Last year, six out of 10 Pusan National University (PNU) students did not pay their student dues. Student autonomy is under crisis. The student due’s expense has exceptionally passed over the income, which is the first time during the past five years.

According to the General Students' Association (GSA), the percentage of paid student dues is decreasing. PNU undergraduate student dues’ revenue was 32,946,000 won in 2018 and 22,239,000 won in 2022; a reduction of 10,707,000 won in total. 10,982 paying students in 2018 and 7,413 in 2022. A total of 3,569 payers have decreased. The payment rate decreased by 13.5%p within the last four years, from 51.9% in 2018 to 38.4%in 2022.

PNU undergraduate student dues expense passed over the income last year. It is the first time in the past five years this has happened. According to the data, which the GSA provided, the rate of expenditure to income in 2022 was 127.41%, which means that the spending is about six million won more than the income. The money carried over, and other payments are not included, so it cannot be said that there is a deficit in the GSA’s operation. However, it is difficult for GSA to handle this situation with only the student dues.

GSA is concerned about the autonomy of in-school projects that would be uncleared over the low rate of the payment of the student dues. This is because the student dues expense is more unconstrained than other finances. PNU GSA processes their business with the assistance of the student dues, distribution of educational finance, and the University’s treasurer. The projects reflecting a concern of support organizations are inevitable when using another types of finance, but using student dues is not like that. The present GSA uses student dues to support school organizations, event prizes, special lecture fees, and so on.

Students who did not pay the student dues said they could not experience direct benefits when they paid them. “Channel PNU” surveyed 165 PNU students from February 2nd to 15th, and 75.8% (95 students) who did not pay chose the same reason. Aside from this, other responses for the reason why the students did not pay were “Participation in events which is hosted by the student council is rare (42.1%),” “The lack of the restriction for non-paying students and could not feel the necessity of the payment (36.8%),” and “The transparency of the financial management were questionable (26.3%).” A respondent said, “The reality is that we receive fewer benefits than the price we pay. There is a strong perception that students who paid the student dues are called pushovers.”

Kim Yo-Seop (Dept. of Korean Language Education, 20), president of GSA, said, “We are considering a plan to secure more than a certain percentage of the benefits for students who pay their due among the projects for all students. However, we do not plan to add restrictions on those who do not pay."

However, it is confirmed that the satisfaction of the method of making the payment and the price PNU adopted was very high. According to the survey, 85.5% of the students were satisfied with the existing system. 58% of paid students (70 students) chose “The burden of the price was not that big” as the reason why they paid the student dues. PNU student dues are about 20,000 won per semester, and students can pay the student dues on the date of paying tuition. In other universities near PNU (Pukyong National University, Dong-A University, Dong-Eui University), students pay their student dues for all four years of university in lump sum, when the students are the freshman, and they are burdened with paying anywhere between 100,000 to 200,000 won.

Some students are concerned about student autonomy and paid their student dues. According to the survey, 40% of students chose “For the enhancement of the student autonomy’s activity” as the reason why they paid their student dues. A respondent said, “The negative opinion of the student dues is due to the problem with the sense of belonging. Students do not feel the necessity of the student autonomy’s activity, expression of opinion, and unity because the Students' Association was managed by the Emergency Planning Committee (EPC).” Last year, PNU GSA was operated through EPC, and the ballot count was delayed for one day because the turnout was too low.

GSA drew up measures to improve the payment rate because of the high possibility that the student dues expenditure will make it difficult for the GSA to carry out the business they pledged. GSA conveyed a plan to produce materials for public relations associated with paying student dues, increasing the opportunity for prize lottery, and providing various benefits for students who paid their dues. GSA president Kim said, “Student dues are essential for the smooth operation of a student society, various cultural events, and projects to push ahead. We will be reborn as a reliable student society through the education and audit of student dues for all units with the growth of the payment rate.”

Reporter Choi Sun-Woo

Translated by Choi Ye-Won