Pusan National University (PNU)’s official cheerleading team has started its activities, but due to insufficient regulations and procedures, its operation is precarious. The General Students’ Association (GSA), which should have supported the team’s establishment, has effectively stepped back, deepening the cheerleading team’s concerns.

According to a comprehensive report by “Channel PNU” on November 28th, PNU’s official cheerleading team, named “Pinale,” began its activities with its first orientation on October 30th. “Pinale” was launched after Shin Yoon-Jeong (Dept. of Food and Resource Economics, 22) was elected as the cheerleading captain at the Assembly of National Hyowon Representatives in September, and seven members have been active since then. The name “Pinale,” combining PNU with “Finale,” the last movement in a musical performance, was finalized through an official naming contest hosted by the 56th GSA, P:New, in November.

However, Pinale remains in an unstable position as the GSA constitution has yet to be amended to formalize the cheerleading team as a special organization. Issues like additional funding for initial establishment costs, including cheerleading uniforms, also remain unresolved. Furthermore, the impeachment of P:New’s GSA president (reported by “Channel PNU” on November 6th, 2024), who had pledged to support the team, has weakened the momentum for fulfilling these promises. Acting GSA President Seo Seung-Beom (Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences, 21) stated, “We will hand this issue over to the next GSA, ensuring that constitutional amendments to formalize the cheerleading team are made at the Assembly of National Hyowon Representatives in March next year.”

Even the already allocated cheerleading team budget poses challenges. The cheerleading team, which is not officially recognized as a special organization under the constitution, was allocated a budget of 1.5 million won under the category of “special organization funding” during the Assembly conducted in writing September, but discussions regarding its use have yet to take place. Currently, only two groups are eligible for funding under the financial operation bylaws: the Club Association and the Hyowon Journal Editorial Committee, which is a special organization under the GSA constitution. Kim Joon-Seo, the chairperson of the 1st Audit Committee, commented, “Using the budget for necessary expenses during the formation process can be respected in terms of operation, but the Audit Committee will need to make a wise judgment in the upcoming audit.”

Issues surrounding the cheerleading team’s budget are expected to arise during the audit starting in coming January. Under the financial operation bylaws, special organizations that use allocated funding are required to submit financial statements to the Central Audit Committee. Acting GSA President Seo stated, “Since the cheerleading team is using the GSA budget, there will be no issues with the audit implementation,” but the lack of regulations surrounding the cheerleading team creates uncertainty about which entity will be audited as the responsible special organization.

The cheerleading team, which started as a campaign promise during the GSA election, faced difficulties even during its establishment process. Discussions about forming the cheerleading team began in January, but the official recruitment for the cheerleading captain did not occur until August, which is seven months late (reported by “Channel PNU” on August 30th, 2024). Majority of the current members were part of “Pluming,” a cheerleading sub-club that ceased activities in February, and it took nearly ten months for cheerleading activities to resume under the official team.

The seminar room on the 4th floor of Moonchang Hall, designated as the cheerleading team’s practice space, is still being used as a storage room filled with abandoned items. GSA promised to begin renovations in September (reported by “Channel PNU” on August 30th, 2024), but ongoing issues within the GSA have delayed the renovations. According to the Office of Academic Affairs, the space is scheduled to be renovated during winter break and will be turned into a practice room available to all students.

Amid these challenges, Pinale continues to practice by renting external practice rooms and using the Student Union Building. The team plans to perform at school festivals and competitions, aiming to lead the cheerleading culture of the university. Cheerleading Captain Shin stated, “Depending on the production timeline for the cheerleading uniforms, we can make our debut performance at the entrance ceremony. We will work hard to establish a cheerleading culture that delivers passion and vitality to the students.”

Reporter Hwang Ju-Won

Translated by Thadar-Soe