Korean Job Discussion Forums

BigBlackEquus

Is your university becoming a unigwon?

Or in other words, a university + on-campus hagwon?

This seems to be a growing trend, even at the best of schools, where attached 'language centers' are turning a quick profit for the university (Seoul National University). The bad thing is that foreigners who work at the universities are now finding themselves having to put in extra hours on the hagwon side.

Examples:

1. Foreign Language Training and Testing Center Hankuk University of Foreign Studies http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=16102

2. One Full-time Instructor Needed at Language Education Center, Chonnam National University (Gwangju, Korea) http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=16332

3. WonKwang University Language Center http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=16161

There are also universities out-sourcing their teachers to area schools. What would we call those? Unigwouts? Here is one:

Full-time Public School ESL Instructors - Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=16360

VanIslander · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 6:21 am Post subject:

uniwon

"uni-won"

(as in: the university won, the teachers lose)

uniwon

indytrucks · Joined: 09 Apr 2003 Location: The Shelf

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

Well, if you signed on to teach uni students at X number of hours, etc. then that's what you teach until the remainder of your contract. If they later decided to change their minds and give you hagwon classes/more hours then you tell them to go take a flying leap or give you X amount of dollars.

End of story.

DougieG · Joined: 22 Feb 2005

Ha ha ha ... of course that's what you would do. And then you run the risk of being shown the door mid-contract with minimal notice, or at the very least, not resigned at the end of your existing contract.

Face facts, uni bosses run the shown and can do whatever they like. If you don't agree and comply with their directives, then there's a very good chance that your university teaching career will come to an abrupt end.

Universities have a funny habit on not providing references or even -- shock horror -- going out of their way to screw you when your next employer calls.

DougieG · Joined: 22 Feb 2005

Q. Is your university becoming a unigwon?

A. Yes -- plans are afoot because the president of my school is envious of other school's cash cows, oops ... I mean "language institutes." The days of teaching soley credit classes are over and anyone who thinks otherwise is just lying to themselves.

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

Hollywoodaction · Joined: 02 Jul 2004

Yes, it's coming soon, or so I've been told. But I'm not worried. My university recently decided to give up a bit of job security. We (as in the teachers who have been here for years) have been placed on the tenure tract. I didn't get a huge pay raise, but I appreciate the university's gesture.

Real Reality · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: Seoul

Are universities really compensating most qualified foreign educators appropriately? Whether they are in a "unigwon" or a university department, are foreign educators treated appropriately and fairly? You might find the following articles interesting.

Foreign Scholars Merit Equal Status
The foreign professor -- colleague or hired hand?
John B. Kotch, JoongAng Ilbo (June 14, 2002)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200206/14/200206142349223599900090109011.html

Foreigners Experience Difficulties in Living in Korea
by Jae-Dong Yu and Soo-Jung Shin, Donga.com (July 4, 2004)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2004070522448

12% Increase of Professors Salary Last Year, but Part-Time Lecturers' Were Decreased
Donga.com (February 14, 2002)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2002021400798

Professor Salary (2000 Salary)
South Korea: $5,511 per month
Exchange rate per US$1 used to calculate monthly salary; South Korea: 1,134 won equals US$1
http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/features/salaries/2000/popups/content/21prof.html

Corrupt Professors Common, Students Say
by Baek Il-hyun and Kim Ho-jeong, JoongAng Daily (April 28, 2005)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200504/27/200504272214239309900090409041.html

Stop Corruption in Academia
Editorial, JoongAng Daily (April 27, 2005)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200504/27/200504272153216879900090109011.html

Ex-pats Describe Korea's Culture of Corruption
by Kim Hong-jin, Chosun Ilbo (December 16, 2004)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200412/200412160027.html

For Housing Rentals, Foreigners Easy Victims
by Byun Duk-kun, Korea Times (August 28, 2003)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200308/kt2003082818233111970.htm

A Country of Liars
by Kim Dae-joong, Chosun Ilbo (July 3, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200507/200507030027.html

DougieG · Joined: 22 Feb 2005

Jacl: "Because university jobs or sooooooooooo much better than hagwon jobs."

It depends what you're in to. If you like slaving away every day 365 days a year teaching children -- sorry, I forgot you guys get a few national holiday vacations -- then a hogwan is for you. If you like long vacations and a more relaxed lifestyle, then a university is for you.

BigBlackEquus · Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 6:37 pm Post subject:

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

I was amused at the comment that bosses can't come up with a new plan mid-contract. The contract is just what the boss agreed to on one particular day. It doesn't have much relevance to what he may dream up tomorrow and certainly doesn't mean he should plan ahead and implement a new program at the beginning of a term with people who have agreed to work under the new terms.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

TheUrbanMyth · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired

bellum99 · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Location: don't need to know

It is all about the bottom line. Every single one of you (including me) can be replaced by someone cheaper, better looking and younger. There is not one person working in Korea teaching English who isn't easily replaced.
This is the fact that people seem to like to forget.... is that they really aren't doing anything too difficult. You are not really professors because you don't do any actual research and you are don't have the rights of a public school teacher (the real teacher can have you terminated). The sad truth is that we are not really special in Korea....we are needed somewhat, but not individually special.
This is why we will bend over and say we like..anytime, anywhere and anyplace. We are poor and desperate for that next payday...and the Koreans know it.