U-Insight

Written by: Claire Goh and Shannon Ang

Designs by: Lee Jia Rong 

Being the largest student organisation of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), The Nanyang Technological University Students’ Union (NTUSU) represents all full-time undergraduate students, who are automatically members of the Union.

The NTUSU creates a dynamic and buzzing campus life for all its members and aims to enhance the vibrant and fulfilling university experience of all NTU students. This is succinctly described by its motto of Voice, Service and Vibrancy.

The NTUSU continuously engages and collaborates with the University Administration and Senior Management for the common goal of attaining better welfare for students. According to the Union Constitution, the Union Executive Committee is the recognised means of communication between the students and the university. As a whole, the NTUSU takes campus vibrancy and welfare to greater heights by being the bridge between students and the administration.

Breakdown of NTUSU Council

Overview

As the legislative branch of the Union, The Council makes decisions relating to the entire student population in NTU. It takes into account matters affecting the interests of all students and formulates relevant policies in response. The Council also can create, amend and repeal Regulations as necessary to give effect to the objectives of the Union as set out in the Constitution.

The Council is led by the Council Chairperson, who ensures that the objectives of the Council are executed correctly and appropriately. It comprises the Executive Committee (Exco) and representatives of the Constituent Clubs.

Executive Committee

The Exco is responsible for implementing the decisions of the Council. The incumbent 28th Exco consists of 20 student members, who join forces to fulfill a variety of roles with the aim of advancing the welfare of the student population.

Together, they lead 22 committees in operations, student relations, corporate communications, human resources, finances, events planning and more. The Exco members and their respective committees are supported by up to 500 students (known as Ussociates), and their work sustains the day-to-day operations of the NTUSU.

Constituent Clubs

The Constituent Clubs consist of the Academic Constituent Clubs (ACCs) and Non-Academic Constituent Clubs (NACCs). They represent the interests of their members, collectively encapsulating the student population. There are 16 ACCs and three NACCs.

Academic Constituent Clubs (ACC)

The 16 ACCs organise initiatives to promote students’ work-life balance and also liaise with their respective administrative offices on academic matters. Events that promote a balance between work and play include the annual Inter-School Games (ISG), where various clubs collaborate to enjoy sports and to foster community spirit. Each ACC is represented in the Council by their President.

Non-Academic Constituent Clubs (NACC) 

The 3 NACCs (Cultural Activities Club, Welfare Services Club and Sports Club) focus on the non-academic development of students, such as promoting cultural activities, organising sports events and providing volunteering opportunities. These clubs encourage further collaborations between students from different schools. Activities are designed for the holistic development of students.

​Each NACC is represented by their President in The Council, as well as either the Vice-President or Honorary General Secretary (i.e. the NACCs have 2 representatives in the Council, compared to ACCs who have 1).

Q&A 

U-Insight understands that you’ve got questions and that you want answers. Hence, this Q&A segment serves to provide better insight into how the NTUSU works and the respective actions that they have taken to address the different issues.

General

If there’s a cause we want to fight for, what’s the procedure like? How can the SU help us? – ELH/3

NTUSU is actively looking towards enhancing the platforms through which students can provide feedback so that we can work towards improving the campus experience. As of now, you may send your suggestions and ideas to su-feedback@e.ntu.edu.sg – we are always looking to hear from our student members. The SU serves to facilitate the development of our students’ ideas via discussion in the Union Council, as well as working with the university management to implement new initiatives.

What initiatives does NTUSU have planned to improve the welfare of the students and ensure transparency and accountability? – NBS/2 

We are exploring mediums which can allow students to raise issues more effectively. One upcoming event is Union Town Hall, to be held on the 30th of October, from 5:30PM to 7PM. The Union Town Hall is a public forum organised by the NTU Students’ Union (NTUSU) that seeks to provide a platform to facilitate conversations about relevant student issues and gather feedback. This is where students can engage with the Executive Committee of NTUSU and learn more about what the Union does for them. It is also a great opportunity for students to raise their concerns pertaining to their University experience. Sign up at this link, where you can also state some concerns you wish to be addressed during the event!

Shuttle Bus Services

Many students are still discontented with the shuttle bus services. What has NTUSU done to improve it? – SOC/1

As a result of the close collaboration between NTUSU and the Office of Housing and Auxiliary Services (HAS), the express shuttle bus trial has been implemented since 1 October 2018. The express shuttle bus was implemented in response to students’ feedback on bus services in NTU, aiming to accommodate increased demand during peak hours and reduce waiting time.

With surveyors on the ground, the Transport Department of HAS was able to identify the crowded bus stops during peak periods. With these data, NTUSU and HAS were able to brainstorm effective solutions, leading to the implementation of the express bus services.

In January 2017, over 200 students petitioned for an additional bus stop at Hall 11 for Campus Loop – Red (CL-R). NTUSU raised the suggestion to the Transport Department of the HAS and it was eventually approved. NTUSU also successfully proposed for the addition of a second endpoint at Hall 14 for both CL-R and Campus Loop – Blue (CL-B) to reduce bus bunching. This has since improved the buses’ frequency.

Currently, NTUSU is exploring ideas to further improve the shuttle bus services. For example, in collaboration with NTUSU and HAS, the Centre for IT Services (CITS) will be looking into using smart cameras with crowd-monitoring and geolocation tracking technology on lamp posts and shuttle buses.

Academics

Why can’t we see our results before choosing to S/U it? What has NTUSU done regarding this issue? – MECH/4

The University Management’s stance is that the S/U option is part of the broad level efforts undertaken by the University to nurture a holistic learning environment that puts less emphasis on grades and focuses more on learning and exploring courses beyond their core disciplinary studies. The University Management believes that the current S/U declaration period up to two working days after the last exam paper of the semester gives students sufficient time to weigh their choices of either opting for grade or S/U notation, rather than as a means to pull up their GPA.

By maintaining S/U at status quo, and coupled with other academic initiatives aimed at shifting emphasis away from examination as the only major component of academic performance, the University can continue to nurture a holistic learning environment that ultimately aims to produce well-rounded graduates.

In AY 14/15, after hearing from students, NTUSU successfully pushed for the S/U option to be available after exams, when it was previously available only before exams. NTUSU is constantly engaging both students and the management on this matter.

Image credit: NTUSU Corporate Communications

If you have any comments, ideas or suggestions for the editorial team, feel free to email us at su-uinsight@e.ntu.edu.sg. Or if you would like to share your opinion, comment below and tell us what you think!