Sookmyung’s “Revitalize Our University” Project Continues Campus-Wide Improvement

Sookmyung Women’s University's Sunheon Building is being renovated inside and out. Cutting-edge

technology will be entering our classrooms to foster a better online environment. According to the Center for

Facilities Management and the Property Management team, the university has been implementing a campus

facility improvement project since last semester. This project is done to reinforce the aging facilities in response

to changes in the lecture environment caused by COVID-19.

The most evident change is the restoration of the Sunheon Building, on the first campus. From a distance, the

Sunheon Building conveys its long history and serves as a recognizable icon of the university. However, up

close, it also reveals the inevitable effect of the passage of time through the cracks in the concrete and the

peeling paint on the walls. Therefore, environmental work has been scheduled later this semester to prevent

corrosion and leakage due to cracks, and to improve its appearance with a fresh coat of paint. Once the

renovation is over, the 40-year-old face of the Sunheon Building will be transformed.

(Painting of the inner walls and the lower part of the stairs inside Myungshin Building)

(Picture of the redecorated corridor of Myungshin Building)

The Myungshin Building, another lecture hall representing our university along with Sunheon Building, had its

internal painting work completed last month. The walls and the bottom of the stairs on the second to fifth floors

of the Myungshin Building, where lectures are held most frequently, have been newly painted, and the doors of

the lecture room have been enamel painted as well. As the old corridor space has become brighter, students'

level of concentration and satisfaction in their classes are expected to rise as well. The aftercare facilities of the

health and medical center, which is currently partially restricted due to COVID-19, is also planning to adjust to

contemporary needs by replacing certain necessary physical items like bedding, expanding the space between

beds, and setting up partitions to create more private environments for treatment and care.

(From the left) Tracking cameras and wide webcam installed in the classroom

As online lectures become more common, classroom facilities are being upgraded accordingly. Last month, the

Property Management Team installed video equipment in 37 lecture rooms for non-contact lecture recording. It

is equipped with not only a general webcam but also a wide webcam that allows blackboard writing classes

within a certain range around the electronic lecture desk, and a tracking camera that can sense the movements of

lecturers and be used in conjunction with a variety of teaching methods.

As a result, professors can better prepare for the online classes without needing to purchase individual

equipment or personally renting studio time. These upgrades provide further opportunities for professors to

increase quality of online classes for their students.

COVID-19 continues to keep students from entering the campus, but the improvement our university’s

educational environment continues as well. The restoration of aging physical facilities looks toward the future

return of students to campus, while the purchase of additional digital equipment seeks to further improve the

current quality of online education. Once the scheduled construction is completed successfully, the quality of

services provided to school members are also expected to be upgraded to a new level.