Are Faculty ‘Thank-You’ Parties Dated?

Computer engineering professors at a Seoul university recently prepared a small farewell meeting for their graduating students instead of attending a thank-you party held by them. Ten professors attended the meeting, but only five out of some 90 graduates showed up.

One professor who participated in the farewell meeting said, “We professors decided to hold a farewell meeting because we did not want a perfunctory thank-you party. It turned out that few students attended the meeting. We felt disappointed and embarrassed.”

A professor of electrical engineering at another university attended a thank-you party a few days ago, but came back disappointed.

He received an invitation to a thank-you party and happily went to the restaurant where it was held, but only nine professors and five out of 50 graduates were there.

Only 10 years ago, campus bulletin boards were filled with thank-you party invitations. Now the boards are filled with posters for graduation parties and graduation trips.

The introduction of the faculty system has led to an increase in student numbers, loosening the ties between students and professors. And with the expansion of double majors and minor systems, student loyalty to their major departments has decreased. As a result, thank-you parties are disappearing.

Ms. Lee, a 24-year-old student who will graduate from a women’s university in Seoul this year, said, “I have rarely met in private or talked with any of the professors in my department; I have simply taken their courses. The student body of my department conducted a survey on who would show up to a thank-you party, but most of the students replied they would not be coming, so the party was cancelled.”

High unemployment and party expenses are other reasons why students are reluctant to attend thank-you parties these days.

“We are supposed to pay at least 30,000 to 50,000 won each for a thank-you party, but I do not want to pay that much money simply to have dinner with professors I am not familiar with. In addition, it feels very awkward to see professors at a time when I have yet to land a job,” said Mr. Park, a 27-year-old student who will graduate from college this year.