Shame on 'polifessors' Universities should set stricter code of ethics

YONHAP - The ancient Geek philosopher Aristotle said, "Man is by nature a political animal" and was subsequently lauded for having given insight into the very nature of humanity.

It can be also said that people cannot live without politics. In
South Korea, politics has a tremendous impact on every sector of society despite people showing a growing tendency toward political indifference.

It is true that every human is politically oriented. However, excessive political
orientation often makes people knit their eyebrows. In this regard, some Korean
professors have been criticized for their political ambitions to become
lawmakers, ministers or ranking government officials. Of course, it is not
necessarily right to indiscriminately denounce them for having such ambitions.
It is oftentimes natural for scholars to actively participate in the political
process so that they can put their academic principles and ideals into action. It
is also important to promote close interactions between academia and the
political circle. However, the problem is how they should do so. Many politically
oriented professors are under attack for their opportunistic behavior.
South Koreans are familiar with the coined word, "polifessor." It is a compound
of politics and professor, and refers to one who neglects academic studies while
concentrating on building his or her political career. Many "polifessors" are
blamed for seeking to run in parliamentary elections or get positions in the
government without giving up their professor status. And after serving their term
or quitting, they automatically return to campus. That is, they continue to
maintain their professorship, while serving as politicians or bureaucrats by
taking a leave of absence.
During a parliamentary inspection of government agencies Wednesday, Rep. Choi
Jae-sung of the main opposition Democratic Party revealed that Seoul National
University provided Kim Yeon-soo, 39, professor of physical education, a salary
of roughly 4.5 million won between March and June this year. The payments should
not have been made because she did not teach or conduct research. She applied for
maternity leave. But the school authorities rejected her application because her
leave was not actually intended for giving birth.
She then stayed away from her school without leave in order to go on the campaign
trail. Even after defeat in the election, she neither taught nor did research
during the spring semester. She returned to the school this fall after receiving
a three-month pay cut, despite protests from other professors and students who
called for her resignation. Her case set a bad precedent. How could she receive
such a lenient penalty for her absence without leave? She is a professor at the
nation's top state-run university, which means she is also a government employee.
Kim was among 48 professors across the country who sought National Assembly seats
in the April elections. The number of "polifessors" is now estimated at more than
1,000. It is urgent for universities to set stricter regulations, under which
professors should resign 60 to 120 days before they get nominations to run in
elections. If they want to go back to campus, they should be subject to extensive
review by school authorities. A strengthened code of ethics is also required in a
bid to prevent professors from recklessly turning into opportunistic
"polifessors."
(END)