Editorial: State Of The University

AT THE inaugural Celebrate NTU! event, President Bertil Andersson spoke of a wave of renewal across the entire university, not just in its facilities and infrastructure but also in its spirit and culture.

He called for a “student democracy” — it is now part of NTU policy that the university will consult student leaders before making any major change to campus facilities— be it the design of a new hall, the revising of bus services or the change in canteen vendors.

This new consultative approach on matters affecting student life is a welcome move. And the State of the University address expressed a commitment that must be honoured in action.

Since more consultations are called for, students would also do well to embrace this new space responsibly — not only through social media, but also by coming forth to express their views to the university with their own suggestions and inputs.

It is important to recognise that in an age of social media where views proliferate rapidly, consultation has become more than just a two-way exchange. It is now an open market where perspectives of all kinds fight for salience. This means that the process can no longer begin and end with a feedback box.

Rather, consultations should remain open and conversational — much like a forum.

And this ‘democracy’ will only happen when transparency is the core guiding principle to ensure that both parties can be held accountable for their words.

The call for a consultative approach will be tested, and it is only natural that this results in debate.

Too often, a debate is framed as a square-of f between winners and losers, but such divisions would be missing the point. In fact, it is the process of engaging one another that is most valuable, regardless of the outcome.

Now, if the university community can treat debates as a healthy means of bolstering its heartware, then that would be an achievement worth celebrating.