▲ The candidates for the 2011 GSC participating in a Public Hearing on their policies on November 17th. - Photo by Park Hyo-gyeong, Student Editor
The Central Elections Commission (CEC) at Chonnam National University (CNU) announced around 3:25 a.m. on November 26th that it would not count the votes for the president and Vice president of the 2011 General Student Council (GSC), after vote counting for the 2011 Female Student Council unexpectedly. The counting vote process differed due to the low voting rate has been interrupted by the CEC. I am very sorry for this situation that CNUians should look at all processes related to the election suspiciously.
Recently, the SBS TV drama, “Big Thing” has interested me. The scene of the drama that has struck me the most was when the main character, Seo Hye-rim, said, “I don’t want to make election pledges that I can’t make good.” In my own life, I have taken notice of pamphlets and brochures on our campus filled with many pledges that the presidential candidates for the 2011 GSC have made. Some of them seem to be soundly devised but I am still not sure if other pledges will actually be realized.
The Chonnam National University Weekly reported in the special issue on November 22nd that the 2010 GSC has tried to promote a participatory and transparent student council system, and a few major policies such as the I design CNU group, 2010 Revision, and a policy to put opening assembly records online have been fulfilled. However, as it turned out, policies like Job Thinking should have been in long-term. The 2010 GSC also failed to place a Nonghyup ATM on campus and failed to solve the BTL problem because of administrative reasons. Unfortunately, these unfulfilled pledges, such as Free Bicycle Rental, are closely connected with CNU students’ welfare.
At such point of time when the 2011 GSC is formed, I would like to express some points based on the assumption that they will show "well done is better than well said". First, I hope the new GSC takes an active interest in infrastructural development as well as the introduction of new policies. By this, I mean that the next GSC should finish any leftover business from the previous GSC. Though the previous and new GSCs may have somewhat different agendas, the new GSC should take the students’ side, not judging and criticizing what the previous GSC was able or unable to accomplish.
Second, if the next GSC is unable to fulfill its election pledges, it should take to time to examine why. I would like the 2011 GSC to meet us, the general student body, with any unfulfilled pledges at the end of their term to explain why the pledges could be executed and how much of an effort they made, just as they met us the first time to go on the stump. The GSC presidential candidates usually debut their agendas during the election campaign, after that, charts reviewing accomplished tasks are published only on the board or on the on-line homepage. This is irresponsible. We are not about to be taken in by their campaign promises.
Lastly, I would like to suggest that the GSC promote ‘CNU-ish’ culture. ‘CNU-ish’ is not the word in the dictionary. It is a proper noun and it is exclusively for our use! I hope the GSC creates CNU-ish events and activities, and displays them in many ways such as through CNU festivals and events that engage with local residents in Gwangju. Additionally, the number of international students at CNU is gradually increasing, and they have made their own general student assembly. I hope the new GSC considers consistent communication with them a crucial issue that requires a multifaceted approach. It should exceed the festival that CNU students are simply with foreign students, and then the 2011 GSC will be the real leader that promotes a special atmosphere that CNU only has!
By Ryu Seung-hyi, Guest Reporter
#303 Student Column
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