Nine months have passed since Woori Ewha was elected as the 45th Student Government Association (SGA). The start of a new semester is an important time to picture and ask the bearing for the SGA’s way forward by reviewing the works and efforts put in last semester.
Bong Woo-ri (Dance, 4) the president of Woori Ewha, proposed seven election pledges last November: cutting tuition, improving student welfare, advocating education rights, pursuing communal identity, remolding the school’s reputation and finding solutions to the unemployment issue.
Efforts to Communicate with students
Woori Ewha focused explicitly on communication, considering it to be the best way to encourage unity.
As Woori Ewha stepped into office, the first step it took was to communicate with the student body through Social Networking Services such as Facebook and Kakaotalk.
Tea & Hof Time was also created for Ewhains to engage in one-on-one feedback sessions with Woori Ewha. Students can register any questions and offer suggestions regarding Woori Ewha’s plans for the future events and activities.
In an effort to reflect most of the students’ opinions on the decisions Woori Ewha makes, a meeting was arranged with all the student representatives to discuss the improvement of student regulations and deliberation of its proposals, seek confirmations of the proposals, and receive approvals for the special committee and chairman.
In addition, throughout the year, Daedong Festival, Freshman one night two days Membership Training, farming activity and Main Hall orientation were carried out to give students opportunities to bond and build school spirit.
Better Environment, Better Student Life
In March, the SGA designed “Ewha Crescendo,” a signature campaign to address the Five Main Proposals: tuition, education, welfare, scholarship and student space for student welfare.
The school board replied that it can only implement the welfare proposal, and the implementation of the other proposals is yet to be determined. With a specific plan to add a few more couches in the Ewha Campus Complex, the board said it could not fully meet the requests.
The board said it will work on improving the EUREKA portal and consider adopting the portal service on mobile phones.
Yet the board said that renewing the old lockers, and by extension adding more lockers throughout the campus will not be possible.
In addition to the proposals, the SGA offered solutions to the issues concerning student life and the school’s public image. In response, the school officials agreed to partially advocate the practical solutions. The following changes will soon be made as initiatives: expand and strengthen Wi-fi zones; employ more shuttle bus drivers; reduce bus intervals; diversify bus routes and adjust the first bus schedule; make more signs in the buildings; and cope with Ewha’s negative public image and rumors online.
The “On Card” Service was adopted last semester to offer discounts for stores in the Sinchon area to minimize students’ financial burden.
Continuous efforts to lower tuition
The Ewha Tuition Review Committee (TRC) and Woori Ewha agreed to reduce tuition by 1.5 percent as opposed to the originally proposed 12 percent. Woori Ewha confessed they should have demanded a greater cut and vows to put the incomplete project back on the agenda in the second semester. 
“For the next semester, we have a vision to raise Ewha students as Ewha’s owners,” said Kim Kyung-nae (Mathematical & Physical Sciences, 3), the vice president of Woori Ewha. “We will work hard to fulfill Ewhains’ rights and interests.”
Kim said Woori Ewha will also pursue its plans for locker distributions, Love’s Umbrella, snack distributions, welfare institutions and consortium with other schools.
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