Dankook University (DKU) launched a new honors program, DKU Honors, in the first semester of this year. The program aims to cultivate talented Dankookians (Students of DKU) with leadership skills, but its recruitment methods drew criticism. Users of the university community application 'Everytime' posted many articles about the problems of the Honors selection process and discrimination against non-Honors. In particular, it was controversial in that DKU opened it in the form of high school honors classes, offering various benefits, without clearly explaining the rationale behind it.

▲ The Logos of DKU Honors (Photo from DKU Honors Center)

   DKU Honors are chosen from only a limited number of freshmen and sophomores with growth potential every semester. It is an exchange program that selects excellent Dankookians and supports them in growing into future convergence talents. The DKU Honors Center announced that it aims to secure the external competitiveness of Dankookians and strengthen their global capabilities by operating various programs for them. The selection process is divided into document screening and interviews. Dankookians qualified as Honors can participate in Honors' programs and have priority opportunities for various non-subjects. In addition, if they accumulate Honors membership for more than a certain point, the contents and grades of the Honors program will be marked on the diploma, and the honoree can be awarded an Honors Tassel.

   The controversy surrounding the DKU Honors program revolves around two main points. Firstly, there were unclear criteria for selection. The discussion on the platform Everytime revealed that some high-achieving Dankookians (students with near-perfect scores) did not receive a recruitment message. This raised concerns about the fairness and transparency of the selection process. Although the Honors Center has since provided more information about its selection standards, it is evident that its initial communication was insufficient and biased. The program's eligibility, restricted to freshmen and sophomores (juniors and seniors are not able to participate), was another point of discussion. Honors can access various programs more easily than non-Honors, and many Dankookians said that the benefits the Center mentioned are too excessive.

▲ DKU Honors and officials held the inaugural ceremony. (Photo from DKU Honors Center)

   The Dankook Herald (DKH) interviewed Dankookians now participating in the Honors program.

First of all, congratulations on your acceptance to the DKU Honors. Is there any particular reason you applied for the Honors program?

Freshman Honors: If I become a DKU Honors student, I think I will have more opportunities to participate in various programs, such as overseas study programs, than general students, so I applied.

Sophomore Honors: The benefits and various programs I could receive as an Honors were a big reason, but the winning attribute was that I could form a community with outstanding students. I wanted to challenge a project that could achieve meaningful results by meeting students from other departments.

Are the Honors activities you considered before applying the same as now?

Freshman Honors: I have not participated in many programs yet, but they are not much different. They give me various benefits for participating in non-subject activities.

Sophomore Honors: I was informed during the application process that the Honors Center would offer non-subject programs. Community days and learning camps can foster connections between Honors, which fits the primary purpose of facilitating collaborations among talents.

What program or benefit do you find most helpful as an Honors?

Freshman Honors: I find that opportunities to participate in programs such as Living Lab and interact with students from other majors are particularly helpful.

Sophomore Honors: The greatest advantage of being an Honors is the broad experience opportunities. It is gratifying that I can challenge myself with new things, learn various skills, and participate in new programs before other students in a stable university environment. Also, communicating with diverse students in the name of Honors is a great advantage.

▲ Students Reciting DKU Honors Declaration (Photo from DKU Honors Center)

Do you think the Honors activities accord to foster honorable, active, and enterprising students?

Freshman Honors: I think this is true regarding fostering talented students. In an Honors-only College English class, for example, there seem to be more opportunities to talk and discuss with other students.

Sophomore Honors: I think programs held in camp form can intensively nurture students' capabilities. In addition, we can move forward as enterprising and active individuals by exploring community issues and seeking solutions through leadership seminar activities.

What do you think the selected Honors have in common?

Freshman Honors: I have yet to meet many, so it seems complicated to find something in common.

Sophomore Honors: I think our similarity is having a passion for everything. Students who do their best in university and have a vision for the present and the future have been selected.

What do you think of the controversy over the uncertain selection criteria and the excessive benefits of non-subject programs?

Freshman Honors: I think that point can be contentious enough. As a student who attends the same university, I think everyone should have equal opportunities. I think it would be better to provide benefits to all students, such as recruiting motivated and enthusiastic ones for each program separately.

Sophomore Honors: Honors is a newly started program, so it felt a bit uncoordinated, such as the late notices, which caused the issue with the selection process. It is unfortunate that the benefits presented to Honors students were greatly reduced after the initial announcement. However, I believe it is important to maintain these benefits as an additional form of assistance for Honors students without putting non-Honors students at a disadvantage.

▲ An interview was conducted with the head of the Honors Center. (Photo from DKH)

   The DKH also interviewed Lim Su-kyung, the head of the DKU Honors Center in Beomjeong Hall (University Administration), to check the facts.

What's your particular motivation or goal in making a new program called DKU Honors?

Honors programs are widespread worldwide at leading overseas universities like Harvard. Last year, DKU’s newly appointed president aimed to form a 'culture' of Dankookians. Honors are the very start of creating this culture with leading students. The program seeks to foster a strong community spirit, fostering both a sense of belonging and pride within its members.

Can you tell me the definite criteria and process for selecting Honors among the existing Dankookians?

At first, we decided to recruit only freshmen. However, the president strongly contended that existing Dankookians should get opportunities first. Therefore, we decided to qualify sophomores in the top five in each department, earning over 1,000 DKU mileage (indicating a GPA of at least 3.5) and winning excellence awards in competitions to apply for Honors. Additionally, we are planning to broaden the criteria gradually.

Can international Dankookians also be selected as Honors in the same way as general students?

Being and graduating as an Honors abroad would be fantastic for them. However, evaluating foreign Dankookians with the existing grade ranking is difficult because they get absolute evaluations. To ensure a fair and inclusive selection process, we welcome suggestions for alternative evaluation criteria that would effectively assess the qualifications of international students for the Honors program.

The DKU Honors is for current freshmen and sophomores. Would it be hard to provide an opportunity to other graders?

Graduating as an Honors requires mileage points, and collecting them from the third and fourth grades can be challenging. Therefore, freshmen and sophomores are the optimal grade for the Honors program. However, we would consider expanding it to other graders if it can meet the purpose.

▲ Professor Lim Su-kyung Explaining the Honors Programs (Photo from DKH)

Currently, many students are not familiar with Honors. Do you have any other plans to introduce and inform the program for these students?

We initially introduced the DKU Honors program through freshman briefings, brochures, and official professor notifications. However, to enhance communication and reach a wider audience, we are exploring additional channels besides the DKU portal and Everytime. Additionally, hosting special lectures or launching new projects open to all students could be effective promotional strategies.

According to the notice announced at the DKU Honors Center, Honors would receive expert mentoring, preferential treatment for overseas language training, and priority assignment of examination and project group. Are these benefits currently offered to Honors students?

I would like to use the expression of providing 'opportunities' rather than 'benefits.' We want to give opportunities and be on the side of enthusiastic Dankookians. Rather than offering 'preferentialism,' 'benefit,' and 'priority,' we will actively support Honors to be fully qualified.

What is necessary for the Honors program to keep in a better direction for a long time?

We are offering various programs and curriculums now. The Honors Center will be a vital support system for Dankookians to foster a strong community. A leader group is necessary for all Dankookians to go forward, and Honors will play a central role in leading it.

What are your thoughts on the potential gap between Honors students and non-Honors students in the future?

Rather than a gap, it seems like they are groups with different personalities, values, and goals. Some students find their value in being number one, while others find it through taking a break from school or participating in extracurricular activities. I do not necessarily think there is a gap, but if it is perceived as such, I hope it does not lead to feelings of deprivation or loss.

   Universities may need to raise their status by producing talented students. However, students naturally desire to receive comprehensive support from their universities. When exclusive benefits are offered to a select group, calls for transparency inevitably arise. The DKU Honors program can be a successful initiative if it serves the interests of both the university and Dankookians. To achieve this, DKU should actively listen to student feedback and ensure the program offers clear advantages while providing a sense of inclusion for all students.

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