No NTU Fest this year, says NTUSU

Posted On 05 Apr 2016

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The Students’ Union cites low student involvement and close timing to a regional sporting event

By Quah Jia Ling, Dawn Puah

The annual NTU Fest, which has faced declining student participation and a lack of X-factor, will make way for the ASEAN University Games. PHOTO: CORINE TIAH

This year’s NTU Fest has been cancelled as the NTU Students’ Union (NTUSU) takes a step back to review the annual event due to declining student involvement.

“We want to better engage students in the event to get them more involved,” the union said in an email sent to students on 30 Mar, a few days after the Nanyang Chronicle sought clarification on the status of the event this year.

First held in 2014, NTU Fest was a day-long carnival, accompanied by a concert and charity run.

Its aim was simple – to bring students together and welcome freshmen into the NTU community.

But only 14.3% of the tickets sold went to undergraduates last year, according to the minutes of the NTUSU’s 5th Council Meeting held on 9 Nov last year.

The remaining tickets were purchased by university staff and members of the public.

Last year’s NTU Fest also saw student participation decrease by more than half, from 7,360 in 2014 to 3,441.

The minutes cited a lack of “X-factor and publicity” as possible reasons for the decline.

Sought for comment, student engagement executive Grace Foo also cited the ASEAN University Games (AUG) which NTU will host in July.

Foo said NTUSU wished to avoid having two major events in close proximity to each other. Cancelling NTU Fest this year would allow significant resources and manpower to be diverted to the AUG.

During the AUG, Halls of Residence 3, 12, 13 and 16 will serve as the Games Village, while the National Institute of Education canteen will become its dining hall.

NTU Fest has seen big names. Korean star Kang Gary and K-pop group Dal Shabet graced the event in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

However, during the November council meeting, some NTUSU members felt that the invited stars had become the focus of the event, overshadowing its objectives.

Waiting a year could help to erase this stigma, one suggested during the meeting.

A 21-year-old organiser for NTU Fest 2015 who declined to be named said: “For now, I think it’s good to step back and relook at NTU Fest’s goals, and consider how it can better cater to the students’ interests if it should continue.”

Some students, like Daniel Tai, 21, felt the event was not significant enough for many students. The second-year Renaissance Engineering Programme student said audience turnout at last year’s concert was poor, adding: “I think more incentives are needed for people to come.”

While it remains uncertain if the festival will return in 2017, there were students who lamented the cancellation of the event this year.

“There are no other events like it that brings the whole university together,” said Germaine Tan, 20.

“But I guess it is understandable that they’re cancelling it, considering the university games,” the firstyear student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information added.

Zoey Ho, 22, who helped to organise last year’s edition of the festival, agreed. The second-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Science said: “It was great seeing everyone come together for the event last year and it really showcased our spirit.”