SU reply 3

Dear XXX,

Thank you for taking the time to craft out your reply. It is to my understanding that you have interpreted the previous reply as "intentionally vague", and I have therefore taken the time to break down the respective steps taken by NTUSU for your information and clarification.

Firstly, NTUSU takes a consolidated approach to student feedback, before we escalate them up to the University Management. The Union also proactively tracks students' sentiments via various feedback channels and public domains to aggregate student suggestions and concerns. Specifically pertaining to COVID-19 measures and classrooms, NTUSU’s understanding based on students' feedback from a school-wide survey sent to the undergraduate population, (sample size: 383 Undergraduates across NBS, CoE, CoHASS, CoS and LKC Med consisting of mainly Year 2-4s) in June 2020 suggested that a majority of students (67%) preferred to have physical classes to online classes. We understand there are a group of students like yourself with a preference for online learning, especially in this COVID-19 climate. However, it is important to note that many student responses beyond this survey have also reflected a loss of educational value or a challenge in studying purely through virtual means. As a Students' Union that represents the 24,000 undergraduate population in NTU, it would not be representative of the general student interest to advocate (as you have suggested) for all classes regardless of faculty to be completed online. As you may be aware, NTU also has a broad variety of courses ranging from Engineering to Social Sciences that require different modes of assessment and natures of teaching, which may or may not facilitate well via virtual means. Additionally, with regards to pedagogy, a shift that may seem relatively easy to do can also have its own challenges, in terms of ensuring the quality of how content is brought across to ensure it remains optimal for student learning. I am sure you will also acknowledge that online learning poses its own set of challenges to the student population across the board with respective difficulties depending on school and course. Many students have in fact written in to suggest more time be given for Professors to account for feedback to allow this transition to take place.

Secondly, on our approach and stance, NTUSU takes the stand that the University should adhere to the spirit of guidelines placed by MOE and MOH respectively to ensure that classes can take place in the most optimal delivery method for students, while maintaining the safest possible environment as our utmost priority is creating a safe and conducive environment for students to learn and work in. Our understanding is that all lectures have been encouraged to be moved online as far as possible with each school given a degree of autonomy to adjust with the needs of the courses and modules. In principle, NTUSU does not disagree with this stance, though we have been made aware of instances where this has not been followed and have raised it up to the University. On a specific level, NTUSU has been listening to feedback raised by respective Academic Club Presidents to ensure that on a broad level, these guidelines are followed and executed to match the policy intention prescribed. However, we acknowledge that the COVID-19 measures in NTU is an area that the school can improve in and we have been assured that the University itself has been actively following up to close this gap. Ultimately, our feedback channels remain open and so are the channels for the Constituent Clubs.

Structurally, specific course and degree specific feedback from students are addressed at the Academic Club level and only raised up to us upon facing difficulties or challenges where NTUSU may step in. Thus, should you have any specific feedback or concerns regarding academic arrangements, you may also reach out to your respective school club as they are in an ideally constructive position to assist you. As a whole, we still rely heavily on our Constituent Bodies to report and raise concerns as we try to identify trends and challenges on a broader university level. Notwithstanding, NTUSU also takes a no-wrong-door approach with student feedback and implore students to raise and inform us as you have duly done so.

Thirdly, in response to your queries which are those left unaddressed in my explanations above, NTUSU and the University do not condone such irresponsible social behaviour of students congregating in large groups on campus. The advice from the University and NTUSU is for students to only remain on campus where necessary and to return to their halls or homes to minimise contact. As students, we do take the view that students do chat and discuss before classes and after classes but this ultimately boils down to exercising individual social responsibility and practicing social distancing. NTUSU has taken action and invested to ensure students are well-informed of guidelines to follow, behaviour expected as well as ensuring adequate resources like placing hand sanitisers around campus to make it a safe environment for all.

Once again, we appreciate your kind input and clarifications. We urge you to implore fellow students to exercise wise decision-making and refrain from being complacent. While we are now past a circuit breaker environment, NTUSU believes NTU’s policies, which follow the governmental’s guidelines closely, at this present moment can be executed better. However, we are unable to answer on the University Management’s behalf. That said, NTUSU also believes that as students ourselves, we play a vital role in exercising good social responsibility and share this collective responsibility to co-create a safe social environment in NTU with the NTU Faculties, Staff and Administrators.
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We hope that you would consider the explanations given above in consideration of other students’ input and feedback. I would also like to clarify that consulting the student population to seek their thoughts and opinions is something that NTUSU is actively and tirelessly working on, especially during this unprecedented period. We are also constantly engaging with the University Management on campus matters and arrangements made in light of COVID-19, via frequent meetings since the Circuit Break period with the University Management and Provost. However, I would like to assure you my team and I are working to the best of our capabilities during this trying period and we never shy away in the face of adversity. As students ourselves, your concerns are my concerns – they are not any different, and thus we will work harder to safeguard your interests. Should you have any further concerns, I am more than happy to discuss practical and constructive suggestions if you are keen on having a chat in person.

Best regards,