Commentary
By Aaron Ng
Managing Editor (Production)
Feb. 3, 2007

It is not surprising that Shih Choon Fong announced a freeze in tuition fees for the next academic year in the president’s circular.

After all, the government has taken the lead in freezing fees for all educational institutions other than tertiary institutions in view of the impending increase in the GST. If NUS decides to increase its fees, it would be an indirect slap in the government’s face, which is something that NUS would certainly want to avoid, considering that a huge bulk of the university’s funds come from the government.

Nonetheless, even though the freeze in fees is expected, it is a good sign that a circular was drafted and sent out to all students in NUS informing them about the news. It shows that the NUS administration is starting to understand what it means to be student oriented.

Being student oriented is not just about increasing the value of the NUS degree through stellar performance in international rankings of universities. Neither is it just about offering student-exchange opportunities, double-degree programmes or joint-degree programmes with other top universities.

While such big initiatives and crowning achievements are appreciated, what really strike the hearts of students are the small little things, such as the president’s circular. The university president’s sending out a circular to all students informing them of important decisions that will affect them is a very clear gesture of the university’s concern for the well being of students.

Of course, merely informing students of important decisions is not enough. Two-way communication is necessary in order to be completely student oriented. Relying solely on a one-way, top-down, communication model will eventually lead to the perception of propaganda and spin. The university must solicit feedback from the general student population on important matters and act on the feedback received in order for students to feel that the university cares for them.

For instance, the Office of Estate and Development organized a road show last semester to inform students of the closure of the canteen in the arts and social sciences faculty for a major overhaul, as well as to solicit feedback on the issue. The original plan was to close the canteen in October but after reviewing student feedback, OED pushed the date back to the end of the instructional period in November.

Such proactive and receptive actions naturally win the hearts of students.

It really isn’t that difficult to be student-oriented. All it takes is to be mindful of the little things, just like how OED did it.

Related stories:
▪ Raising fees the lesser evil
▪ All quiet on the corporatisation front