It has already been a month since the new semester began. Everyone has probably been busy during the first month of school, especially if you are a freshman. For freshmen, everything seems new; new friends, new professors, new classes, and new events like Orientations (OT) and Membership Training (MT). As there are a lot of events for freshmen, most departments at HUFS collect money from the first-year-students, known as “Gwahoebi,” mainly for the self-governing activities of each department. The amount of Gwahoebi, however, varies among majors and departments. In reality, a majority number of freshmen find this to be a financial burden mostly due to the large fees required. In this month’s How About You, The Argus listened to HUFSans from different majors to look into the Gwahoebi issue.

When I entered the university, I was notified that I had to pay extra money which was about 280,000 won. At the time I did not go to the freshmen orientation, and I was not fully and clearly aware of Gwahoebi and the fact that it was not mandatory, so I paid the full price. I was told to pay as if it were a must, so I ended up paying the whole amount of 280,000 won with a little bit of doubt. A few months later, my friends told me that it was not mandatory at all to pay Gwahoebi. Then, I was finally aware of the purpose of the money, and started to think that it is not reasonable to ask everyone to pay Gwahoebi, some students do not participate in extracurricular activities and events including myself. For this reason, I personally think if some money must be collected for certain occasions, only students who actively participate should pay for it.

I was once a member of the student council, so I am fully aware of the events that are held with the money gathered in the name of Gwahoebi. I know that there are a lot of students who see Gwahoebi as something negative and useless. However, a fixed amount of money is a must in planning and holding events for the students. It is impossible to manage certain events like MT with a small fee. Because Gwahoebi is collected, we can have a proper means of transportation and reserve accommodations with better facilities.

I was a freshman last year and can still remember the very first time I entered this university. I was so excited and worried about my new life in a new place called “university.” As I printed out the tuition form, I saw another high number stated on the form, a fee of 250,000. I asked several seniors about the money and tried to figure out what exactly it was, but all they said was that it was necessary for events. So I thought it seemed reasonable in that it was used throughout the whole year. As I think about Gwahoebi now, I think the price is way too high considering the number and quality of each event. Also, there is another reason why I object to collecting Gwahoebi. Everyone who pays for the fee has the right to know what it has been spent on. However, in my department, there is no way to see a breakdown of Gwahoebi.
Of course, I am not saying that we have to get rid of Gwahoebi. I agree with some aspects of Gwahoebi in that it provides a way to manage special occasions. If there is no money for student activities, the students will face certain inconveniences. What really matters is that the price of Gwahoebi is charged according to greatly varying rates across each major. Personally, I think it would be better if the school were to create a fixed rate for Gwahoebi and include it in the tuition fee.

While most students, except the student council, disagree with the idea of paying Gwahoebi, I think it is necessary to manage self-governance activities. The money is supposed to be used for activities whose benefits go directly to the students, including myself, so I think it is reasonable for us to pay. In the case of my own major, we are asked to pay less than 80,000 won. As far as I know, students have been paying 80,000 won for a long time as Gwahoebi, and there is consideration of a sharp increase in the fee. I think the fee change makes sense. It is not something we have to pay every year, but for the whole four years of university life. I heard that there are some departments, where Gwahoebi is over 200,000 won, but I do not understand why they need so much money. I am curious as to whether they are holding a lot more events and activities for students. Students would be very satisfied with a system in which they could see a detailed breakdown of Gwahoebi.