While the regular inspection of the dormitories of PNU, suspended due to COVID-19, was conducted for the first time in about four years, students' complaints about the inspection method are continuing. 

On May 11th, the PNU dormitories of Busan Campus conducted regular inspections of the dormitory rooms for the first semester for Woongbee Hall, Jayoo Hall, Jilli Hall, and Hyowonjae. The inspection was conducted for the first time in about four years since the second semester 2019. It was done in a way that PNU dormitory officials went around the rooms and proceeded simultaneously. 

The problem is that there was no sharing of the inspection situation. The students did not know which room the dormitory officials were checking, so they had to wait inside the room without any promise. It is because three penalty points were imposed if the student was not in their room during the inspection. In some cases, they were even unable to go to the bathroom freely. Student A, living at Woongbee Hall, said, “It is a waste of time for the students not to even tell them the approximate time to inspect their room.” 

Complaints have also been raised that the inspection is not practical. It is far from sufficient to achieve the purpose of checking for banned items and securing safety in the dormitory. There are students who feel a sense of futility due to a lack of inspection processes compared to the long waiting time. Jilli Hall Student B, said, “I waited for a long time, but when the staff came to check it about three seconds, I was embarrassed.”

Some criticize that there was a lack of prior notice. Some students did not know it because sufficient notification was not made even though penalty points were imposed. Student C, who lives in Jayoo Hall, said, “Many students did not know it because notification of the inspection of the student rooms was not conducted by text message reception or announcement, but only by push notification of the PNU dormitory app. Even in push notifications, the title was cut and not readable, so I deleted it without knowing it was an important notice.” 

To prevent long waiting times, the PNU dormitory is proposing a plan to "allow inspection in case of absence," but the response is not good. This is because there is a risk of privacy exposure. According to this plan, the room of the student who agreed in advance can be checked using the master key in their absence. Student A said, "If students allow an inspection in case of absence, there is a concern about privacy exposure when an officer enters a room where no one is there and searches the drawers.

There are several complaints, but there are no measures yet proposed by the PNU dormitory. It is practically difficult to meet and notify the demand time of more than 3,600 students. Choi Ji-Ae (Clerk, PNU dormitory), who is in charge of inspecting the Jilli Hall, said, “There is also the problem of privacy invasion, and officers cannot look at the room like a backpack. After opening the door, the officers check only for the possession of prohibited items and the degree of cleaning.”

Reporter Shin Yu-Jun

Translated by Lim Chae-Kyung