ID :
209036
Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:31
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/209036
The shortlink copeid
Direct election of university presidents is disappearing
SEOUL (Yonhap) - In a move that follows that of private universities, national colleges and universities are phasing out the direct election of their presidents. Eight of the nation's 10 educational colleges and a teachers' college have decided to abolish direct elections and instead adopt a public bidding system to select their heads, reducing the number of state-run schools maintaining direct presidential elections from 40 to 31.
It is true that the direct election of college and university heads has contributed substantially to the promotion of democracy and freedom in the nation's highest schools since the latter half of the 1980s.
The system, however, also produced a great many negative side effects, involving exhaustive election campaigning and reckless campaign pledges by the candidates, which led to a waste of school finances.
Because of these problems the system was discarded in most private universities. Last month, the Education Ministry's committee to reform universities decided to induce national universities to voluntarily repeal the direct election system by giving various incentives for its abolition.
Many such elections were plagued with numerous violations of law, in addition to reckless campain pledges designed to appeal to voters.
In March of this year, for instance, a presidential candidate at Changwon University resigned after he was accused of giving handsome gifts and gift certificates to a professorial colleague. Three of the six presidential candidates at Busan University were fined in June for illegal campaigning, including bribing voters, while two former presidents at Chosun University were found to have interfered in an election held Thursday.
Abuse by making reckless campaign pledges is also at a serious level. A presidential candidate at Seoul National University pledged he would raise the annual salary of professors by 30 million won (US$25,600) if he is elected. A separate candidate at a provincial state university vowed to cut the number of weekly classes for professors from nine to seven.
Because the presidential candidates walk on eggshells with the faculty and staff of the universities in order to win their votes, they cannot even initiate school reforms, leading to criticism that the direct election of the school heads seriously undercuts the competitiveness of schools.
Now that national universities are also moving to abolish the system, the direct election of presidents is likely to disappear from our education system.
Even after the direct election of presidents is removed, however, sound criticism and balance should be maintained at universities. Resolute determination and efforts by all university members are essential to prevent school management from arbitrarily operating the school's administration.
It is true that the direct election of college and university heads has contributed substantially to the promotion of democracy and freedom in the nation's highest schools since the latter half of the 1980s.
The system, however, also produced a great many negative side effects, involving exhaustive election campaigning and reckless campaign pledges by the candidates, which led to a waste of school finances.
Because of these problems the system was discarded in most private universities. Last month, the Education Ministry's committee to reform universities decided to induce national universities to voluntarily repeal the direct election system by giving various incentives for its abolition.
Many such elections were plagued with numerous violations of law, in addition to reckless campain pledges designed to appeal to voters.
In March of this year, for instance, a presidential candidate at Changwon University resigned after he was accused of giving handsome gifts and gift certificates to a professorial colleague. Three of the six presidential candidates at Busan University were fined in June for illegal campaigning, including bribing voters, while two former presidents at Chosun University were found to have interfered in an election held Thursday.
Abuse by making reckless campaign pledges is also at a serious level. A presidential candidate at Seoul National University pledged he would raise the annual salary of professors by 30 million won (US$25,600) if he is elected. A separate candidate at a provincial state university vowed to cut the number of weekly classes for professors from nine to seven.
Because the presidential candidates walk on eggshells with the faculty and staff of the universities in order to win their votes, they cannot even initiate school reforms, leading to criticism that the direct election of the school heads seriously undercuts the competitiveness of schools.
Now that national universities are also moving to abolish the system, the direct election of presidents is likely to disappear from our education system.
Even after the direct election of presidents is removed, however, sound criticism and balance should be maintained at universities. Resolute determination and efforts by all university members are essential to prevent school management from arbitrarily operating the school's administration.
