Details of 5 Star Plan and 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
     Tofoster 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
     Topromote 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
     Allstudents 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
     Todevelop 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
     Toallow 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 collects fee             CCA waits for approval
                              from SA


 CCA transfers funds to       CCA gets money
 corporate account
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