This file photo shows the entrance of Seoul National University, one of the country’s most prestigious universities. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Half of all students and faculty at Seoul National University believe there is severe discrimination occurring on campus.
The school, one of the country’s most prestigious universities, conducted a survey of 2,198 undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and school staff, 49.8 percent of whom said that there is a severe issue of discrimination on campus.
At 36.8 percent, more than one-third of respondents said they have been subject to discrimination at school.
Sorted by groups, school employees (47.9 percent) and faculty (40.5 percent) felt they were more exposed to discrimination than undergraduate (33.3 percent) and graduate (32.7 percent) students.
As for the cause of discrimination, 43.2 percent attributed it to their educational background, followed by gender (40.1 percent), and major (36.6 percent). The results were similar to a 2016 survey.
Graduate students felt most discriminated against by their educational background (53.1 percent) as well as the faculty (46.3 percent). Undergraduates were mostly discriminated by their gender (47.1 percent), school staff by their status (67.2 percent), and faculty by their major (47.6 percent).
Respondents gave a score of 3.42 points out of 5 in terms of the school’s overall respect for diversity and minority groups.
Female school staff and female employees, however, gave lower scores of 3.04 points and 2.91 points, respectively. Sorted by status, non-school employees gave the lowest score of 2.90 points.
Another 14.9 percent of all respondents believed that they were part of a social minority at school. The proportion of women (34.6 percent) outstripped male respondents (12.2 percent).
As for the reason, 48 percent attributed it to their educational background, followed by gender (32.7 percent).
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
