Yonsei Female Students’ Union Election: Year 2016
28th Female Student’s Union Candidate, <around>
The Students’ Union Elections approaches once again as 2016 runs towards its end. Yonsei University, unfortunately, does not have any Students’ Union candidates this year, but it does have a single team - <around> - running for the Female Students’ Union. According to the official election schedule, the first campaign was held in front of the Student Union Building on November 14th. Election debate was held at Songdo International Campus the very next day on November 15th. A second election debate was held at Sinchon Campus, in front of the Student Union Building, on November 17th. The voting period begins next week from November 22nd to 24th. Around is comprised of one presidential and one vice presidential candidate. The names of the candidates are as follows:
-Presidential candidate: Ma Tae-young (Dept. of Theology, 13)
-Vice presidential candidate: Lim So-young (Dept. of Human Environ. & Design, 14)
<around> claimed that it will base itself on three steps. First, to achieve a foundational change in the deep-rooted culture of prejudice. Second, to contemplate on minority issues. Last, to make a strong and powerful Female Students’ Union. <around>’s policies are largely based on these three foundational steps. Some noticeable pledges are as follows:
<around>’s Pledges
To make a strong and powerful Female Students’ Union
-Enforcing “Ring my Bell” project
-Dealing with prejudice within campus and classrooms
-Detecting and getting rid of hidden cameras within campus
To change the deep-rooted culture of prejudice
-Setting up a Feminism Facebook page *Dae-soop*
-Opening Movie Nights screening alternative films
-Feminist networking within school
-Holding Feminism seminars vol.3
To contemplate on minority issues
-Setting up infant care for students
-Enactment of human rights guidelines
-Holding Human Rights Week/Festival
-Participating in Human Rights activities for sexual minority and the disabled
Other than these large pledges, there are many other policies that <around> has promised to fulfill. For instance, <around> said that it will survey the student body regarding gender equality, analyze the results, and take measures to improve gender equality. It will also open various seminars and hold lectures that allow the students to participate and learn about gender equality and antidiscrimination. In addition, considering the lack of an allied association with Korea University, <around> has suggested establishing an alliance with Korea University’s Female Student Committee. This alliance is to take care of complaints regarding discriminatory or sexual assaults from students in both schools. Moreover, it is not only going to continue the works of the previous Female Students’ Union <It-da> on providing the female students with necessary sanitary products but also try to create female communities in areas previously claimed as masculine, such as sports and online games.
As previously mentioned, the Female Students’ Union elections will be held from November 22nd to 24th, from Tuesday to Thursday next week. In order to create a better school environment and fair society without discrimination, we encourage all students to practice their rights by casting a vote.
『The Yonsei Annals』 사진부 부장, 대외협력 팀장 김유진
yujinanne@yonsei.ac.kr
