In the hot summer, many people say 'I am on a diet' The word, 'diet' is familiar to us.   

Most people think that a diet means moderate eating and drinking for beauty and health, This is true, but there are more meanings than this one, Nowadays, many universities are on a diet, meaning a diet of downsizing and belt-tightening.

I speaking about the tendencies of universities to reduce personnel and unify a lesson and college named unity and abolition.

Before putting this into action, we need to know the cause and result of this tendency.

First, what makes university tighten their belts?

The majority of university want to attract many students, because the tuition pays for their main operating expenses. So each university build many campuses in different areas. Some universities even have 2 or 3 campus. This situation originates from admissions of the Ministry of Education.

At first, this ministry lets them have many campuses, but this leads to difficulties. This problem is shortage of students in the 2nd and 3rd campuses, because most students want admission to a school in Seoul. Every year, this situation repeats, As a result, universities don't have specialization and a high level of quality.

As the situation threatens to be aggravated, the Ministry of Educational ministry is taking measures. These measures promise that the governments will financially and administratively support the school. Unavoidably, each university starts a diet as with the policy of the ministry.

Then what is the example of this policy?

The Chung-Ang and HANKUK University of Foreign studies (HUFS) are representative of this financial diet. Chung-Ang university announced that we will consolidate Architecture, Public Administration, German and French on the 2nd campus.

But this policy is a one-sided declaration without the approval of students. So many students are disappointed and getting angry at the announcement.

The concrete plans are as following.

1.We add the department of Architecture in Seoul and the An-sung campus.

2.We add the Public Administration in Seoul and An-sung campus.

3.We will cut down 40% freshmen of German, French Department in An-sung.

This policy has engendered a lot of controversy. Some people think that the reduction of duplication department is indispensable because of its high quality, but other people say, "we have right to decide the future of department. The school disregards our right. So it is a big mistake for the school to adopt such a policy."

To know the opinion of students, we had an interview with Kang Seung-il (05,Public administration).

※Do you know about reconstruction on your department?

▶Frankly speaking, I don't know the details about it, because we short of information on this problem. Generally, we hear news from friends, not from school. The head of a school is students and the changes in a school have an enormous influence for students, but the school doesn't offer any information on this problem. We are very upset when school announced that policy.

※How matters stand in your department?
▶We have few professors on the Seoul campus, and we sit in a class of over 80 students including repeaters. So some students stand in class. This situation makes them less attentive.

As far as I know, the professors in Seoul campus graduated from some schools. These stiff personnel management choices makes them of lower quality.

I think this is a good chance for development. Also, the class will raise the quality with taking class from capable professors.

※Finally, what do you want to our school?

▶We don't want many things. Students want to take part in the conduct of school. Therefore, the school doesn't disregard public opinion. This is what we want.

The HUFS is also a school which reconstructs development. It tries to solve problems between Seoul and Yongin campus. These two campuses have similar developments. This problem make them disutility, so the school decides that making a Seoul campus is for investigation and opening the development (the management of hotel and Advertising&public).

These solutions are based on utilitarianism. The school  announced that: Many students don't take good quality of foreign language class through duplication departments, and we are losing competitive power. In reality, the Yongin campus is short of professors and the policy actually helps increase class quality. On the contrary, it incited students to apply for admission to a famous department, and creating a lack for the entrance quota in fundamental studies.

In Japan, budget restraints and consolidation of national universities were in operation since 2001.

The contents of this program are simple. Adding new national university and another universities; including medical college, are part of the plan. By using this plan, they cut 12 universities in their country.

In Finland, the government carries out an educational plan in 1992~93. They put together 200 technical universities. As a result, universities have been supported on financial and administration money through the government.

We inquired into the contents of consolidation and belt-tightening. Then, what is the direction of the university of education?

It is at fault for accepting and going against the current of the times without reserve.
There is an old saying, 'A good beginning is half the battle.' This saying is true, from now on, we must consider management above other things.

The most important thing is participation of all members.  Constant efforts only change developed schools.

By Yoon Sung-woong
News Reporter