SINGAPORE – Under scrutiny due to reports of the sexualised nature of various orientation games, the National University of Singapore (NUS) announced that it has suspended all student-organised freshmen orientation activities.
“With immediate effect, all student-organised team-building activities for freshmen at NUS (such as orientation camps, and freshmen activities in Halls, Residential Colleges, etc) are suspended until further notice,” the university said in a statement on Friday (July 29).
However, the university said that formal university activities, including the NUS Student Union’s (NUSSU) rag and flag activities, which raises funds for 22 Singapore charities, will continue as scheduled.
The suspension comes days after reports in the local media about first-year students made to re-enact simulated rape scenes and sing cheers that denigrated women.
In its statement, NUS acknowledged that a video circulating online showing students getting dunked into a pond had been an activity that took place at Sheares Hall, one of its halls of residences, on July 27.
NUS clarified that dunking or other forms of ragging are banned under the university’s guidelines.
“We are deeply disappointed that some of our students have flouted the rules and behaved in an unacceptable manner in organising freshmen activities,” NUS said, adding that the matter was under investigation and that those found responsible will be brought before the university’s Board of Discipline.
NUS, which was recently ranked as the top university in Asia in the QS university rankings, stressed that orientation activities should be respectful of the dignity of participants.
“Our students, particularly freshmen, must feel safe and secure at all times during orientation. The instances of unacceptable behaviour and activities that have surfaced this week play no part in a university education,” the university said.
NUS’ orientation activities have attracted much attention since the report surfaced earlier this week. On Wednesday, Acting Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung weighed in, calling such acts “reprehensible”.
Meanwhile, Wrap & Roll, a Vietnamese restaurant chain, announced that it would be pulling out as a sponsor and would no longer work with NUSSU.
seanyap@sph.com.sg
