Chungnam National University has officially decided to proceed with the submission of a merger application with Kongju National University. The university plans to institutionalize measures to protect the rights of its members and finalize the schedule for a re-vote among all members at the integration promotion committee meeting next week, aiming for submission to the Ministry of Education by the end of the year.
From November 9 to 10, Chungnam National University held its fifth integration committee meeting, where it reviewed and approved the proposal to re-initiate the merger application with Kongju National University, a key task of the 'Glocal University 30' project.
Previously, the merger proposal was rejected in a vote held in September, primarily due to a lack of explanation and information regarding protective measures for members. In response, the university conducted over 25 on-site discussions and public forums to address concerns within the campus community.
Based on this feedback, the university administration has decided to institutionalize a 'Member Rights Protection Implementation Plan' that includes key protective measures such as ensuring departmental autonomy, limiting forced transfers of staff against their will, and specifying the degree certificate (diploma) notation.
Preliminary coordination between the two universities for the re-initiation has also been completed. Earlier this month, Chungnam National University held meetings with its internal committees and joint committees with Kongju National University to clarify additional requirements regarding budget allocation and space reallocation, which will be detailed in the forthcoming 'Integration Detailed Implementation Plan.' The current merger application will be maintained as originally drafted.
The specific schedule for the re-vote will be finalized at the integration promotion committee meeting next week and will be promptly communicated to all members. The voting will be conducted through the Central Election Management Committee's online voting system (K-Voting) to ensure fairness and anonymity. If the vote passes, Chungnam National University plans to submit the merger application to the Ministry of Education by the end of the year after review by the Academic Affairs Council and the University Council.
The urgency behind the university's efforts to submit by the end of the year stems from potential penalties associated with delays in national projects. If the submission deadline of December 31 is missed, approximately 103.2 billion won in funding for the Glocal University 30 project will be reduced, and failure to submit by February 28 of the following year could result in the cancellation of the Glocal University designation, leading to the recovery of already disbursed funds.
Additionally, the 'Creating 10 Seoul National Universities (S10)' project, which was selected based on the merger with Kongju National University and is estimated to be worth around 350 billion won over five years, will also require a comprehensive review.
Chungnam National University has committed to actively addressing concerns raised during a recent student assembly and will continue to engage in open communication.
A university official stated, "The issue of diploma notation, which students are most concerned about, will be addressed in the implementation plan by ensuring that students admitted before the merger will have their original university and department names clearly indicated on their diplomas. We will also guarantee student participation in the establishment of the detailed implementation plan and the formulation of the new university's regulations."
The official added, "This re-initiation is a decision made after careful consideration for the future of the university, and we will thoroughly prepare to ensure that no member is disadvantaged. We ask all members to reflect once more on the future of the university based on sufficient information."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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