Lately, Dankook University(DKU) announced a plan of the Adjusting Learning Unit(ALU) according to the government's intent about reducing tuition fee by half. However, the plan caused quite a stir among dankookians. There were even frequent demonstrations of students. In Dankookie, which is one of famous dankookian's communities, they were equally divided into pro and con about this argument. Yu-Jin Seo(Dept. of Public Administration), students of Cheonan campus, complained "I felt this adjustment was necessary but it happened suddenly. Schools did not have enough explanation about it." So, DKH tried to know why this argument started, and what is the profit and loss caused from this adjustment. DKH met some students who were affected by this adjustment, and interviewed Yong-Jae Na(Dept. of History, shortened Na), the student president of College of Humanities, and Young-Ik Yu(Dept. of Chinese Language and Literature, shortened Yu), the student president of Dept. of Chinese Language and Literature. And in order to listen to the DKU's position, we interviewed the dean of Office of Planning and Coordination, Oh-Young Kim.

What is most College of Humanities(Jukjeon campus) students' opinion about this adjustment?

Na : We recognized the government's policy about reducing tuition fee by half was unavoidable but this plan of ALU has many problems. The first problem is it has been mentioned since 1997, it had enough times to prepare for this adjustment, and communicate with students. Also, if it truly wanted to stabilize high tuition fees, it should not have increased tuition fees last semester. However the school did increase the tuition fee early this year, and it suddenly insists 'Half tuition fee' just after a semester. I wondered whether it really had enough preparation periods for adjustment or not.

The second problem is the wrong choice about specialization of each campus. DKU announced that Jukjeon campus will be specialized in applied science including CT(Culture Technology) and IT(Informaition Technology), and Cheonan campus for basic science including BT(Bio Technology), and the field of foreign languages but Cheonan campus has less infrastructure in relation to science and foreign languages than near Jukjeon campus. You know, when students learn a foreign language, the number of private educational institutes is very important. In the case of Jukjeon campus, school planned to be characterized by CT including games, movies, animations but it should be based on humanities. So, separating humanities and applied science is interrupted to adapt in the global era. It does not make department´s unique characteristics but it will just increase needless social costs.

The third problem is the school has fully ignored students' opinion. It was related that school had issued ALU during the vacation. DKU excused the lack of time to carry out this decision until 2013 but this result had already been decided in April. It had enough time to share this with students. Also, in the process of adjustment, information was not released for students. The Coordinating Committee did not open the final result in April. If it is really objective data, the school should open result to all of the students.

Yu : Another problem is the tradition of academic subjects which are included in this adjustment will disappear under the word 'ALU.' The School unilaterally gave notice to students and professors after it was decided.

What is school's opinion about this adjustment?

Kim : We had considered internal and external factors for this adjustment. The external factors are changing the education market from one for the provider into one for the consumer, and turning the branch school system into characterized campus system like the policy announced by the government. According to the new policy, all universities which have branch campuses have to choose one of two models. If it wants to get a branch campus, it should rename each campus, and divide the assets independently. If it does not, it should make each campus specialized. The former system is hard to manage both campuses flexibly. So, we choose the latter system(characterized campus system) for flexible management and strengthening competitiveness.

Next, the internal factor is the low ranking of our school's competitiveness. According to the Joongang Newspaper, our ranking is number 39 in the universities ranking. To increase our competitiveness, we should have unique competitiveness of the department. So, it is natural to decrease department's duplication rate. You know, small departments which have less than five full-time professors account for 48 percent of all departments. We can not invest in intensive recruiting of professors because of overlapping investments at the two campuses. So, the integration of overlapping departments enables us to increase the number of professors and facilities and equipment than before.

Also, we have to strengthen the competitiveness of both campuses through that system. We planned to characterize the Jukjeon campus with applied science, and the Cheonan campus with basic science and foreign languages. In the case of Jukjeon, many Techno-vallys likes Gwanggyo Techno Vally was spread near Gyeonggi-do so Jukjeon campus can lead the advanced information revolution. In the case of Cheonan, the Science Park will come to Chungcheong areas. So Cheonan is hoped to lead the basic science revolution.

Sometimes, students complain their opinion was not included in this adjustment but this adjustment had been decided from survey. The survey was done by 3,569 students, and we also included many professors and staffs' agreements. Also, some students point out this adjustment did not have enough phasing-in periods. ALU has already been planned from 1997. We tried to start the adjustment in 2009 but at the moment, we were short of funds for consulting so we could start consulting at 2010. And then the end result was completed early this April. However, to apply to freshmen of 2013, we should report to the Korean Council for University Education before November 1, this year. So we had limited time to announce and accept all of students' opinion.

And what you have to know is if your major does not disappear. This adjustment just changes place from Jukjeon to Cheonan! We will expand scholarships and diversify crossing classes for students who are related with this adjustment. For students' rights to get a better education, we promise to support these departments.

 Students and DKU are certainly different in their stances about ALU. The students position is "Lack of communication with DKU," "This adjustment has more disadvantages than advantages." On the contrary, school said "This adjustment will have more advantages, and we decided our final proposal based on various students opinions we had collected." I felt that the two sides are in for a fierce standoff because of a lack of communication. The School has a suitable reason but it is sure that most students will be notified of the decision later. It is natural for mutual distrust to occur between them. To remove the lack of communication, DKU has to open all of the information on the same footing as students. It is impossible for DKU to accept the ideas all students have but it must not forget all of the students want to get a better educational environment. Through this adjustment, I hope to share each idea via communication between students and DKU because the school and students are 'a community' with a common cause.