exact details of the committee's work differ from election to election, it strives to create elections that are fair for everyone. The committee ensures that candidates abide by election rules, arbitrates disputes, and penalizes violations of the detailed rules. After three notes of caution from the committee, one formal warning is issued to campaign teams that fail to comply with election rules. Three formal warnings result in possible disqualification.

Evaluating the 56th Student Council

   Elected on November 2020, while domestic cases soared and offline school culture diminished, 56th Student Council Switch had a platform revolving around the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the deteriorating quality of online education and abrupt cancellation of school events, the Switch campaign team promised to guarantee students' educational rights, create appropriate COVID-19 response policies, restore school spirit, enhance communication and student welfare, and review International Campus policies. In a survey conducted by the The Yonsei Annals of the Yonsei student body, 44.6% of respondents responded “unsure” to the question, “How well did the 56th General Student Council Yonsei Switch manage school affairs?” A full year after its election, the Annals interviewed the 56th Yonsei University General Student Council President Choi Eun-ji and Vice President Park Hyun-min to evaluate Switch’s accomplishments and what could have gone better. 

   In the interview, the two representatives of Switch stated that they were able to keep their promises to maintain active communication, expand scholarships, and improve school infrastructure. Whenever met with concerns, the Council conducted surveys to collect opinions from the Yonsei student body, directly delivered the results to the school, and established platforms for students to participate in the school's decision-making process. Beyond surveys, Switch organized Policy Case Competitions where students' ideas were discussed more actively, from revitalizing physical education classes to improving Yonsei's coding courses. "We really tried to communicate closely with the student body, think a lot, and talk a lot," said Switch. 

   In terms of scholarships, the 56th General Student Council secured over $3.5 million for COVID-19 Special Scholarships. Switch then utilized budgets from school businesses such as the Woo-jung-won and Community Treatment Center to provide housing scholarships to students. Profits raised from merchandise sold at Yonsei's Daedong Festival were also used for scholarships. 

   From the beginning of their campaigning, Switch pushed forward the narrative that it is easiest to fix school facilities when there are fewer people on campus. Consequently, Switch stated that they "took advantage of the largely empty school amidst COVID-19, repaired school streetlights, and replaced uncomfortable tablet arm desks."

   However, Switch stated that they were unable to fulfill their promises related to improving the school's Songdo Campus Facilities. According to Switch, this shortcoming occurred due to "freshmen's dormitory move-ins being completely canceled during the first semester, then being postponed until late October in the second semester" of their term. For similar reasons, Switch was unable to publish comprehensive ticketing guidelines they promised for the Daedong Festival or Akaraka games despite preparing some archived resources for the next Student Council. ​Looking back at their year of representing the Yonsei student body, they compared themselves to a swan, "graceful on the outside but furiously paddling below the surface to ensure a more comfortable life for students." 

Expectations for the 57th Student Council

  In the survey conducted by the Annals, 68.7% of respondents reported that they would be willing to vote in the 57th General Student Council Election if eligible. Results of the survey also found that while 51.8% of the student body was interested in the election to some extent, almost half of the student body was indifferent to the election process, with 48.2% of respondents responding with “uninterested” or “unsure.” 

   When asked about policies that they preferred, 60.2% of students responded that restoring school spirit and events, such as YonKo games and Akaraka, should be the priority of the 57th Student Council. A review of education policies such as exchange student and online lecture options came in second, occupying 48.2% of respondents’ votes. Devising COVID-related policies amidst With Corona deregulations came in third, with 44.6% of respondents voting in favor. Though not as popular as the three aforementioned policies, respondents also expressed support for expanding scholarships, student welfare policies, graduation and employment assistance, and help for disabled and foreigner students. 

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   While Switch led a student body during the peak of a pandemic, the 57th student council will be responsible for navigating the With Corona slope downhill, an unprecedented combination of COVID-19 regulations and deregulations. No matter the circumstances, it will always be up to the student council to prudently devise policies that best assist the interests of the student body.