The 57th Emergency Response Committee (ERC) of the General Student Association (GSA) at Kyung Hee University (KHU) Seoul Campus was launched on January 1. This transition to an emergency committee system, the first in seven years, was a measure to fill the vacancy of the GSA. While temporarily managing key student affairs, the ERC is primarily focused on organizing the upcoming GSA by-election in March. By facilitating a smooth transition and addressing student concerns in the interim, the committee aims to restore an elected student leadership and maintain stability within the student community.

Launch of the Emergency Response Committee

The ERC is a temporary body that steps in when a GSA is not elected through a regular election. Since it is not an elected body, the ERC has limited authority and finds it challenging to fulfill campaign promises.

The Seoul Campus ERC, launched on January 1 for the first time in seven years, is chaired by Shin Ha-kyun, a student from the Dept. of Sociology and president of the College of Politics and Economics.

Upon its launch, the ERC shared a message via social media, stating, "We will focus on filling the vacancy left by the GSA and will do our best. We aim to lead a student community where diverse opinions coexist and trust can be built."

Shin, Ha-kyun, the chairman of ERC

ERC Activities: Tuition Fee Discussions
Since its launch, the ERC has engaged in various activities, including discussions on tuition fee increases, preparations for graduation and entrance ceremonies, and more.
With KHU deciding to raise tuition fees, the ERC facilitated discussions between the University and students. To gather student feedback, the ERC hosted financial briefings on both campuses with the Office of Planning and Coordination. The ERC also shared updates on the tuition fee discussions through Instagram posts.

As a result of these discussions, the final tuition increase rate was set at 5.1%, lower than the initially considered 5.49%.

The ERC’s Operational Plan: GSA Election

The ERC is preparing for a by-election in March to elect a new GSA. Shin stated, "Our top priority is to establish a new GSA. Minimizing gaps in student governance is key, and we are focusing on creating a strong foundation for the upcoming GSA to operate smoothly."

Candidate announcement for the upcoming by-election

Photo: ERC instagram (instagram.com/khu_stu/)

As the campaign team KnocKH registered on March 13, the election process has officially begun. The presidential candidate is Eom Gyu-min from the Dept. of Business Administration, and the vice-presidential candidate is Heo Ye-dam from the School of Global Eminence

A public hearing will be held on March 19 at 6:30 p.m. in Crown Concert Hall, Room 101, ahead of the voting period from March 24 to 26.

Since its launch, the ERC has actively worked to fill the gaps in student governance by addressing tuition fee discussions, preparing for graduation and entrance ceremonies, and organizing major events. With the upcoming March by-election to elect a new GSA, the ERC has played a crucial role in preparing a stable base for student governance. These efforts have set the stage for the new GSA, which aims to create a more active and engaged student community.