An article in the Duksung Women’s University Press showed that 84.

2% of
students (from a sample of 488 students) want to restrict visitor access.
What happened at Duksung and do other universities experience similar
problems like us? The comparison with Ewha Women’s University will point
out some of the similarities and differences about visitor problems, and
suggest possible alternatives.

Duksung Women’s University 

1) What Happened at DWU?

The public uses the school campus as a local park on the weekends.
However, the thoughtless behavior of some visitors creates problems. Kim
HeoYeon (Sociology, 08) said, “I think visitors are likely to take for granted
that they can use the
school facilities and I
feel uncomfortable with
that.” Like her, many
students voice their
complaints about    
uninvited guests. Kim
SoYoon (Sociology, 09)
said, “When I came to
the school on the
weekends, I sometimes
saw a man sleeping on ▲ The public uses the Duksung campus as a local park.
the sofa in the
Chamirisa Memorial Building. I was really shocked and left immediately.” 
The back gate of DWU is adjacent to Hyomun middle and high school, so
Hyomun students cut through the Duksung campus to go to school. They
also occasionally use the piano rooms without permission and study in the
school building which is only permitted for DWU students. When students
took a class in the Chamirisa Memorial Building, they sometimes
experienced an inconvenience because Hyomun students passed through
the corridors making so much noise. 
Students and visitors have opposing views on the use of the private space
of DWU. Contrary to students’ opinions, an anonymous visitor said, “If
Duksung closes the school to all visitors, it is unfair. The majority of people
clean up the places where they have stayed and do not disturb students.” 
2) Duksung’s Attitude 

DWU enforces seven rules to control visitor access. 

1. Opening hours: Sundays and national holidays (6 a.m. - 6 p.m.) -
Saturdays (1 p.m. - 6 p.m.)
2. Visitors are forbidden from entering without permission. (No soliciting
and No handout distribution.)
3. DWU prohibits visitors from riding bicycles and inline skates on the
campus. 
4. Cooking is prohibited within
the school compound. 
5. Parking and pets are not
allowed.
6. Loud behavior that interrupts
study is not allowed.
7. Visitors should not leave
garbage.

   
These regulations are
published at the front gate.
However, both the students
and the uninvited guests are
not well aware of them.
Moreover, these regulations
are not enough to improve all
problems that visitors may
cause. Visitors commit more
problems than stipulated in the
▲ The rules of Duksung regulate visitor access
initial rules. 
Visitors cannot enter DWU on weekdays in principle; however, there are
several exceptions to the rules. Local residents can cut across the school
without resistance and students of Hyomun can pass through the school
campus on their way to school and home. Other visitors are accepted when
visiting the bank, post office, convenience store, bookstore, photo studio, or
the optician’s store. However, it is difficult to distinguish whether they are
really visiting the public facilities or if they are just making excuses. If they
want to visit our school, all they have to do is saying, “I am going to the
bank.” 
Duksung has three levels of campus security. One is at the front gate
guard, the back gate guard, and the guard on foot patrol. This disposition of
the security system is inadequate to protect the school facilities and
students. The campus is big and many uninvited guests enter our school
every day. So, how can only three guards control visitors and deal with the
potential troubles of uninvited guests? The lax security rules and the
inadequate security measures are the reasons why Duksung has so many
problems caused by uninvited guests.

Ewha Women’s University 

1) How about Ewha?

Ewha Women’s University is located in Sinchon in downtown Seoul.
Moreover, as the Ewha Campus Complex (ECC) was completed in August
2008, a large floating
population visits the school
more than ever. The ECC has
many cultural, educational,
and commercial facilities
   
(book store, gym, library,
theater, and restaurants). At
first, many students were
worried about the construction
of this place. They rightfully
forecasted that outsiders
▲ The ECC is a commercial complex that many
would use the facilities at the
students and visitors use.
ECC and might disturb
students. Actually, homeless people sometimes used this place and
intimidated students. However, according to the Ewha Women’s University
Press survey, only 12.9% of students (from a sample of 349 students) felt
that the increase of visitor access was a negative development; it is a lower
percentage than Duksung’s. “Actually, I do not seriously think about
visitors. I recognize that there are many visitors in our school and they use
the school facilities, but these days, I have rarely heard that they cause
serious problems.” said Lee MyungGyo (22, Ewha Women’s University’s
student). If so, why do students of Ewha have an open attitude to uninvited
guests compared to Duksung students? 
2) Ewha’s Attitude 

After 10 p.m. on weekdays and 7:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays,

visitors are forbidden to enter the
school. Men cannot enter the school
and nobody can use school grounds.
The ECC opens from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
(Gate 3, 4, and 9 open till midnight.) The
safety office is located in the second
basement-level and many CCTVs are
installed in this building. A year after    
completion, the ECC put up several
intercoms, increased the patrols, and
expanded the number of CCTV
cameras. Ewha does not limit visitor
access unconditionally, but tries to
minimize the problems caused by
visitors and make the campus secure for
students. A Ewha student said, “I do not ▲ Ewha sets up a sign that controls
have many troubles with visitors, visitor access at the main gate.

because there are defined off limits

areas to visitors. The school posted some notices about it that the visitors
are made aware of.” 
The Office of General Administration started a ‘Female Security Officer
Service’ to guarantee student safety at March 2, 2010. Four new female
security officers are in charge of school security. They patrol in and out of
the campus, restrict visitor access, and enforce illegal parking rules from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m. This new service made it possible to secure male-free zone
such as nap rooms and female restrooms where no males are allowed. 
Ewha has established more alternative mechanisms to address the issue of
unauthorized persons than Duksung. There are two main reasons why
Ewha suffers less inconvenience about visitors using their school. 
 1. The ECC was completed with
the private aid of Samsung and
was originally called the Ewha
Samsung Campus Complex
(ESCC). As previously stated, it
has many commercial facilities. If
anybody pays money, they can
freely use them. It is a profit-maker
    that can contribute to school
finances. 
2. Ewha has enough amenities
available to visitors (such as
benches and tables) and coffee
shops where students are able to
rest, while Duksung lacks them. It
is mainly because Ewha is
supported by a major company that
▲ CCTVs are installed in the ECC. provides enough quantity of
supplies to both students and
visitors.

Now, both Duksung and Ewha Women’s University have some troubles
with visitors, but the way each school deals with them is quite different. In
the case of Duksung, some regulations to minimize the problems caused
by them do exist. However, it is not enough to control visitors from causing
troubles. On the other hand, when we look at Ewha, it sets up practical
services to prevent visitors from causing inner school accidents and acting
out of order. DWU should keep better track of visitors by reforming the
security system.
Another aspect is demand and supply. Compared to Ewha, Duksung has
relatively less school facilities such as benches, tables, and personal
computers. Limited supply with increased demands (DWU students and
visitors) led students to complain about the shortages. In this situation,
increasing these facilities can be a way to solve visitor problem.
Closing the door for all the visitors cannot be the solution. Not all the
uninvited guests cause problems and there are several public
establishments inside the campus. Duksung should make up for the current
entrance control system, so that visitors can use the campus and students
are not being disturbed by them. In addition, students should have a big
heart and try to understand the visitor’s position by understanding the
geographical situation of our campus.