Ewha’s 3.5 percent tuition decrease: the students’ outlook

▲ After criticizing Korea’s current state of affairs, the SGA President Jung Na-wee (Sociology, 4) states university students are facing hardships due to their costly tuition.
Pertaining to the issue of tution reduction, students questioned how beneficial the decrease in tuition would really be. The SGA welcomes the tuition decrease, but does not agree with the school’s argument that Ewha can relieve students’ burden from tuition up to 10 percent by providing various scholarships. The SGA also points out that the tuition decrease uses tuition levels from 2010 to determine the reduction for students who enrolled in other years.
“Considering the amount raised last year for freshmen, this year freshmen and sophomores do not share the same tuition reduction as upperclassmen,” Jung said. “This means the tuition for this year’s freshmen and sophomores will be reduced by one percent at most. In addition, 3.5 percent reduction does not have the power to make financially difficult students quit one of their many part-time jobs to earn their tuition.”
While there are those who are grateful for saving a few hundred thousand won in pocket money, others would like to see a more significant decrease.
After checking her tuition payment online via Intranet, Park Ju-young (Chemistry & Nano Science, 2) was apathetic towards the minimal fall.
“There was little change in my tuition compared to that of last semester. I found myself dumbfounded,” Park said.
Park is not alone in demanding a higher decrease in the tuition. Kil Eun-ji (Social Education, 2) also could not expect much aid financially.
 “The cut in tuition does not seem realistic because it does not seem like it will offer a big financial help to students,” Kil said.
Some students hope Ewha would offer help to students in other ways, such as paying for expensive materials used in important classes.
“Last semester, I spent over fifty thousand won from just taking an illustration course. Buying just one sketchbook costs two thousand won,” Kil Do-young (Clothing & Textiles, 3) said.
Students from other majors also demanded various services.
“Considering the difficulty for the school to lower a large portion of the tuition, Ewha should decrease the costs of food or stationary materials instead,” Ahn Eun (Public Administration, 2) said.
On the other hand, Yoo Hye-jung (English, 4) worries about the possibility of low education quality due to the tuition decrease.
 “I prefer receiving high education services with no tuition decrease to a low quality education with a 3.5 percent decrease in tuition. Of course I am very happy with the decrease, but it is true that I am worried that there could be some disadvantages for students, such as reduction of classes,” Yoo said.
Though many students express disappointment in the lack of benefits they receive from this year’s decrease, there are those who appreciate paying a little less.
“My tuition has not dropped by a half, but I am thankful that at least a small amount has been reduced since cutting even a few 10 thousand won helps,” Christina Chun (English, 2) said.

* Reporter: Yang Su-bin & Jang Youn-hee & Lee Hea-won

* E-mail : subinyang@ewhain.net & janet9106@ewhain.net & heawon_lee@ewhain.net

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