Details of 5-Star Plan & Relevant Issues

Details of 5-Star Plan & Relevant Issues Nathaniel Koh Kim Kui Candidate, SMU Students’ Association 2008 Produced in September 2007

Structure • The 5-Star Plan • Relevant Issues

The 5-Star Plan • Appreciate the “sandwiched” students • Enhance identity of each school • Promote culture of values • Develop skills for success • Enable financial autonomy for CCAs

The 5-Star Plan • Structure of each star • Aim • Current Situation • How • SMU in December 2008

Appreciate the “sandwiched” students • Aim • To foster a sense of unity amongst students by showing our appreciation to them, regardless of GPA or social status.

Appreciating the “sandwiched” students • Current Situation • Top students in studies and CCAs are rightfully recognised and valued. • Average students must feel valued too. They work hard, if not even harder than everyone else

Appreciating the “sandwiched” students • How • Good Progress Awards • Students Appreciation Month

Appreciating the “sandwiched” students • SMU in December 2008 • All students, regardless of GPA or CCA, feel appreciated and valued as important members of the SMU student community

Enhance identity of each school • Aim • To promote a dynamic student environment where every student feels a sense of belonging to both school and university

Enhance identity of each school • Current Situation • Schools are doing its best to bond their students with activities and events • Finance is a crucial area to address

Enhance identity of each school • How • Make resources more easily accessible to school societies • Smoothen process of finance and facilities

Enhance identity of each school • SMU in December 2008 • All students are proud to identify themselves with both SMU and their respective schools • School societies find it easier and smoother to organise activities and initiatives

Promote culture of values • Aim • To develop a culture where values play a significant role in our student community

Promote culture of values • Current Situation • Obsession with grades and social status rule the SMU culture at the expense of a vibrant student life

Promote culture of values • How • Transform SMUGGING culture into a positive one • Share stories of fellow students practicing each value. Lead by example. • Turn Plagman into a positive motivation instead of negative motivation

Promote culture of values • SMU in December 2008 • SMUGGING becomes a positive term and said by all students in a positive manner • Values are practiced by all students with the common aim of becoming better students and humans

Develop skills for success • Aim • Equip every student with life skills to raise the level of competency in studies and CCAs

Develop skills for success • Current Situation • Academic intelligence and CCA skills are mostly emphasized within their respective fields. • However, skills of life can be emphasized more, e.g. class participation, conducting productive meetings, working in teams…

Develop skills for success • How • Begin with awareness • Show skills by week via campaign awareness • End with application • Show how these skills are put to use in studies and CCAs • Invite trainers on relevant topics

Develop skills for success • SMU in December 2008 • Students are equipped with skills and apply them to their daily activities in studies and CCA • SMU becomes a more dynamic place as students become more adapt in life skills as well

Enable financial autonomy for CCAs • Aim • To allow CCAs to manage the funds they gain from activities

Enable financial autonomy for CCAs • Current Situation CCA organises event CCA needs to use funds from event Students pay a norminal fee CCA enters claims process CCA waits for approval from SA CCA collects fee CCA transfers funds to corporate account CCA gets money

Enable financial autonomy for CCAs • How • Allow CCAs to manage their own funds that they collect from activities for the benefit of the members, OR • Reduce procedure for claims for such funds

Enable financial autonomy for CCAs • SMU in December 2008 • CCAs will feel appreciated and benefit by making their hard-earned money easily accessible to them • Members will enjoy the fruits of their labour and become more committed to the well-being of the CCA

Relevant Issues • How do you plan to promote the SA • Specific issues in SMU and how to resolve it • How to improve student life • How to encourage more students to join clubs

Relevant Issues • How do you plan to promote the SA • Campaigns, Posters, Stickers? No. • 8 elected representative are the embodiment of the SA. We must set the example for our fellow students to follow. • Start with exco reaching out amongst the ones closest to us.

Relevant Issues • Specific issues in SMU and how to resolve it • Overflowing of rubbish bins • Purchase more rubbish bins, at lower cost • Lack of GSRs • Open up classrooms • Allow use of admin building

Relevant Issues • How to improve student life • Three main types of students • Study • Events • Balance • Challenge to find out what’s common amongst them

Relevant Issues • How to improve student life • Common aspect • SMU buildings & environment • Reduce restrictions on pasting of posters on walls and pillars • Creates image of healthy, dynamic student life

Relevant Issues • How to encourage more students to join clubs • Believe in freedom of choice • Respect those who focus on studies • Believe in value of joining clubs • Strike fine balance between studies and CCA

Relevant Issues • How to encourage more students to join clubs • Create environment in which individual choice is tilted towards being involved with clubs • Help clubs create web presence. Explore os3 • Increase email quota from 2 to 3 or 4 per week • Tackling spam: • Opt-out approach for students for do not want to receive any emails • Targeted emails • Opt-in approach to selected CCA list

Details of 5-Star Plan & Relevant Issues