Four in 10 students at Dongduk Women’s University say the campus damage caused by students protesting against the school’s plan to adopt coeducation should be repaired at the school’s expense, according to local news reports Friday.
A survey conducted by the student council on Wednesday showed that 95.2 percent of 725 respondents said the campus needs lacquer coating as part of the restoration. Students cited the overall appearance of the campus, the school’s image and the arrival of new students as key reasons. Regarding the timing, 85.5 percent said the work should take place between November and December.
The protests involved students using red or black spray paint to write their messages across the campus, covering building facades, pavements, and even statues.
In the survey conducted from Nov. 1 to Nov. 6, more than half of the respondents (53.1 percent) said the cost should be shared among students, professors and staff. 42.1 percent said the school should cover the full amount because “the school caused the situation by failing to communicate with students.”
“The student council will hold further discussions with the school on the schedule and cost based on the survey results,” the council said. “Although talks on restoring campus facilities have begun, the issues on campus have not yet been resolved.”
The school began discussions on whether to shift to coeducation late last year, but announced a halt to the debate in November following strong student opposition.
The school said the damage from the protests is estimated at between 2.4 billion won and 5.4 billion won and reported several students to police at the time. It dropped the charges in May.
shinjh@heraldcorp.com
