Last January, complaints about Toegye Memorial Central Library’s facilities were posted on the university community app ‘Everytime’. This post received the support of many Dankookians (Students of Dankook University), with 81 likes and 56 comments. In addition, complaints about Wi-Fi problems in Dankook University (DKU)'s classrooms, libraries, and dormitories have continued to surface on Everytime and DKUs Voice of Customer (VOC) platforms. In particular, when Dankookians utilize the DKU portal, the Wi-Fi problem is quite considerable. Therefore, TheDankookHerald (DKH) thought it important to look into the problems as they have a direct impact on student satisfaction with their school life.

   The library had the most complaints. Currently, the Jukejeon campus library has reading rooms on the basement to the 6th floor. It also has the Dosan Lounge and a data room. Dankookians study in the reading rooms, where, unfortunately, most of the complaints arise. Criticism on the student site Everytime revolved around aging. Facilities, such as old wooden desks and chairs, in the reading rooms from the 2nd to 5th floors. In addition, the rooms lacked power outlets and stands, making them inconvenient for Dankookians to use. Some students complained the desks were so tall they had backaches after sitting at them for an extended period. Other students complained of the lack of quality ventilation, making the room stuffy. Many Dankookians called for the remodeling of the areas to be more like the popular Dosan Lounge. The reading rooms were not the only complaints. Students wanted to see the outdoor terrace on the fifth floor re-opened. It was closed for three years due to renovations and COVID-19 access restrictions. Students also raised problems with the library's website, saying it was not operating well and that there was no advance notice of service interruptions due to scheduled fire drills or other operational matters. It is clear more effort needs to be made to improve the library environment.

▲ Dosan Lounge Facility (Photo from The Dankook Herald)

   Many Dankookians also complained about the unstable Wi-Fi connections across both campuses. In particular, the instability of Wi-Fi connections in the lecture rooms on both the Jukjeon and Cheonan campuses was highlighted. Students complained about being unable to follow along in classes that required access during lectures to sites such as Learning X and e-campus. In addition, Wi-Fi connection problems in dormitories are also a problem being raised on Everytime. Students report the Wi-Fi working intermittently or being extremely slow, and requests to ‘please fix it’ are flooding the dormitory's suggestion box. Also, there are many inquiries related to the library Wi-Fi posted on DKUs VOC. The unstable connection in the library interferes with the ability of students to attend online lectures or complete assignments. In response, the academic information support team of the Toegye Memorial Central Library asked the information infrastructure team to check the operation of their internet, but found no irregularities. Nevertheless, Wi-Fi-related inquiries have persisted. DKUs Infrastructure Team at the Big Data Information Center conducted a survey on the wireless internet usage environment provided by the school from January 20 to February 10. The responses will be used to modify, strengthen, and enhanced the future operating direction. Since the survey was conducted during the winter vacation, students should expect much better quality coverage once the semester begins.

▲ Toegye Memorial Central Library’s Facility (Photo from The Dankook Herald)

   The DKH also conducted a survey to learn more about students concerns regarding the Toegye Memorial Central Library and Yulgok Memorial Library. Dankookians from the Jukjeon Campus raised the same concerns that were posted on Everytime. The old-fashioned library atmosphere and lack of remodeled facilities. Decrepit chairs and desks in reading rooms were the second most reported complaint. Despite the popularity of the Dosan Lounge, 27 percent of our respondents think interior refurbishment is necessary, and about 20 percent asserted that worn-out facilities should be updated on a regular basis. 36% of Dankookians from the Jukjeon campus complained about the Wi-Fi service. The Educational Hall, Business and Economics Hall, and Toegye Memorial Central Library were the three main buildings reportedly having trouble with unstable Wi-Fi connection.

   About 80 percent of Dankookians from the Cheonan Campus mentioned having some issues at Yulgok Memorial Library. The main reasons were roughly the same as Jukjeon Campus. Students complained about the two reading rooms and the, reference room. They thought the overall interior needed remodeling. When it comes to campus Wi-Fi, 39 percent of respondents reported some difficulty using the internet due to an unstable Wi-Fi connection. Buildings that received the most complaints were Humanities Hall, Economics and Commerce Hall, and Engineering Hall.

   As a result of the survey, we learned that most Dankookians at both campuses, were inconvenienced using school facilities. School amenities and a student’s quality of life are closely tied. However, outdated facilities and insecure Wi-Fi access are creating an atmosphere of frustration. The university administration needs to take these complaints seriously and come up with solutions to improve the academic life of its student body before it gets any worse.