Unequal Fees for Freshmen Camp

The participation fees for Freshmen Camp, considered the first gateway to campus life, vary significantly across colleges, sparking controversy. Some colleges charge a relatively low fee of 20,000 to 30,000 won, while others collect over 70,000 won, leading to dissatisfaction among students.

Every year, student councils at colleges and departments organize Freshmen Camp to help freshmen adjust to university life. The program typically lasts for one night and two days at a resort or similar facility, incurring costs for lodging, meals, transportation, and event expenses. To cover these costs, student councils collect participation fees from students.

A February survey by Channel PNU of 12 colleges and departments found that participation fees varied by as much as 49,000 won, with the most expensive fee being 49,000 won higher than the cheapest. The most expensive programs were held by the College of Social Sciences, the College of Natural Resources and Life Science, and the College of Information and Biomedical Engineering, each charging 70,000 won. Meanwhile, the most affordable fees were found at the College of Business Administration (21,000 won), the Department of Electrical Engineering (31,761 won), and the College of Economics and International Trade (39,000 won).

Students from colleges with higher fees have voiced concerns over the financial burden. Freshman A who participated in the College of Social Sciences program with the participation fee of 70,000 won stated, “We spent most of our time inside the resort, and the meals were no different from regular cafeteria food. The participation fee seems excessive.” Similarly, PNU student B from the College of Education commented, “50,000 won would be a more reasonable price for an event similar to an MT (Membership Training). I don’t understand why our fee is so much higher when some colleges charge only 20,000 to 30,000 won.”

Some students argue that high participation fees limit accessibility. Lee Hyo-Won (Dept. of Media and Communication 22), pointed out, “Freshmen Camp is meant for meeting new people, but 70,000 won is too expensive. The high cost itself is a barrier.”

The primary reason for the variation in participation fees is financial support from college administrative offices. Colleges and departments that receive funding include the College of Nursing, the College of Business Administration, the College of Economics and International Trade, the Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, the College of Human Ecology, the College of Humanities, the College of Arts, the College of Natural Sciences, and the Department of Electrical Engineering. These institutions had an average participation fee of 46,529 won. In contrast, colleges without financial support—such as the College of Education, the College of Social Sciences, and the College of Information and Biomedical Engineering—had an average fee of 68,333 won, about 21,804 won higher.

Financial support plays a crucial role in lowering participation fees. Some student councils reported receiving around one to two million won in funding. Assuming a program size of 100 students, this funding reduces costs by approximately 10,000 won per person. Kim Won-Beom (Dept. of Electrical Engineering, 21), the student council president, stated, “We received a total of 1.8 million won in support from the department office and used it to cover bus rental costs.” Since 50 students participated in the orientation, this funding allowed each participant to save 36,000 won. Kwon Dong-Jae (Dept. of Business Administration, 24), president of the College of Business Administration, said that the college had the lowest participation fee as accommodation costs were fully covered by the college. The administrative office of the College of Business Administration explained, “Since Freshmen Camp is part of campus life, the university provided financial support at the institutional level.”

Student councils without financial support are making efforts to reduce costs, but rising prices pose challenges. They explain that essential expenses—such as lodging, meals, bus rentals, and insurance—already total at least 55,000 won per person. Lee Jin-Kyu (Dept. of Mathematics Education), the president of the student council  noted, “Additional costs like alcohol, prizes, and event materials are unavoidable, and we also need to maintain the quality of the program. Lowering fees is difficult. With rising costs, reducing fees compared to last year was not an option.” To address this, they included freshmen in the planning team to determine a reasonable participation fee. For the past three years, Choi Seo-Yoon (Dept. of Plastic Arts, 21), the  Chairman of the Interim Student Council for the College of Arts, stated, “Rising costs seem to have affected participation rates. So financial support is essential to sustain student engagement.”

Reporter Jung Yoon-Seo·Jeon Ha-Eun

Translated by Seo Yoo-Jung