The poll was conducted via email from April 14 - May 3 among 2,832 students of Yonsei University. The sample includes: 1,059 female students and 1,735 male students; 839 freshmen, 753 sophomores, 665 juniors and 533 seniors; 1,394 students of Area (Col.) of Liberal Arts & Area (Col.) of Social Science, 1,010 of Area (Col.) of Sciences & Area (Col.) of Engin., 112 of Area (Col.) of Human Ecology, 73 of Col. of Music, 135 of Col. of Medicine & Col. of Dentistry & Col. of Nursing, 56 of Col. of Theology, 10 of UIC.

STUDENT ASSOCIATION DISEASE (SAD): A disease marked by the lack of communication between the SA, the students and the school authorities. This syndrome is evident especially with the discontent and/or lack of interest of the student body with regard to the SA or the university administration (Not commonly used).

  Yonsei University seems to be suffering from "SADness." The lack of communication between students, its representatives and the school has caused considerable conflict not only this year but also in years past. SADly, this semester the 43rd SA has become an issue because of its rather "radical" activities, but the problem does not only lay in the 43rd SA, Haengbok Plus+.
What does the average Yonseian think about the current SA? How advanced is SAD? The Yonsei Annals asked 2,832 Yonseians to evaluate the first semester of the 43rd SA. This survey was conducted via email and was not done through random sampling, therefore, it may contain statistical errors.

1. Diagnosis: Discovering Yonsei's SAD

  The diagnosis of SAD is based on three basic factors: interest, communication and satisfaction with the SA. Try asking yourself the three questions the Annals asked Yonseians to find out the gravity of SAD: How interested are you in the SA?, What do you think about the levels of communication between the SA, the students and the school?, How satisfied with the SA are you? If all your answers are negative you are inflicted with SAD.

Insufficient interest

  Most Yonseians walking down Baikyangro don? care about what the SA is doing. Is this right? Almost. A total of 40.2% of Yonseians answered that they were "only interested when the SA becomes an issue." "The reponse may look like the students are interested, but it is not so. How frequently is the SA an issue?" asks Hwang Sang-min, Prof. of Psychology. "The students' disinterest is apparent in that 49.1% of students 'do not visit the SA homepage due to a lack of interest.' Likewise, 75.6% of students who have visited and left a message on the SA's board "did not go back to confirm the SA's reaction." What are these reactions, if not apathy? The reason students feel detached is because the SA lacks not only communication with the students but they also failed to catch the students' attention as well," adds Hwang.

Shallow communication

  Fully 47.4% of students believe that communication with the SA is not executed smoothly. "The 43rd SA is not listening to the needs of the students. Students usually take interest in academic matters (refer to graph on p. 25). Even though the SA works to solve the problems the students think that their interests are not being addressed. Students also are dissatisfied with the SA's political stances as shown in the survey results (53.0% of Yonseians answered they were "against the representative of Yonseians showing their political colors"). Students do not like to be represented by the SA on issues in which they may or may not be preoccupied," explains Hwang. "The lack of communication between students and the SA is critical. The SA does not seem to trust the school, including the information and data it provides," worries Kim Mong-soo, Director of Student Affairs and (Service).

Delineated Dissatisfaction

  Are students happy with the current SA? Not entirely. When asked What is the most important quality that a SA needs to possess?, a majority of 45.8% answered that the SA should be "a bridge between the school and the student body in order to promote change and propel the activities as well as demands on behalf of the students." Only 21.7% thought the current SA possessed theses qualities. Totally 39.7% of students thought the current SA "does not possess any indispensable qualities." In evaluating the SA's activities this semester with a letter grade, 87.5% of students gave the SA a letter grade of B or less. "Considering what the letter grade "B" means to Yonsei's students, the grade shows what Yonseians think of the SA," Hwang clarified.

2. Symptoms: Scrutinizing the SA

  The Annals thought that the symptoms of SAD would be best recognized by the SA. The Annals sat down with the vice president of the SA, Yoon Tae-young (Sr., Dept. of Business and Admin.) to listen to what the SA had to say.

  Annals: What do you think is the most pressing problem of the 43rd SA?

  Yoon: The most important problem that we are up against is coming to an understanding in academic related issues. We realize the challenge and that a solution is called for the lack of communication. However, it is not only a situation of the 43rd SA but an affliction of the school in general. The student body and its views towards the SA's roles have changed. We admit that the 43rd SA has failed to live up to expectations or to catch up to the trends.

  About 53% of students stated that they were "unhappy with Yonseian representatives displaying their political colors." What do you think?

  We were not elected because of our Hancheongryun activities. It is not a matter of importance. The SA believes that political issues need to be discussed and the SA is just launching the subject for discussion.

  Don't you think that announcing the Daedong Fete slogan as "Anti-FTA, Protect Pyeongtaek" is a little more than just "launching the subject for discussion"?

  It is a mere slogan. Not all Yonseians will agree with it but, we were trying to launch the discussion about the FTA and Pyeongtaek. The phrase was discussed for three weeks by not only the SA but the members of the college SAs. We acknowledge that there was a lack of discussion and communication. 

  When the Annals asked Yonseians whether they believed in your pledge of cutting the tuition fees by 5% through using transfer and reserve funds, a little over 53% answered that they oppose the SA's solutions to the raise in tuition fees. Likewise, in a street interview, 5 out of 10 people thought that the tuition fee controversy was taking up too much time and represented the hours which could be devoted to fulfilling other campaign pledges. What do you think about that?

  The 5% cut was a campaign pledge which was not relevant to some students, Now we are supporting the "12% raise annulment" with which more students can identify. We are trying to address other issues that the students are concerned about but the process is not easy. As the students can see in the email sent out by the school entitled "The school's answers on the SA's demands," the school refuses to discuss most of our demands.

  Through the registration fee controversy, the SA is asking where the students stand in the decision making of academic matters and what claims we are entitled to address. The SA strives to live up to its responsibility so as to resolve these academic plans.

  The results show that students understand your purpose but they are not happy with the methods that you use to express your aim. For example, 32.7% were not satisfied with the long term occupation of Underwood Hall even though they identify with your purpose. In similar terms, three out of ten students in a street interview opposed your behavior at the Union Chapel, saying it was disrespectful not only to the school authorities but to the students who prepared it. 

We believe it is a problem of mutual agreement and sympathy. It needs to be improved with both conversation and agreement.

  What about the morning propaganda campaigns clogging up the traffic,  and the 10th Anniversary of Noh Soo-suk staged in front of the Central Library disturbing the studying students?

  The university is not only a place of study; it is also where we live. We staged the events where we thought they were most appropriate.  Students complain because they do not sympathize with our cause. Most students do not complain about the din of AKARAKA or Daedong Fete. Moreover, it is also a problem of the Central Library, it is not sound proof.

  As you mentioned earlier, the lack of communication is a critical problem, how do you plan to tackle it?

  We have no solution as of yet, but we are trying to find ways to include students in our decision making. There is, however, no clear solution. Our Cyworld Town is not very approachable because it is not anonymous. Yonjeonggong is very violent and the opinions that are written there cannot be confirmed. Therefore the SA does not wish to use it as a means of communication. Although the official homepage is being reconstructed, we do not know when it will be up for use because the former SA did not transfer its rights to us. We are trying to use the electronic voting system but there is always a problem with personal information. We are making an effort though.

  What are your visions for the future?

  Our goals are to succeed in both academic and financial policies that we are pursuing and to enliven the communication with students.

* * *

  The president of the SA, Lee Sung-ho (Sr., Dept. of Sociology), was not available for this interview. The Annals conducted this interview in order to listen to the rationale of the SA and to ask the SA to clarify on issues of communication with the school. The Annals also inquired into the much needed proposals to enhance the participation of students in the SA's activities. However, in the opinion of our editors and reporters, we did not receive satisfactory answers. The SA repeatedly stated that they had no predetermined solution.

  Identified Symptoms: Lack of communication, discontent of students, Lack of Communication, lack of understanding, LACK OF COMMUNICATION, lack of planning and foresight.

3. Prescription: Finding the big "H" Happiness

  Certainly, there can be no panacea for the problems experienced with the 43rd SA, or otherwise. What the SA leadership and representatives must remember is that they were not elected with 99.99% of the votes. Their power is legitimate only to the extent that the students and the school approve of their actions. Most students will not go as far as impeachment or abolishment of the SA, but to conserve their current status, the SA must find a cure for SAD. The SA, the students and the school can overcome SAD by keeping in mind these three following steps: Listen, Discuss, Act.

Listen: Listen to what others have to say first.

  "A quality that is essential for the SA is grasping what the students want and expressing their collective needs to the school. The overall results of the survey suggest that students seem to think this is not a quality that the 43rd SA possesses," criticizes Hwang. "The SA needs to ask 'Do we really know what the students want?' They should think about what the students are saying. Before acting, why not listen for a change?" Hwang suggests.

DISSCUSS: Have some faith in the other side. Open your hearts.

  "For an effective discussion, both sides, whether it is the SA and the university or the SA and the student body, need to make concessions and learn to trust the other side. Try to understand where the other side is coming from," advises Kim. "There seems to be a lack of effort on the part of the students to get their voices heard collectively that needs to be modified," he adds. Hwang voices, "The SA also needs to learn to think outside of their shell and debate with students in order to discover what students really want and how their desires can be fulfilled."

ACT: Think before you act.

As mentioned earlier, students were not satisfied with the methods the SA used to expound their ideas. "Why not try to reduce the volume a bit and hold assemblies and other activities on days when there are fewer classes? Stepping into the shoes of the students would be a good idea. Explaining to the students and aiding them to understand the purpose of the SA's activities would also be helpful," suggests Kim. On the issue of political action by the SA, Hwang commented: "Do not ask the students to think as 'intellectuals.' Let them approach political problems as a social responsibility of members of that society, then the animosity will be lessened. Moreover, act on questions that students are interested in and want fulfilled. Try not to look outside the campus for issues; there are plenty on school grounds."

4. Prognosis

  Students are allowed to retake courses they have flunked. The SA did receive an average grade of C in the students' evaluation, but they should be allowed to redeem that grade. The lack of communication can be amended only through listening, discussing and then acting. The methods of communication are up to the SA to find, whether it is the school homepage, their Cyworld Town or other alternatives. It is their responsibility to encourage discussion and understanding. Not only is discussion with the students a crucial issue but so is the discussion with the school. "Step out of your box of thought and ask what we can do for the students and go demand that the school take action," Hwang encourages.

  What the 43rd SA and other SAs must remember is that their power lays with the people, in this case the students. The SAs were elected to display the will of the students, not to act as tyrants. This year's SA, was elected by 3,496 Yonseians, only a fraction of the 20,000 students that attend this school. They were elected not just to represent their voters but their majority non-voters as well. If all the SA representatives remember whom they represent and who has sovereign power over them (only students can impeach SAs), they would no longer commit the grievances of the past that have tainted their records.

  "I have high hopes for the 43rd SA. They are very passionate about their work and when the troubles with the school are overcome I believe they will do a great job," Kim states. Students are hopeful, too. Eight out of the ten students interviewed on Baikyangro wished to see some of the SA's pledges turned into tangible results and would support them if they did.

  The middle of the SA's term is the perfect time to look back and fix what has gone wrong. The student body has high hopes that the SA will right their wrongs and make Yonsei a better university to attend. Make Yonsei a place worth attending. Make Yonsei a place where honest communication between students, the SA and the school authorities is possible. Get rid of SAD! Replace it with Happiness Plus+!!

"The SA-student-school relationship can be solved through effective discussion, including concessions and trust on all sides."

- Kim Mong-soo, Director of Student Affairs and Service