March is full of expectations - a new semester, the upcoming spring, a student government. But 2010 will be different in the last regard after an election boycott invalidated the 2009 Ewha SGA election.
“There was no Leadership Training, where all SGA members, representatives from colleges and departments take a trip together during vacation. I felt the difference even before I went back to school,” said Son Hee-ran (Sociology, 3), the student representative from the Sociology Department.
Although there is no student government, the school performed student services usually carried out by the SGA.
Starting March 2, Ewha raised the amount of the Academic Excellence Scholarship II from 400,000 to 500,000 won. The school also held a test drive for the on-campus shuttle bus in February, which will give students a ride to school from from Ewha Womans University Station (Subway Line No. 2, Exit 3) and Gyeongbokgung Station (Subway Line No.3, Exit 1). Regular service begins March 2.
The office of student affairs took over management of meeting rooms on the second floor of the Student Union Building, distributing lockers at the Centennial Library and handing out graduation yearbooks.
However, the absence of an SGA will still inconvenience students. Although the school or the Emergency Planning Committee (EPC) filled in for elected campus leaders in some regards, they did not produce a student planner, which is distributed to students every March. The planner includes such crucial information as an academic calendar. Students will get one only after a new SGA is elected and takes office in April.
On Feb. 7 the EPC, which was organized after the failed 2009 SGA election, became the Election Management Committee (EMC). It will run the re-election, from announcing detailed rules on Feb. 20 to opening a blog (http://blog.naver.com/42election) where students can debate the re-election.
EMC members represent 13 colleges and the United Committee of Student Clubs.
“We mainly discussed and adjusted the rules so no more controversy or misinterpretations will arise like they did for the last election,” said Kang Chi-young (English, 3), the campaign chairperson from the EMC.
Candidate parties will gather 300 student signatures of recommendation from March 15 to 16. After registering as a candidate party by 7 p.m. on March 16, they will officially campaign on campus from March 17 to 29. Voting takes place on March 30 to 31.
“Because the existence of the SGA is crucial to the school and Ewha students, the EMC fully engaged in preparing for the re-election,” Kang said.
Kwon Yu-bi
ubgorgeous@ewhain.net