A student union is an independent body made for students themselves. All schools, from elementary schools to universities have a student union because the students are the focus of the school and should not be excluded from the administration of the school. Having a union is absolutely necessary to protect the rights and promote the interests of students. The CNU undergraduate Student Union election last month was for that purpose too. However, we cannot find one at graduate schools. CNU does not have a graduate student union and most departments don’t have them either. There are just social gatherings.
It is not easy for graduate students to unite with one another because their reasons for entering school are diverse; being a researcher, building a better career, being culturally educated etc. Many students consider graduate school to be a place where they just stay for a while but remain indifferent to public affairs. Moreover if their fields are different, they hardly ever see each other until graduation.
However last June graduate students of the Dept. of Philosophy a established a graduate student union. It was not easy but their willingness and efforts made it possible. It was started by critical minds on account of the lack of conversations among students and at first they began holding a monthly-debate to get the chance to meet and discuss matters.  They dealt not only with philosophical issues but also the identity of graduate students in relation to undergraduate students, professors and university administration. Problems existed such as dominant/subordinate relationships between students and professors and the Chung Mong-Joon event. And it is too consuming to solve these issues individually or collectively by simply forming a temporary committee whenever such problem occurs. They felt the need to set up a formal organization to protect their rights and interests. It was accomplished about three years after the monthly debate had started. The GSU members offer students necessary goods and ask support for study of the department administration. Now, they are planning to establish a graduate student union for the college of Humanities to promote academic exchange among different students of different majors and to request positive support for graduate students from the university administration.
There are many demands for CNU such as separate officials for graduate schools, the support systems for graduate students, and so on. However, achieving it will not be easy. We should assert our rights because sleepers cannot be protected as one German jurist argued. Otherwise we would undertake unnecessary burdens and our rights could be infringed. An isolated individual is powerless against society. We should come together. “I” cannot do it, but “we” can.
 
 By Lee Han-na, Guest Reporter
#314 Student Column

 

 

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