Ewha to Basic wins the 40th SGA election

Ewha to Basic won Ewha's 40th Students Government Association (SGA) presidential election held from November 28 to 30. Ewha to Basic received 2720 votes, from the total of 7416 ballots cast. Kang Jung-ju (Korean Literature, 4) was elected as president and Jung Bok-hee (Exercise, Sport and Leisure Science, 4) as vice president of the SGA 2008. There were three opposing parties were Ewha for YOU, Talk Talk Ewha, and Ewha Re:wha. The closest rival tied was the Ewha for YOU that earned 1712 votes.

The newly elected SGA President Kang says, “I think the most important thing is realistic progress. Even in a matter like buying a little copying machine inside school, I believe that Ewha students should be aware of the ongoing changes in school and of the rights that they are entitled to. In order to improve the feasibility of school policies, students must be able to participate in a negotiation processes with the administration. Ewha to Basic hopes to work as a peace-making mediator between students and the school, not an aggressive activist organization protesting all the time without fruitful results.”

Ewha to Basic proposed lowering tuition, expanding scholarships, and abolishing student disciplinary regulations in order to achieve more active student autonomy. Ewha to Basic also brought plans for a monthly menstrual leave from classes and opposition to commercialization in the Ewha Campus Center. Moreover, the new SGA team is planning to better the conditions of student welfare by listening to the needs of each separate department. In addition, Ewha to Basic also proposed for active support for the student club activities—such as providing meetings rooms and seminar rooms for students to enjoy.

Vice President Jung says, “I was really surprised to discover the huge vote gap between us and the second candidates. This made me become very thankful and feel responsible, since it showed that many Ewha students really trust us to keep our promises. I will devote myself in keeping every single pledge that Ewha to Basic has made so that students will not think, after a year, ‘After all, they were nothing more than mere promises.’” The election had to be prolonged for a day, due to low participation. About 41.7 percent of the students voted over the first two days, but more than 50 percent of the total number of enrolled undergraduate students must participate in an election for it to be approved.