A Fire Detector Being Replaced at Soolim Dormitory



Recently at SeoulTech, students’ angry and frustrated voices have become louder and more frequent in the dormitories. This is because residents have experienced many problems, including malfunctioning fire alarms and air conditioners, removal of the “room cleaning exemption,” and the shortening of early move-in period.

In response, The SeoulTech conducted a survey for students and an interview with Donghyeon Kim, Team Leader of the Administrative Office to address student concerns.

Fire Alarm Malfunction Prompts Full Replacement at Soolim Dormitory

Frequent fire alarm malfunctions have recently become an issue at the Soolim Dormitory. In response to the question, “Have you ever been affected by a fire alarm malfunction while living here?” the majority of residents answered “Yes.”

Students reported that the malfunctions disrupted their sleep, causing difficulties in important activities the following day, such as exams. Moreover, some students expressed frustration over the lack of prompt follow up measures, which they said created confusion and undermined their sense of safety.

Kim stated that the fire alarms at Soolim Dormitory were aging and therefore prone to malfunction. He stated that all fire detectors at Soolim Dormitory were replaced as of September 21 2025. Additionally, he asked management staff to make announcements when malfunctions occur. He also encouraged students to actively participate in a joint evacuation drill scheduled for later this semester.

Air Conditioner Management: Administrative Office Announces Measures

In the survey, students most frequently expressed complaints about the neglect of regular cleaning as a key issue in air conditioner management, followed by frequent complaints about malfunctions. Many also pointed out that it is difficult for students to clean the inside of units themselves and suggested that the office conduct overall cleaning.

Regarding cleaning demand, Kim explained that professional cleaning is scheduled for later this semester at Soorim and Noori Dormitories. He also said that last August, 2025, the office held a meeting with the operating company and a specialized maintenance company to address frequent air conditioner malfunctions. He added that, before each summer, the contracted service company will carry out full inspections and repairs to reduce malfunctions.

Personal Refrigerators Permitted in Dormitories

Since 2025, the Administrative Office has allowed students to bring personal refrigerators into their rooms. According to the survey, 64% of 89 students expressed satisfaction with this change.

However, some students raised concerns regarding this change. They noted that frequent room changes and mandatory move-outs every three months make it difficult to move refrigerators in and out easily, especially given the uncertainty of readmission each semester. As alternatives, some students suggested that dormitories provide refrigerators as part of the facilities. Other students recommended installing shared refrigerators on each floor.

Kim said setting up refrigerators in each room or on each floor could cause issues, such as sanitary concerns, fire hazards, and higher management costs. He said students can temporarily store refrigerators at the dormitory when moving out at the end of the semester.



Mandatory Room Cleaning and Limited Early Dormitory Move-In Period

In the survey, when asked whether dorm residents had experienced inconvenience due to the new “room cleaning exemption” program, and the “one day early move-in period,” 89.9% of 89 students said yes.

In the 2nd semester of this year, the Administrative Office has announced that the “room cleaning exemption” option is unavailable. At the end of each semester, the office carries out large-scale room cleaning, during which students are not allowed to stay in the dormitories. Until recently, there had been a system called ‘room cleaning exemption.’ Students who applied for this system had been able to stay in the dormitory during the cleaning period, while they had to clean their rooms on their own instead. However, after this change, all students had to move out during the cleaning period. According to the survey, students with homes far from the campus experienced inconvenience when moving their belongings, and many reported disruptions to personal schedules such as part-time jobs, lab works, and exams.

The full story was as follows. Kim has explained that the office is always making an effort to enhance students’ convenience and provide pleasant room conditions. He also said that the office is trying to alter the system in consideration of students’ opinions. He said the room cleaning exemption was originally designed in response to student concerns. However, many students who participated in the room cleaning exemption program and continued to live in the same room did not clean their room properly, which caused many complaints about room conditions. To prevent these problems from accumulating, the office was obliged to conduct a complete move-out to allow for a thorough cleaning about once or twice a year. If students clean their rooms properly the office is open to allowing students to remain in their rooms, Kim added.

Problems were also reported regarding the early move-in policy. Early move-in is only available two days before the regular move-in period. In the survey, students expressed their concerns that it will be very crowded, and will cause problems with moving their belongings and doing administrative work.

According to Kim, the decision for the early move-in date was to enhance room conditions. This includes room cleaning and replacement of mattress covers. Dormitory maintenance is arranged by many external companies, working on their own separate schedules, so the longer period is given for these, the better condition rooms can be. This is why the office places the early move-in so near to the regular movein period. Kim also added if students need to move in earlier, the office is always open to make arrangements for them.

Reporters

Seongbeom Hong

hongsb@seoultech.ac.kr

Jaeho Lim

limjaeho4119@seoultech.ac.kr

Reporter 홍성범

• 직책 :
• e-mail : hongsb@seoultech.ac.kr

임재호 기자

• 직책 :
• e-mail : limjaeho4119@seoultech.ac.kr