YONSEI UNIVERSITY is on the cusp of significant internal and policy changes. With the January 2024 expiration of Yonsei University’s 19th President Suh Seoung Hwan’s tenure fast approaching, the university has recently completed the electoral process for his successor. This milestone comes in the wake of a months-long evaluation process, during which eight initial candidates were assessed by the school community on their vision, background, and policy proposals. To commemorate the selection of a new president, The Yonsei Annals takes a deep dive into the role of Yonsei University’s president, the election process, and the candidates themselves. 

Introduction to the role of Yonsei’s president

   Since the merger of Yonhi College and Severance Hospital in 1957, Yonsei University has witnessed the stewardship of 19 presidents. Baek Nak-jun inaugurated this legacy, succeeded by notable figures such as Ko Byung-gan and Yun Yin-gu. Initially, presidents were predominantly from the College of Medicine and the College of Theology. However, a shift occurred in the 1990s under Song Ja's presidency, where graduates from the School of Business, School of Economics, and School of Engineering ascended to leadership roles, aligning with the evolving academic landscape. Current President Suh became the latest in a long line of ex-School of Economics presidents in 2020; his presidency, the 19th in the university’s history, will end on Jan. 31, 2024. 

   As one of the most prominent universities in Korea, Yonsei University is seeking an all-encompassing president as its next leader. First and foremost, a president must set a clear vision and goals for the development of the university. A vision drives change within an institution by giving its members a common desire and a reason to commit to the future of the organization. A president must also be an outstanding administrator and manager, achieving the set goals with great effectiveness and efficiency. Moreover, it is the president’s responsibility to lead active and democratic communication among professors, students, and faculty to embrace every member of the organization. Currently, university finances are largely composed of tuition, donations, and research funds, and a president is held accountable for expanding these education finances through managing funds and raising donations. Lastly, a president of a university is one who initiates change and innovation within higher education. A president should thus be a well-rounded individual who possesses all the aforementioned qualities, as every one of them is pivotal in effectively running a university as well as ensuring the well-being of all its members[1]. 

The electoral process

   The general election process was conducted through four steps. First, any willing candidates submitted their applications to the President Candidate Recommendation Committee. This committee consists of 24 people, these being 12 professors, 2 employees, 2 church representatives, 2 alumni, 1 donor, 2 students, and 3 community representatives. These committee members were selected by the Faculty Council, Employees’ Union Council, Board of Directors, Alumni Association, and General Student Council. Following the application submissions, the President Candidate Recommendation Committee selected five candidates to advance by September 22. This process is known as public verification and involves the committee gathering and assessing any complaints about the candidates from the school community. For the 20th presidential election process, submissions for public verification opened from September 1 until September 20. Next, a Policy Evaluation Team consisting of faculty, employees, and students evaluated the 5 candidates’ policy proposals and then selected a final 3 via a vote by October 21. Lastly, the Board of Directors evaluated the candidates’ policies by listening to their speeches and holding a question-and-answer session, before finalizing the president on October 25. The aforementioned processes were all overseen by the Faculty Council, while a 19-person Presidential Candidate Election Management Committee was responsible for ensuring fair and open elections[2]. 

   A plethora of regulations outline the behavior deemed acceptable for candidates. For starters, all prospective candidates must promote their candidacy through the Presidential Candidate Election Management Committee, rather than freely advocating for themselves. Promotion is done through notices on the Faculty Council website, or via email messages. Candidates are banned from bribing stakeholders, slandering competitors, and requesting committee members for support. Falsifying documents, proposing unfeasible policies, and any other forms of political meddling are prohibited as well. In the event of a candidate breaching one or more of these regulations, they may receive a warning if the Presidential Candidate Election Management Committee deems it necessary[2].

   Yonsei’s presidential election process has undergone a multitude of changes over the years, with the current regulations only having been ratified in 2021, during the tenure of 19th President Suh. In 1988, Yonsei became the first Korean university to begin selecting its president through direct election by faculty members. Indirect elections were adopted in 1996, opening the vote to employee, student, and alumni representatives as well. The 16th presidential election conducted in 2008 involved a two-track policy, wherein the Faculty Council and President Candidate Recommendation Committee separately recommended candidates. The 2012 election added a faculty vote of confidence as the final step following the Board of Directors’ decision; 17th President Jeong Kap-young came into office only after receiving a majority vote of confidence from the faculty. This faculty vote of confidence was abolished in 2016’s 18th election, in the wake of a lengthy dispute between the Faculty Council and Board of Directors over each group’s relative power to recommend and finalize candidates[3]. 

Comparison with other universities

   In most Korean private universities, university presidents are selected by the respective Board of Directors, with specific regulations being up to the school’s discretion. Private universities choose their presidents through one of three methods: full appointment, direct elections, and indirect elections. Although these three general formats are adhered to, specifics can vary from university to university. Full appointment refers to an electoral method wherein the Board of Directors has full control of the election, with zero participation from members of the school community. Most private universities in Korea follow this system, with a 2020 Ministry of Education document revealing that out of 93 private universities, 61.3% practiced full appointment[4]. The reason for such undemocratic processes is that out of 327 universities in Korea, 86.5% are private, thus granting excessive power to school boards in electing presidents. 

   In contrast to the undemocratic full-appointment process, elections involve the participation of the wider school community to varying degrees. In a direct election, members of the university community—encompassing the likes of faculty, students, employees, and alumni—directly select candidates. The elected finalists are evaluated by the Board of Directors, which then selects the final president. The degree of voter inclusiveness varies from university to university; some universities only allow faculty members and employees to vote, while others open voting to everyone, including students and alumni. One notable university practicing direct election is Ewha Womans University. Here, the university community votes for two candidates, after which the board makes the final decision on the president[5]. 

   Indirect election is the process utilized by Yonsei. As the name implies, it involves members of the university community indirectly contributing to elections. Unlike direct elections, a group of representatives serves as an intermediary between the wider community and the Board of Directors. Usually, an elected committee consisting of faculty, employee, student, and alumni representatives recommends candidates to the board, which makes the final decision. Korea University has adopted such a system of election. There, 1,700 faculty members select 6 candidates, which are then further whittled down to 3 finalists by an appointed committee. The final three are evaluated by the Board of Directors before a single president is named[6]. 

The candidates

   In an interview with the Annals, candidate Hong Dae-sik (Prof., Dept. of Electrical & Electronic Engin.) expanded on his visions for Yonsei University and the kind of president he will become. Hong envisions the revival of the humanities and social sciences, open and diverse discussions challenging global issues, and most importantly, the continuation of Yonsei’s legacy through empowering third world countries. To achieve this, Hong promises to be a great listener. Communication is crucial as a leader, and Hong plans on moving the president’s office to the second floor of Stimson Hall to increase accessibility and open a communication lounge on the first floor to meet professors, faculty members, and students on a weekly basis. Moreover, financial independence is one of the most pressing issues of Yonsei University and Hong presents a plan to firmly establish Yonsei’s economic sustainability, raising a fund of ₩565 billion during his term. One strategy is the Y-COMPANY 1000 Project, where the university cooperates with 500 corporations and invests in 500 start-up companies. When executed successfully, this project is expected to secure ₩20 billion by 2027. Finally, Hong highlights the importance of globalization. Within Yonsei, Hong will enhance inclusivity and a sense of belonging for international members through building a completely bilingual administration system and adding halal food options in the cafeteria. Overseas, Hong proposes the Underwood Avison Project that will extend Yonsei’s educational and medical influence in underdeveloped countries. Hong believes that it is time for Yonsei to share hope to these countries, just as Yonsei’s founding fathers had brought to Korea.

   Candidate Yoon Dong-sup (Prof., College of Medicine) revealed his visions and goals during an interview with the Annals. With the central idea of “empowerment,” Yoon divides his pledge as president into four main categories: governance, education, research, and finance. First and foremost, Yoon proposes to innovate university governance by strengthening financial support and decision-making rights for every department. He promises to build an environment where each member of the university can thrive, not only to increase academic performance, but also to actively meet global challenges. For radical changes to happen, abundant resources and finances are necessary, as Yoon says, “Nothing happens until money happens.” If he becomes the next president, Yoon pledges to raise ₩600 billion for the development of Yonsei University using his experience as the head of Yonsei University Health System (YUHS). Furthermore, in an age of convergence, students must not be limited to their majors and fields. Yoon suggests incorporating an educational system where students can design their own curriculum roadmap that goes beyond the current framework. For one semester, students will be able to create their own minor under the guidance of an advisor, allowing students to explore academic interests beyond their major and develop a unique, creative expertise. Lastly, Yoon draws attention to university rankings. As Yonsei University continues to rise in global rankings, strengthening research capability and research personnel is crucial to sustain this progress. Yoon promises to secure Yonsei’s global research competitiveness through innovative transdisciplinary convergence research.

   The president’s office shared Suh’s pledge with the Annals, where Suh states that his focus during his term as the 19th president was “to restore Yonsei’s institutional confidence and overcome the pandemic crisis.” Now, if he becomes the 20th president, Suh will concentrate on building “a system that can further harness and leverage Yonsei’s capabilities in realizing sustainable development.” He proposes a development plan that establishes the foundation for such sustainable development, with donations of ₩1 trillion over a span of two terms. Suh will address the spatial issues within the campus and offer a comprehensive and systematic approach to solve such issues. In addition to advancing the research, educational, and medical departments, Suh also prepares to maximize the advantages of Mirae Campus. Suh wishes to meet “the challenges towards building a greater Yonsei,” together with all Yonsei members.

   The Annals reached out to candidates Moon Il (Prof., Dept. of Chemical & Biomole. Engin.) and Son Bong-soo (Prof., Dept. of Urban Planning & Engin.), yet received no response.

Results

   September 1 marked the beginning of public verification through the announcement of eight initial candidates: Moon, Son, An Gang-hyeon (Prof., Lawschool), Yoon, Lee Ho-geun (Prof., School of Business), Ha Yeon-seob (Prof., Dept. of Public Policy & Management), Hong, and Suh [2]. Public verification of all candidates ended on September 21, with a notice the next day confirming the following five candidates’ advancement to the next stage: Hong, Moon, Son, Suh, and Yoon[2]. The Policy Evaluation team voted Yoon, Suh, and Hong as the final three candidates on October 21[2]. On October 25, Yoon was finalized as Yonsei’s 20th president. He is the 1st College of Medicine president in 12 years, and the 5th overall from that lineage. His tenure runs from February 2024 to January 2028[2].

[1] “The Leadership roles of Effective University Presidents”

[2] Yonsei University 

[3] Dailymedi

[4] Ministry of Education

[5] E-dae Hak-bo

[6] Korea University