The locked entrance behind the speed gate on the basement floor of the IGC double dormitory, also, the locked cafeteria entrance.
Photo by Gio (Goeun) Choi.
“It’s so frustrating to ask us [students] to bear the inconvenience without any reason or explanation for closing the basement.” said Hayun Kim (Global Affair B.A., GMUK, ‘23), living in the IGC single dormitory from Spring 2021.
Even after installing the speed gate, the closing basement has been a significant issue in the Incheon Global Campus since Spring 2021. However, the IGC Housing Office has not shown any actions for resolving the issue. So what is the reason that they keep asking students to bear inconvenience without seeking understanding in advance? And what opinions that George Mason University Korea (GMUK) students give regarding the problem are?
The basement entrance of the dormitory has been locked for nearly two years since COVID-19 threatened our life. However, a speed gate (an identity checking machine with a thermometer function for preventing the spread of infectious diseases) was installed in February 2021. Before they were installed, the IGC Housing noticed to students that the basement was closed for the convenience of checking every visitor’s identity with taking their temperature. Hence, students expected that installing a speed gate would make the IGC Housing let students use the basement entrance again. However, contrary to students’ expectations, the entrance has still locked for the reason that the thermometer function of the gates did not work accurately due to the outdoor and indoor temperature difference on the basement floor.
Minwoo Park (Management, B.S., GMUK, ‘25), living in the IGC double dormitory from Spring 2020, said, “I [He] still don’t understand why they installed Speedgate on the basement floor if they had no plans to use them. I [He] heard many students saying it seems like IGC Housing wasted their budget.” Students’ hardships due to the locked basement floor are mainly related to the complexity of students’ passage. The places to receive food delivery, the IGC Cafeteria, and all IGC buildings are connected to the basement. All these could seem minor issues to bear; however, students face these inconveniences in everyday life. Especially during the check-in and check-out period, every students’ baggage and car are crowded on the dormitory’s ground floor. Furthermore, it brings about a chaotic situation which could lead to potential safety issues. If the IGC housing lets students use the basement entrance directly connected with the parking lot, it would automatically solve the inconveniences and safety issues.
Students are raising doubts regarding the worthlessness of the speed gate, and accumulative dissatisfaction toward the IGC Housing has been shown. Moreover, there are not any official announcements of the reason that the basement has still been locked. And the only way for students to get information regarding the issue is by direct inquiry into the IGC Housing. Therefore, The Voice made an inquiry call to the IGC Housing to get the specific information. The faculty from the IGC Housing responded, “We [IGC Housing] have locked the basement to follow the government’s guidelines for simplifying the path of students who has a possibility to be COVID-19 confirmed cases.” Unfortunately, although they provided the decisive reasons for their measure, it was not able to hear specific plans.
We have to focus on here because there was not enough communication between students and the IGC Housing. None of the students could get informed about this specific reason unless they directly inquired to the IGC Housing in regards to this issue. Kieun Kwon (Global Affair, B.A., GMUK, ‘24), living in the IGC single dormitory since Fall 2020, said, “I [She] don’t understand why they did not announce the reason for closing the basement entrance, even though a lot of students have been complaining about the issue. Also, I [she] am uncomfortable that they do not officially announce the reason for the measure. We [Students] would understand and follow that protocol, but they just ignored us [students].”
It has already been almost two years that we have been living with the COVID-19. Since the pandemic put our lives in danger, IGC took several measures in order to prevent the infection on campus. Nevertheless, many students living in dormitories have suffered and bore great inconveniences due to the measures, giving up the efficiency of specific facilities. Not only the measures have done matter, but also the lack of communication between the student body and the IGC Housing has emerged as the actual problem. Further, there is room for students to feel that they are infringed on their rights, resulting from coercive action without detailed announcements to seek students’ understanding. Now, students on campus are waiting for the firm action from the IGC Housing that portrays what they consider their students.
Written by Gio (Goeun) Choi, staff writer
Revised by Yu Bin Kwon | Managing Editor
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