Even a month after its opening, E-House has yet to become an adequate home for residents. The new dormitory has faced numerous complaints in the last month regarding unstandardized room sizes and fees, but it is now even confronting other serious problems on the building’s safety. These concerns, including the lack of security and sudden change in room costs, are seen as a result of the hasty opening of E-House.
Currently, unlike Hanwoori Hall residents, E-House residents do not abide by the midnight curfew as the security system, SECOM, is not fully installed. Having a functioning security is vital to the safety of a dormitory, and the failure to provide such a system underscores the incompletion of the E-House prior to to its opening. While some residents are enjoying their freedom, many are worrying about possible security risks.
“This is a serious problem as this is a dormitory of a women’s university, security and safety is crucial,” commented Choi Min-ji (alias), a resident of E-House.
The domitory is currently planning to install SECOM on every entrance of the building to manage the curfew system. The entrances are currently monitored by security guards and CCTVs.
Adding to this, residents are also worried about the safety of the buildings themselves as there have been numerous reports of water leakage due to poor construction.
“I am genuinely anxious about the poor construction,” Choi said. “Since the opening, there have been problems like hallway water leakage, broken ceilings and chipped walls. These problmes still have not been properly repaired. And even if they do, it will take too long to settle the problems.”
On top of all these problems, a change in pricing policy applied to students who moved into the dormitory in October. has upset students who moved in September. From October, students who moved into the dormitory were charged different rates depending on the size of the room they were assigned. Previously, students had paid the same price regardless of the size of their room. Many demand a refund for the standardized payment they made in September.
In response, the dormitory notified the students who had paid the standardized rates that they can get a refund in cash, meal coupons, or gift cards though the exact date is undecided.
Complaints have also risen from Hanwoori Hall as the arrangements made to accommodate E-House have negatively impacted the Hanwoori Hall residents. One problem has been the relocation of the ATM machine from Hanwoori Hall to E-House in early September.
The Hannwoori residents were frustrated when they found out that there were two ATM machines in the basement of E-House and none at Hanwoori Hall. Around 3,500 students reside in both dormitories, and the fact that both machines are positioned in one building displays a lack of consideration for Hanwoori Hall residents.
“It would have been better if it had moved to Hanwoori Hall C-dong, which is right in the middle of the dorms, or have one in Hanwoori Hall and at E-house,” said Oh Da-in, a freshman in Liberal Arts College. “The change was not properly thought through.”
With much dissatisfaction, the residents have turned to the Residents’ Committee of Hanwoori Hall (RCHH) to express their complaints. However, E-House residents feel that the RCHH has failed to adequately represent them. But with no increase of the RCHH members to deal with the much larger body of E-house residents on the unprecedented problems they faced, the RCHH’s relatively slow response may have been inevitable.
“The RCHH will continue to represent the students of Hanwoori Hall and their interests,” RCHH replied. “However, after discussing with the dormitory office, we have come to the conclusion that due to differences in the residence system and facilities, there needs to be an entirely separate committee for E-House.”
The committee also stated that, as there is not yet a clear understanding of how much more staff will be needed, there will be no increase in staff this year. Further complaints from E-House will be handled by the E-House office.
Although opening such a large and complex system is bound to raise problems, the incomplete security system, poor building repairs, and sudden change in pricing policy,  have caused great concern and dissatisfaction among the resident community. As for now, the E-House residents have no choice but to patiently wait for changes.
 

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