Fine Arts Professors at Hongik U. Accused of Giving Private Lessons

Fine Arts Professors at Hongik U. Accused of Giving Private Lessons. February. 01, 2008 08:06. hyejin@donga.com.

Police authorities are investigating allegations that Hongik University’s College of Fine Arts has been involved in a series of corruption cases regarding the fine arts aptitude test.

On Jan. 31, Seoul-Mapo police station said it is looking into an allegation that the fine arts aptitude test, administered in mid-January, had been leaked to private academies and that some fine arts professors of the university gave private lectures on exam trends in those academies.

Authorities learned that some professors who provided private lectures served as test examiners at the university. Investigators are probing into whether or not actual questions made their way into the private lessons of those academies.

The university said it is also investigating to see if three of its professors gave lectures called “professor’s critique,” where a professor reviews the work of prospective applicants and lectures them on test trends from June 2007 to recent months.

Hongik University required all 150 fine arts professors at the Seoul campus and at the College of Design and Art in Jochiwon to submit a statement on their teaching experience at private academies by Feb. 4.

The university’s dean of academic affairs Lee Jong-soo said, “We had similar problems back in 2005 and we had fine arts professors submit a written statement that they would not hold “professor’s critique sessions” at private academies. If found guilt, professors will be slapped with strict penalties ranging from suspension of salary-level advancement to suspension from office.

Under current laws regarding the establishment and operation of academies and private lessons, teachers from elementary to high school and university professors are barred from providing private lessons to students.