Issue 0
The Blue and Gold
Are We Losing the
SMU Culture?
Sentill Ananthan
“If you don’t know where you come from,
you don’t know where you are going.”
And that is why the latest episode of
SMUBE’s Campus TV on “SMU Culture”
hit me.
What exactly is the SMU culture? Or is
it too much to expect from an institution
which has only be around for seven years?
In my opinion, while it takes years for a
culture to be established, we very certainly
do have a culture at present albeit one that is
much evolved from the beginning few years
and one that is still rapidly changing.
SMU can be likened to young punks blazing
a trail of glory in being different and not
being just academic-centric.
Also it was purportedly an institution of
family where everyone knew you and you
knew everyone.
Nowadays we see in school in a blur of
faces as undergraduates are always rushing
around.
It can be assumed that the campus has a lot
to do with the culture.
Seniors have commented that back at the
Bukit Timah Campus, the culture was more
about being relaxed and working smart
instead of hard and much more like a laid
back campus lifestyle.
But at this city campus, the culture has
shifted towards a mugger-culture.
It is a mad rat race in a bid to outdo each
other when we actually should be enjoying
and learning the actual process of it all.
I have been to the Bukit Timah Campus,
and I fell in love with the place, not because
of the beauty of being in Orchard without
being in Orchard, but more so from the
bond and camaraderie amongst the students
there, which one could experience in less
than a day.
Bullion of Knowledge, Gears of Time
A student shares his thoughts
Where has the spirit of SMU gone? Or did
we even have one?
I had expected and believed that SMU
would be a place we could call our own but
this has sadly been missing.
I recall the first few advertising campaigns of
SMU promoting the diversity, the vibrancy
of the place more than anything else.
It was about how different our students
were.
Now it is all about how many straight A
students we have in our intake and how
well-paid our graduates are and I would
have to say that a lot of our difference in
culture is down to the very aggressive and
successful marketing campaign to attract
the top students.
This is because SMU is advertised as the
institution for all-rounders and all-rounded
wannabes.
Each year our freshmen, who get the
coveted place in SMU, get the impression
that it is absolutely vital to do anything and
everything to bulk up their resume.
Remember, it is us who give the freshmen
the impression and the image and it us who
choose to conform to the herd.
Is this what SMU is about?
November 2007
It could be said that SMU could be a victim
of her own success.
As SMU grew and evolved to become a
place that is very desirable for students to
pursue their tertiary education, it is only
natural for an influx of the “traditional”
high-flying students.
By that term, I mean the students who
are in the top percentile of their JC and
Polytechnic batches, and with them you are
bound to see a change in the culture.
The never-ending race
A significant number would not see the other
side of SMU or that grades and academic
results are not everything, they would bring
with them their culture complete with
flawless score sheets.
The most disappointing thing is that as we
bring in the best Singapore has to offer we
may end up losing more of our vibrancy and
freshness - something that is more than just
the academic spectre.
The workload in our school is astounding.
A simple comparison with friends in the
other two universities strengthens this fact -
weekly readings, class participation, projects,
presentations and write-ups are all part of
the equation.
Put all of that together with the bell curve
and you get a cut-throat system, in which
you must work hard all the way from start to
finish, every second of class to get ahead.
At the same time, the bell-curve so
discourages one from helping another.
Much of this could be attributed of the
Singapore system, in which we always desire
to be the top.
Are we all becoming mere slaves to this
never-ending race?
Let’s look at ourselves and see what we
want.
Ultimately we are responsible for our own
actions - not our parents, not our institution
and not our friends.
 Issue 0,Page II
From The Blue and Gold Exco
The Blue and Gold
November 2007

The Birth of the New Voice

Dear Friends,
As we cross over into the second half of
the term and prepare for our finals, a whole
different set of surprises await us; from
internship offers and exchange programme
acceptances, to competition winners and
even mid-term results.
This campus publication, too, is a deviation
from school magazines that we have come
to know over the past six years.
Why the change?
Early this semester, the newly appointed
members of the Vié Exco, together with
key officers of SMUSA reflected on the
relevance of the magazine to its readers.
Is the publication indicative of the level of
sophistication of undergraduates?
Are students intellectually challenged by its
content?
Is the material adequately representative of
what SMU undergraduates had to offer?
The answer for all of the above questions
was a resounding ‘no’.
Moreover, the concept of a publication that
was meant to cater to the ‘SMU community’
was tremendously skewed toward the
undergraduate population.
In doing so, several key units of the school
are omitted from this classification – the
professors, visitors, prospective students
and support staff.
The launch of The Blue and Gold
And with that in mind, The Blue and Gold
was born.
As you browse through your copy of this
brand new publication, many unfamiliar
columns may raise more than just a few
eyebrows.
However, every idea that has been included
in The Blue and Gold has been carefully
planned and developed in a manner to
maximise our intellectual resource, as well
as capitalise on the contributions of our
academics.
Our front page will feature the latest
happenings in school with an impact on all
of us.
We may not have been in existence to
cover the unveiling of the School of Law or
SMUve, but we certainly will be around for
new developments in SMU.
The sections to this newspaper have been
extensively planned as well.
School news is a segment which focuses on
the goings-on in any of the schools.
However, if you want to find out who the
new Queen of the ASOC bash is, you may
be sorely disappointed – this column is
meant to draw attention to new offerings in
Majors, collaborations between the school
and prominent external organisations, and
even cross-college activities and academic
programmes.
What’s Up @ SMU features a variety of
informative articles.
Some serve as discussion points while
others could very well be a news snippet
that’s happening in the class right next to
yours.
We have also chosen to devote a section to
showcase the work of our professors outside
of the classroom.
You’ll be interested to find in Higher
Learning the many research projects and
external affiliations our academics have that
truly make them an asset to the school.
SMUdge gives you a rundown on school
activities, past and present.
Many of the students who matriculated
after 2005 are involved in the organization
and execution of these events, such as
Freshman Orientation and Sports Fiesta,
and it would be a great oversight to ignore
their efforts, or the success of the events.
The Bulletin Board is perhaps by far the
proudest of our contributions to The Blue
and Gold.
The six faculties in SMU may point to a
myriad of ideologies, but underlying news
binds all the units of our management
university intrinsically.
Furthermore, how often do we hear of
buzz-words in the news whose concept we
have absolutely no clue about; words that
could very well pop up in class discussion?
This section gives you the low-down on
matters that have been making the globe
spin, and more: professors specialising in
those areas have also generously agreed
to share their opinions and expertise with
you.
Bonuses like these do not come that
fortuitously, and we strongly urge everyone
to take advantage of this.
Additionally, there are columns that
serve as a supplement to regular reading
material such as The Business Times or The
Economist.
We will attempt to feature additional
resources spanning all fields of study – from
Political Science to Portfolio Management,
Statistics to Strategy, and Marketing
to Music: East and West – so that the
masses will benefit from multiple reading
recommendations. No chick lit here, we
promise.
We’ve also introduced a segment on
photojournalism because sometimes, great
ideas (and embarrassing moments) are best
conveyed through a picture.
So there you have it – our very first issue
of The Blue and Gold. And in order to
improve, we need your help.
Drop us your news nuggets, feedback or
even opinions on school-related affairs at
our email, pubcomm@sa.smu.edu.sg.
There are many avenues for exploration that
we have yet to touch on, and it will be most
unfortunate to miss out on the great ideas
that you may have for subsequent issues.
In the meantime, thank you for picking
up this copy of The Blue and Gold, and on
behalf of the Exco, we hope you enjoy this
read as a first of many more to come.
Best Regards,
Alicia Ng
Managing Director
The Blue and Gold

The Blue and Gold

MANAGING DIRECTOR Alicia Ng Sue Yee
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ephraim Loy Suan Je
EDITORS Anirban Datta Gupta
Uday Rao
MARKETING DIRECTOR Cheong En Min
ART DIRECTORS Michael Ng Wai Ting
Oh Zhen Yang Aaron
Tell us
Have an exciting event you want us to cover? Spotted any campus trends recently? Email us
at pubcomm@sa.smu.edu.sg
Join us
Do you have the passion for the written word? Think you can spin up a poetic headline in
seconds? Do you think you can tell stories in a photo? Can you lay a newspaper page like a
pro? We are recruiting! If you are an aspiring writer, photographer or designer and keen to
be part of our team, email us at pubcomm@sa.smu.edu.sg

LOGISTICS DIRECTOR Lee Cher Han

Advertise
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sentil Anathan To be seen in Singapore Management University’s first (and only) campus thought-
Jeremy Wang provoking newspaper, email us at pubcomm@sa.smu.edu.sg
Alexis Eu
Debbie Lam

CONTRIBUTING CARTOONIST David Lau


What’s Up @ SMU
Business Study Missions
head to the Middle East
A detailed journal of a journey to the East
Sentill Ananthan
Many a time, we hear of students embarking
on Business Study Missions (BSMs) to
various destinations - from the common to
the exotic.
But how many of us actually comprehend
the sheer enormity of the entire journey of
a BSM?
BSMs are modules unique to SMU in the
sense that it gives every undergraduate
an opportunity to meet and mingle with
business delegates and dignitaries in the
different countries on a business platform.
“
This overseas field trip is the highlight of our BSM
module which is a potent mixture of intensive
seminars, workshops, networking sessions and
guest speaker appearances
It gives students valuable insight into how
the business culture works in a particular
country and how we can learn from others.
“It should prove to be a fun, educational
and thought-provoking cultural exchange,”
quips Roshni Prabhu, a fourth-year business
student, when asked why she would go for
a BSM.
Leveraging on a successful initial foray by
Professor Caroline Yeoh and her team last
April with BSM Middle East, the second
team has begun their preparations for their
trip in April 2008.
This overseas field trip is the highlight of our
BSM module which is a potent mixture of
intensive seminars, workshops, networking
sessions and guest speaker appearances.
The eight-day long programme, which has
been put together from the experiences
and networking done by the inaugural
batch, includes meetings and networking
dinners with UAE government officials
and diplomats, site visits to very reputable
real-estate establishments and major
development projects.
Issue 0,Page III
The Blue and Gold
November 2007
As preparatory work for this exciting foray
into the rapidly-developing Middle East,
students are required to attend a series of
core seminars which introduce to the myriad
of theoretical concepts and ideologies which
are prevalent in the UAE and Bahrain in a
bid to facilitate a speedy understanding
on the critical success factors behind the
region’s accelerated development.
Distinguished guests from different
industries in the region will also drop by
the university to deliver speeches and hold
dialogues with students on the various key
elements in ensuring business prosperity
in the Middle East and share personal
”
experiences and anecdotes.
The major goal is to arm students with a
practical understanding of the situation.
As part of the course requirement, students
are expected to do two projects to enhance
of educational journey.
In the first project, groups would be
expected to analyse socio-cultural settings
and economic conditions in UAE and
Bahrain – both successful business models
- or look into aspects of entrepreneurship
and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The objective is to make the students aware
of the diverse nature of the two countries
and impress upon them the wealth of
business and employment opportunities in
Bahrain and UAE.
A major project will focus on the
internationalisation of Singapore companies
into UAE and Bahrain with the teams being
expected to analyse the implications of
contextual knowledge on the actual practice
of business.
Wanderlust Brought
Down To Earth
Demand for foreign language classes shoots sky high
Jeremy Wang
Presently, SMU has 136 overseas exchange
agreements with universities from all over
the world.
Many of these partnerships are in countries
where English is not the primary language of
communication, such as Spain and Japan.
This has never proven to be a barrier, with an
increasing number of SMU undergraduates
embarking on these exchanges each term.
Despite the growing popularity of overseas
study, a disturbing fact is that the university
doesn’t seem to offer enough language
classes to support this trend.
This term, the only European languages on
“
offer are Italian and Spanish.
Language courses are gernally hot in demand with
minimum bids soaring as high as 70 e-dollars in
BOSS 1 alone
Japanese, a traditionally popular course at
SMU, is offered as only one session instead
of two.
On top of all that, despite the Middle
East being the new hotspot for exchange
opportunities, the school doesn’t even offer
any courses in the relevant languages.
Language courses are generally in hot
demand with minimum bids soaring as high
as 70 e-dollars in BOSS 1 alone.
And as long as I’ve been here, demand for
these courses has never wavered.
The question we ought to be asking is why
the school is not forthcoming in offering
support for those who wish to embrace the
available opportunities to go overseas but
lack the fundamental language skills.
If you’re going on exchange and the language
you need to learn is not offered in school,
the alternatives are costly.
A comparable language course conducted by
a commercial centre can easily set you back
by a couple of hundred dollars – no small
sum for someone who’s already spending
thousands on an exchange programme.
Surely, one can take the self-study route and
pick up a dictionary at Booklink but it’s a lot
more effort for fewer gains.
You probably wouldn’t even learn enough to
get by in a foreign land anyway.
However for some, it doesn’t matter whether
the language is offered in SMU or not.
Rajan Rishyakaran,a second-year Economics
student feels that he would learn more by
learning the language outside of school, and
that it is worth the extra money spent if he
is spending an entire term overseas.
But picking up another language isn’t just
for exchange students.
With more and more MNCs to choose from
in the job marketplace, it’s quite likely that
you’ll be closing a deal in Japan one week
and meeting German clients the next.
The inter-connectivity of the world is
such that sticking to English may get the
job done, but it won’t do anything for your
network of business contacts.
The Government seems to recognise this.
”
In his National Day Rally speech this
year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
emphasised the need to address language
skills in schools, particularly Malay.
Also, the Ministry of Education’s Language
Centre is making plans to offer Arabic as a
third language next year.
It’s not just like an outcry to demand that
the administration give in to every whim
and fancy of students.
If we had our way all modules would
have either a pass or fail and there would
be modules on card sharking and pool
hustling.
But it is only fair that if the school’s ultimate
aim is for every other student to undergo at
least one overseas experience, then more
should be done to equip students with the
necessary survival tools, like a rudimentary
understanding of the language.
Furthermore, there are some modules, in
comparison to language classes and other
GE (Arts) modules, that do not enjoy as
much popularity.
Perhaps the powers-that-be should consider
re-examining the courses on offer - they
are likely to find one or two courses that no
one really gives a hoot about (compulsory
courses nonwithstanding, of course).
We’re all set to head out into the brave new
world. We’ve been packaged nicely into our
skirts and suits. We’ve been encouraged to
speak up and be heard. But what good is all
that if we’re labeled “For English-speaking
Regions Only”?
 Issue 0,Page IV
What’s Up @ SMU
The Blue and Gold
November 2007

MTV ups cool factor in Photojournalism

research tie-up
Learning about research in the real world
Ephraim Loy
Student-industry collaborations have just
been upped in the cool factor.
Studying youth behaviour in creating,
sharing and consuming digital content are
what a group of 30 students are doing in a
project for MTV Networks Asia – by no
means a leader in creative and intriguing
content.
And the top teams with the best insights get
cool prizes too.
Members from the winning teams will each
be given invites to the MTV Asia Awards in
Singapore next year.
The element of having real-life clients is not
new.
It is the third time a real-life client is roped
in according to Prof Chong.

Clients are carefully picked on the basis of

their willingness and deep interest in the
learning development of SMU students.

The findings from all teams will be brought

Mr Nas Kassim, 
Media
Manager, 
MTV Networks Asia
in-house and shared with all internal
stakeholders said Mr Nas Kassim, 
Media
Planning Manager, 
MTV Networks Asia.
“Elements that fit MTV’s overall strategy
moving forward, and are realistically
actionable, will be adapted accordingly.
“We would like the findings to give us a
clearer indication of the current and future
Planning digital landscape as well as how we can best
take advantage of it.”
Sailing takes a splash
The 10th Western Circuit Sailing Regatta set sail over three weekends in Au-
gust. Some 50 boats competed in Singapore’s largest keelboat sailing regatta
with waves of fun as SMU undergraduates injected vibrancy and enthusiasm
in the first-ever collaboration with Raffles Marina. A Memorandum of Agree-
ment was also signed between Raffles Marina and SMU. This will allow the
SMU Sailing Club use of Raffles Marina’s boats and clubhouse facilities to pro-
mote a sailing culture within the SMU community through the SMU S.A.I.L
programme and training.

“ I wanted communication research to come alive

for my students, and there is no better way to
do that than pair them with a committed client
who gives them a real-life problem to solve.

”
-Practice Assistant Professor Mark Chong

They will be discovering how Chinese,

Indian and Singaporean youth relate to On the other hand, another group are dealing
social media content using various research with a different pack of cards – research on
methods – as fulfillment of their Foundations what global warming means to youth in
in Communication Research course. Singapore using visual ethnography.

Practice Assistant Professor Mark Chong
wanted to bring a new dimension into the
classroom through such a partnership.
“I wanted communication research to
come alive for my students, and there is no
better way to do that than pair them with a
committed client who gives them a real-life
problem to solve.”
Said Lim Zhimin, a third-year business
student: “It is interesting and gives an
insight about what it is like to do research
in the real world.”
“Field work is more interesting,” added his
team mate Jonathan Wong, a third-year
Business student.
Findings from this group could help Chevron
develop insight-based communication that
brings about important behavioral changes.
An exciting new start
The ultimate aim is for the students to SMU welcomed its first batch of 117 law students during Convocation 2007.
appreciate the excitement and usefulness of Held on 18 August 2007, some 1,550 undergraduates were admitted this year.
qualitative research. At the ceremony, some 200 scholarships were given out including the newly
introduced SMU Study Award.
“I hope the experience will give them a
more intimate understanding of the crucial
role research can play in strategic decision
making.”
Learning beyond the classroom has always
been a key focus and through these projects,
both Chevron and MTV show their belief
that SMU student researchers can help
discover valuable insights into youth-related
issues.
 Issue 0,Page V
What’s Up @ SMU
The Blue and Gold
November 2007
Snippets of SMU student life The Viability of Student Leadership
In it just for the fame and glory?
Alexis Eu
Student leadership, a topic that is close to
our hearts, is a double-edged sword.
Apart from the ad-hoc events like
Convocation, Patron’s Day and the yearly
sporting hits another area that students can
hone their leadership skills lies in clubs and
societies.
However, increasingly, the practicality of
student leadership has been thrown into
question, with many having doubts as to
whether student leadership is able to achieve
what it purports to.
Clubs and societies in SMU are organised
and managed by student leaders, who
“
have generally landed themselves in these
Peace for Myanmar Ultimately, student leadership is only viable
SMU’s Myanmar student community garnered support and created awareness
of the violence against protests in Myanmar by distributing red ribbons, to the extent that the student is motivated and
armbands and flyers amongst their peers. A peace pillar, initially designed to
mark the United Nations’ International Day of Peace, was modified to convey committed towards his duties and responsibilities
their thoughts about those who lost their lives in the recent protests.
to the club.
positions through elections by the other
members.
Once in these positions, they are expected
to develop their leadership skills and grow
into figures capable of leading the clubs into
better directions.
The roles of the student leaders differ across
the various clubs and societies.
Generally, they are expected to organise
the club activities and make decisions that
will enable to club to grow in its desired
direction.
In some clubs, especially sports groups,
student leaders have the extra privilege of
being sent for specialty courses that are
relevant to their CCA.
Becoming a student leader is also a
designation that allows one to beef up his
resume.
Consequently, it is obvious that student
leaders are being put in a position of great
responsibility and privilege.
Hey Gorgeous!
It was a celeb-filled day as MediaCorp’s Hey Gorgeous crew made its routine Mr Calvin Thng, who recently stepped
visit to SMU. Apart from checking out the good-looking guys and pretty babes, down as Chairman of the SMU Climbing
the afternoon was topped with a showcase of SMU contestants and their tal- Club, maintains that during his tenure, he
ents. Oh Jin Rui and Wu Jia Hui emerged tops and will represent SMU in the has “been able to develop leadership skills
finals in November. and is proud of what he has achieved with
the club”.
From personal experience, he is convinced
that student leadership is a good avenue for
students to become more involved in the
school community, and also allows them
to develop management skills which they
otherwise would not have.
But apart from that, the crux of the issue is
the underlying issue of the purpose of being
a student leader in a club.
Another ex-student leader, however, who
declined to be named, commented that
there are many student leaders “who step
up to the positions simply because they
want something that will look good on
their resumes, but once they land the
positions, they are lacklustre towards their
responsibilities”.
Concerned with whether this observation
was true, I asked other students if they were
satisfied with their student leaders or if they
felt that their student leaders had personal
hidden agendas and did not contribute
enough towards their responsibilities.
General consensus points towards the view
”
that such uncommitted leaders certainly do
exist, but are unlikely to be re-elected once
the club members become aware of their
incompetence.
Ultimately, student leadership is only viable
to the extent that the student is motivated
and committed towards his duties and
responsibilities to the club.
While an enthusiastic and committed
student leader will take appropriate actions
necessary to advance the direction of his club
and realise his leadership potential along the
way, there have been cases of abuses where
uncommitted student leaders have been
elected.
Even though this inadequacy will eventually
be found out, this adds an additional
roadblock to the progression of the club.
So while it seems that student leadership is
viable and should be encouraged, members
should be careful and exercise more critical
judgement when electing their leaders in
order to minimise the cases of abuses.
Editor’s note: I once overheard a conversation
in the library where some students wanted to
get into leadership positions for the prestige and
the direct access to people in the various school
offices to get an edge over students.
Surprisingly, the student mentioned being able
to receive special treatment from staff in offices
in SMU with regard to exchange programmes
and the like.

Singapore announces plans for a
fourth university
Ephraim Loy
When plans for the fourth state-funded
university were announced during the
Prime Minister’s National Day Rally this
year, I felt excited for students who have yet
to enter their undergraduate phase of study.
For them, this would mean more choices
as a newly formed government panel sets
out to examine a new university model for
Singapore.
A tech university, liberal arts college and
specialised-degree institution are some of
the possibilities.
One could read the forum pages of local
papers to have an indication of the demand
for another state-funded university.
From what has been written to date, signs
seem to show that there is indeed a demand
for university places.
Top scorers are unable to enter into their
course of choice and head overseas.
This begs the question whether the one true
solution is to increase the number of local
university places.
At a time where spirits have been dampened
by the pull out of UNSW from Singapore
because of the lack of foresight, it worries
me if a scenario of such magnitude would
plague us once again should the sums on the
demand be over-predicted.
Enrolment figures in local universities have
showed an increasing trend over the years.
With an enrolment of just 29,855 in 1996,
No Water By David Lau
Issue 0,Page VI
The Blue and Gold What’s Up @ SMU
November 2007
What sets SMU apart?
There have been cases where university
graduates found it difficult to get employed.
More graduates landing in the workforce
may not be much of a good thing then.
But should the increased competition be a
source of worry for SMU students then?
What currently sets SMU apart from the
other institutions is not its broad-based
learning since other local universities also
allow diversification in the choice of modules
and degree choices.
In terms of our curriculum,class participation,
a pedagogy that SMU preaches, has received
brickbats from students on exchange from
local institutions.
Citing the “no action talk only” mentality,
they say that SMU students are good at
“
talking shop and do pretty well at that too.
But on the contrary, employers add
What currently sets SMU apart from the other that SMU graduates are articulate, can
present themselves very well and are good
institutions is not its broad-based learning since communicators.
other local universities also allow diversification Perhaps another difference not related
to curriculum is SMU’s strong emphasis
in the choice of modules and degree choices.
”
on corporate social responsibility and
community service.
the number has snowballed to 46,479 in the average of 10,027 over the last six years. But the main draw would still be the city
last 10 years (an increase of 55%). campus lifestyle that is uniquely SMU.
A source of concern then would be whether
And the figures are set to swell by an this supply would likely to meet demands of Unless of course the fourth state-funded
additional 2,000 places a year say the a growing economy. university finds its humble abode in the
government. heart of the city.
If it does, well and good, but should there be
Further, graduation rates in 2006 hit a high an oversupply, competition for jobs among
note of 10,428 in the last year – with an graduates gets intense.

What’s Up @ SMU
SMU’s Centre for
Counseling & Guidance
Alicia Ng
Since its inception in 2006, SMU’s Centre
for Counseling & Guidance (CCG) has
been a modest department with minimal
publicity to its name.
This is all about to change.
This semester, the CCG is stepping out
to actively market its services to the SMU
community. Why now?
The counselors at the Centre, Mr Timothy
Hsi and Ms Kuek Poh Tian observe the
growing trend of students who approach the
Centre for help.
Says Ms Kuek, “Many students have the
preconceived notion that counseling services
are strictly for people with serious emotional
issues, but that is hardly the case.”
Most of the cases she oversees revolve
around academic issues, adjustment issues
and relationship pitfalls.
Academic struggles can arise from a variety
of sources.
Issue 0,Page VII
The Blue and Gold
November 2007
Get in sync with your life today
Final-year accountancy student Alexis Eu
points out that some courses have too many
projects.
Moreover, in an attempt for students to
express their ideas freely, “some lecturers are
not clear with instructions and expectations
for projects… and this inevitably causes
more stress for us.”
It may be her last semester in school, but the
workload does not show any signs of easing
up.
And there are other reasons for studies-
related troubles too.
For instance, courses that require intensive
reading and qualitative analyses such as
Business Law may come easier for local
students.
Unfortunately for some of the foreign
undergraduates, grasping the nature of the
subject is twice the challenge since English
is not their first language.
Expectations to out-perform one’s peers also
impose negative pressure on students.
Eric Tan, a third-year information systems
student, is feeling the competition.
“Everyone around me is too caught up with
getting A’s, and even working on a project
with them is not easy.
“Just take a look around the campus and you
will know what I mean,” he adds.
This is one of the key areas that the CCG
targets – how to strike a healthy balance
between academic demands and personal
interests.
One important point brought up was that
counselors are trained not to give advice.
Clients have to learn how to take ownership
of their issues while the counselors are there
to help the clients help themselves.
Sometimes, students may feel more
comfortable talking to their peers.
This is when you may like to approach the
SMU Peer Helpers at the SMU Wellness
Centre. The SMU Peer Helpers are trained
in basic counseling skills and understand
the importance of confidentiality.
What if the issues are beyond the scope of
the SMU Peer Helpers to handle?
With the permission of the student, the case
is referred to either one of the counselors at
CCG.
There have also been referrals to professional
medical practitioners and other professionals
in the helping profession who have had
more expertise with respect to particular
issues (with client’s permission), but such
occurrences are quite rare.
Adjustment problems also arise frequently
in the cases they have seen.
While it used to be more prevalent among
international students, the CCG has seen a
number of local students who have difficulties
in making the transition from junior college
or polytechnic to varsity culture.
Additionally, not many realise the challenges
involved in making the change from teen-
hood to early adult years.
As with all counseling cases, the strictest of
confidentiality is maintained in accordance
with the code of ethics of the Singapore
Association for Counseling.
So what are the aims of the CCG, and how
can the rest of SMU benefit from these
services?
“The goal is to create a network of support
within SMU community, beginning with
the SMU Peer Helpers.
“From there, the support keeps growing as
we get more people engaged in what we do,”
explains Mr Hsi.
And the network is growing.
Every term, about 70 undergraduates take
module MGMT226 – a course that is
designed to inculcate skills such as active
listening and facilitation.
The number of SMU Peer Helpers has
increased to 60 this year, and the CCG
also provides referrals to other departments
such as the Centre for Student Financial
Assistance and the Office of Career Services
(OCS) who are better equipped to handle
cases on Financial Assistance and Career
Counseling.
Is this enough to rid the stereotype of counseling,
or should the CCG try something else instead?
Let us know – send your opinions in to
pubcomm@sa.smu.edu.sg

UOB-SMU
Entrepreneurship Alliance
Real world, real consequences
Debbie Lam
If you have been checking your emails, you
must recognise the term “UOB-SMU”.
For those of you looking for an internship
or looking for a job you can take on during
the school term, turn your attention to the
UOB-SMU Entrepreneurship Alliance.
The Alliance offers very challenging and
interesting job scopes, giving interns real
experiences as student consultants to
companies in the areas of market research,
human resources, business planning and
others.
This SME consulting programme offers
SMU students hands-on experiences
working with local small and medium
enterprises (SMEs).
While business projects mandated by SMEs
are undertaken by SMU teams, they are
managed very much independently as each
team is guided by a project adviser who is
either a faculty member of SMU or an
affiliate of the Alliance.
Types of assistance provided by the SMU
Student Consultant teams:
Business planning
Market research
Evaluation of business opportunities
Organisation climate analysis
Business research
Industry studies
International business research
Issue 0,Page VIII
The Blue and Gold
November 2007
Projects are available throughout the year,
during school term and vacation.
Students are selected based on their majors
and priority will be given to Year 3 and 4
students who would have completed some
courses of their majors by then.
These projects are funded by the Alliance and
each approved project will receive a subsidy
of up to 90% of the cost of the project.
The SME is only required to fork out 10% -
30% of the total bill.
These projects are embedded in the real
world, and are real in their consequences.
With a basic salary of about $500 per month,
and a possible incentive bonus of $200, the
programme far from shortchanges you, and
may even be a much better internship ‘deal’
than others.
Apart from the real experience that the
UOB-SMU Entrepreneurship Alliance has
to offer, it is one of the best places to get
your hands dirty while learning.
Interested parties may contact the Alliance
at ea@smu.edu.sg.
The UOB-SMU Entrepreneurship Alliance
Centre is located at #B1-33, Concourse
Level, School of Accountancy/School of
Law.
Special thanks to Prof. Ang Ser Keng for
assisting in this article.
Understanding how
students learn
An offering from TE@CTL
Alicia Ng
Many of us know her as the bubbly professor
for Introductory Economics.
But aside from her classes every semester,
one may be pleasantly surprised to find
out that she is also the Co-Director of the
Centre for Teaching & Learning (CTL)
right here in SMU.
Practice Assistant Professor Tan Swee Liang
kindly agreed to share what she has been
working on over the summer.
The Teaching Excellence unit at the CTL,
or the TE@CTL, has acquired a learning-
profile tool called VARK, which is an
acronym for four basic modes of learning:
Visual, Aural, Read/Write and Kinesthetic.
Consisting of a simple questionnaire, this
profiling tool is particularly advantageous for
students to properly identify their learning
preference, in addition to understanding
more of other learning strategies.
For instance, a student who takes in
information through observation (i.e. Visual)
as opposed to listening (i.e. Aural) will find
it more useful to learn from visual aids such
as graphs or pictorial explanations.
Furthermore, he is able to identify the areas
of improvement in learning modes, and
then compensate for the ‘weakness’ through
a variety of ways – through engaging in
group discussions outside of class, or even
preparing self-made notes.
Similarly, kinesthetic students will enjoy
interactive class activities such as role-play
more so than a student who is more receptive
to reading and writing instead.
In fact, individuals could possibly have more
than one preferred learning mode.
Does being multi-modal or uni-modal
impact the learning process?
There has been little evidence to suggest
the implications of having more than one
learning preference, especially since VARK
is structured to assist users in finding a
balance across all learning modes.
However, it is noted that males tend to be
more kinesthetic whereas females prefer
reading and writing.
Prof. Tan emphasizes the usefulness of
the tool because of the independent role
students play in determining their ideal
learning style.
Furthermore, knowing one’s preferred
Higher Learning
learning approach would suggest that
students can take a structured initiative
in preparing for classes and engaging in
independent self-study.
This indirectly makes class discussion more
productive, hence further suggesting that the
role of educators is to “provide the scaffold
for students to learn proactively.”
Together with her colleague, Ms Lee
Siang Hwee, Manager for TE@CTL, and
assistance from CIT, they have spent the past
few months working in stages to get VARK
technically operational for the students.
Students are invited to try out the application
on OASIS.
As a separate questionnaire must be
completed per module, this software also
helps to segregate responses by class,
hence allowing professors to observe
the predominant learning style of their
students.
If you would like to try VARK, visit http://
www.smu.edu.sg/centres/ctl/TE/LSP.asp
and click on the link to the VARK tool on
OASIS.
For more information on VARK, please visit
the official website for VARK at http://www.
vark-learn.com/english/index.asp
The Teaching
Excellence unit
at the CTL, or
the TE@CTL,
oversees a variety
of programmes
that are aimed at enhancing teaching
effectiveness.
Some of the services that the TE@CTL
provides include a support network for
faculty, and projects targeted at improving
the standards of bringing about teaching
excellence at in SMU.
The TE@CTL also provides consultation
services in videotaping of classes and
observation of protocols, student
evaluation of teaching, focus groups and
understanding how students learn (of
which the VARK tool can be found)
In addition, the TE@CTL administers the
SMU Annual Teaching Excellence Awards
for the categories of Most Inspiring
Teacher, Most Innovative Teacher, Most
Promising Teacher and Most Outstanding
Adjunct.
More information on the TE@CTL can
be found on their website at http://www.
smu.edu.sg/centres/ctl/TE/index.asp

Bulletin Board
Sub-prime: What is it and
what you should know
The lowdown on the recent banking crisis Why you should know who Bobby Jindal is
Alicia Ng
‘Sub-prime’ has been the new buzzword
rocking the financial markets of late.
Financial downturns in the US were
the result of high-risk loans by banks to
customers.
Normally, this would not be a precursor for
a market crunch, unless the borrowers did
not have good credit.
This was particularly prevalent across
mortgage lending practices in America.
An overwhelming default rate ensued, and
the sub-prime mortgage lending crisis
threatens a market recession.
As a result, major banks such as Citigroup
and JPMorgan Chase started to borrow
from the US Federal Reserve, or the Fed.
That wasn’t enough to keep things afloat.
Up to now, numerous financial institutions
are experiencing major losses in the third
quarter, with many firms firing staff and
closing down specific operating units.
Bank of America registered a 32% decline
in earnings and Merrill Lynch has written
down approximately $8 billion in mortgage-
backed securities.
This has led to Stan O’Neal stepping down
from his position as CEO and Chairman.
The US isn’t just the only ones exposed to
this crisis.
In September, Northern Rock, the 5th
largest mortgage-lender in Britain, had to
be rescued by the Bank of England.
Worried customers surged to its branches
and an estimated £1 billion worth of
withdrawals was made in one day.
More recently, the Chairman of Northern
Rock has also stepped down.
Investment firms have also laid off
employees and, as in the case of Lehman
Brothers, closed off its sub-prime unit BNC
Mortgage LLC, laying off in excess of 1,000
employees and absorbing more than US$50
million in charges.
Furthermore, plunging stock indices and a
decline in consumer confidence has caused
price inflation.
What has been done to alleviate these
economic conditions?
Issue 0,Page IX
The Blue and Gold
November 2007
tThe Fed has reduced key lending rates by
0.5% to 4.75% on 18 September.
This was followed by another quarter percent
cut to 4.5% on 31 October.
Whatever the case, financial institutions
alike are resorting to alternative measures to
hedge again impending declines.
For now, Asia may be the safe haven from
sub-prime scares.
Or are we? Nomura Bank, one of Japan’s
largest banks, has taken a loss of $621 million
on write – downs of residential mortgages.
Furthermore, the Hong Kong dollar is
pegged to the declining US dollar.
Throw in the cut rate by the Fed, and while
American markets become rosy (for a while),
this threatens expansionary consequences
for Hong Kong.
On the flipside, Asia may be what the rest of
the world needs in this fledgling market.
Prominent US securities firm, Bear Stearns,
was hit hardest with a reduced third quarter
net income and the collapse of two hedge
funds controlled by its fund management
unit.
One factor contributing to its higher
exposure to the sub-prime turbulence was
its predominant presence in the US.
It has sought to Asia to resurrect its business
prowess.
Recently Bear Sterns struck a landmark deal
with China’s largest listed brokerage, Citic
Securities.
Both the companies have decided to invest
$1 billion in each other as part of a strategic
alliance that will also set up an Asian
investment banking joint venture.
With Asia being the interest of many
investors, it may be the ideal tonic for the
sub prime mess in terms of an alternative
venue for investments.
Due to constant re-packaging and selling
of mortgage backed securities, it is actually
difficult to pin down how big the sub-prime
problem is.
It makes it equally difficult for banks to
measure their financial involvement.
No doubt, many banks have written down
losses due to the sub prime fiasco, we are
seeing same banks booking further losses or
even bigger losses than the public expected.
Minority Rising:
Is America ready?
Uday Rao
As of 20 October, Bobby Jindal was voted
to become the next Governor elect of
Louisiana.
There are quite a few special achievements
that have come along with this election.
Bobby Jindal is the youngest Governor elect
at the age of 36.
More importantly he has achieved to become
the first Asian American in modern era to
hold the title of Governor elect especially in
the Southern State of Louisiana, which is
deemed to be very conservative.
Born in America, son to Indian Immigrants
Bobby Jindal studied at Brown University
majoring in Biology and Public Policy.
After graduating he persuaded further
studies at Oxford in the field of Political
Science as a Rhodes Scholar.
He went on to work later on at Mckinsey &
Company.
The rise of Bobby Jindal from relative
obscurity to become Republic Governor
elect of Louisiana is the first of the wave of
Individuals with Asian roots that will be ever
present in the American Political scene.
This is a big and brave frontier that America
must embrace with acceptance.
It is a known fact that for the past two
decades, Asian Americans have been the
beacon of academic success at all levels of
education.
7 6 5 4
2
1 3 4
6 5 4
7 3 2
3 4 5 6
This has led to some negative tactics taken
by some universities.
As reported in articles, it was mentioned
that UC Berkley employ a higher admission
requirement level for Asian Americans.
No doubt UC Berkley is an individual case of
high profile, would we see the same reception
towards Asian American politicians?
The general consensus is that America is
a land made up of immigrants and there
wouldn’t be such a severe racial backlash as
such.
Furthermore, non-whites have taken up
many key posts with no reported racial
issues – most notably Col Colin Powell,
Condoleezza Rice and Antonio Ramon
Villaraigosa who is the Mayor of the City
of Los Angeles.
Many would even state that having more
Asian Americans, Hispanics and Blacks as
part of the political make up would improve
political relationships with many countries
especially with the rise to dominance of
Asia and emergence of Latin America and
Africa.
Politicians of the above mentioned
backgrounds would find common linkages
in multiple areas and would have an accurate
understanding of its fellow delegates.
It sounds like a better proposition than
having the good ol’ American steamroller-
esque attitude, which we all are exposed to.
8
5 6 7
9
1
 Issue 0,Page X
Bulletin Board
The Blue and Gold
November 2007

The Last Tycoons:

The Secret History of Lazard Frères & Co.
A definite read in the long line of investment banking books available
Uday Rao
The Last Tycoons by William D Cohan is an
insightful look into the world of investment
banking titans Lazard.
Converted from a dry goods store to private
partnership to a diversified, publicly traded
company in 2005, it was the last great
American investment bank to do so.
Wall Street investment banks move trillions
of dollars a year and pay their executives in
the millions of dollars.
But even among the most respectable firms,
Lazard. stood in a class apart from the rest.
Discretion, secrecy, and subtle strategy were
its weapons of choice.
The book goes on to describe the mystique will immerse you into one of the titans of
and reputation of the “Great Men” who investment banking.
worked there. These “Great Men” made The Last Tycoons is a tale of vaulting
unimaginable profits, social cachet, and ambitions, whispered advice, worldly
outsised influence in the halls of power. mistresses, fabulous art collections, and
enormous wealth - a story of high drama in
William D. Cohan, takes the reader into the the world of high finance.
mysterious and secretive world of Lazard
and presents a compelling portrait of Wall The Last Tycoons is the winner of the
Street through the tumultuous history of 2007 Financial Times and Goldman Sachs
this exalted and fascinating company. Business Book of the Year Award.
Cohan reenacts with great detail the
explosive feuds between Felix Rohatyn and
Steve Rattner, superstar investment bankers
and between the men who controlled
Lazard,
For those budding Investment Bankers
among us, this is a must read book that
 Issue 0,Page XI
SMUdge
The Blue and Gold
November 2007

An Eventful Term So Far

Anirban Datta Gupta files this report on the events
that celebrate the spirit and culture of SMU
Street Soccer, Floor Ball, a new variation of
Frisbee and Volleyball.

An Inter-CCA Jousting Competition and

other peripheral events such as rodeo bull
were some of the attractions as well.

It captured the vibrancy and essence of

student life in SMU, as everyone had a great
time, played hard, and definitely managed to
make school their playground.

International Peace Day

The UN designated International Day of
Peace on 21 September was recognised by
the SMU community with great nobility
and spirit.

The event was inaugurated by of the

As the term draws to a close and as project
submission deadlines and presentations
loom over our heads, let’s take a moment to
take a look back at the plethora of events
that have happened this term.
Freshman Team Building Camp
This event, which serves as an introduction
to SMU life, was bigger than ever this year.
1400 freshmen were divided into four runs,
with the runs being conducted within the
period of end July to mid August.
The camp was held amidst the sun and sand
of Outward Bound East Coast.
There were many team-based events
throughout the 3-day, 2-night camp which
emphasised the SMU CIRCLE values -
Commitment, Integrity, Responsibility,
Collegiality, Leadership and Excellence.
For those who were new to this country, this
was a perfect way to get initiated into the
culture here.
Even though the games were approached
with the motive to win, the most important
takeaway was the strong friendships that
were forged.
It was a transition into the new semester
and in tune with the facets of student life
at SMU.
EVE - ACF Nite
Conducted by the Arts and Cultural
Fraternity (ACF) on 7 September, EVE
was an event to commemorate the efforts
of ACF members, whose consistent and
valuable contributions personify the spirit
of the fraternity.
This event was a chance for members to
intermingle and familiarise themselves
with each other, cultivate strong bonds that
will help them work together towards the
common cause of the fraternity.
The venue for this occasion was the scenic
Wild Oats bar on Mount Emily.
customary Peace Ceremony, where
international students recited the peace
pledge in their respective native languages,
and by observing a one-minute silence
for those who are in the midst of turmoil
throughout the world.
This year, a benevolent gesture on the part
of the SMU community was a 24-hour fast
for world peace, which culminated on Peace
Day.
“Is Peace in Singapore blinding us to
Social Injustice?” was the title of a forum
conducted after the breaking of the fast, with
distinguished panelists including famous
proponent of anti-slavery, Bridget Lew,
Non-Constituency Member of Parliament
and Worker’s Party Chairman Sylvia Lim
and prominent blogger Mr Brown.
The discussion revolved around important
issues such as human rights and equality in
the aftermath of tumultuous times.
Wrapping up the series of events was the
screening of Feet Unbound, the work of
local filmmaker Ng Khee Jin.
No description of this year’s peace day
would be complete without mentioning
the fabulous alteration of ten pillars at the
first level of Li Ka Shing library to the now
magnificent “Peace Pillars”.
Two weeks of hard work by some 60 students
resulted in works of art which represented
multifarious conceptions of peace, ranging
from doves, peace symbols, war posters,
bandages, blossoms, and national flags.
One cannot take a walk through campus,
without stopping to gaze at the powerful
beauty of these structures.
This year’s Peace Day celebrations definitely
struck a chord and made everyone realise
that world peace is a paradise we can reach, if
we all work together and spread the message
of brotherhood.

The night featured performances by SMU

Chamber Choir, and InDanCity.

Sports Fiesta
Since its inception in 2005, Sports Fiesta
has been a platform for sports enthusiasts
and newbies alike to showcase their skills,
and compete with each other in the spirit
of sports.

This annual event conducted by the SMU

Sports Union was held on 28 September
2007. This year the organisers positioned
Sports Fiesta as a carnival like celebration
which allowed SMU students to take a
break from their intense workload.

Campus Green played host to Dodge Ball,


Reflecting on the soon-to-be-gone term
This year, like every other year, eight students
take up the challenge to run for office to
serve the student community.
Enter the SMU Students’ Association
Executive Committee.
Well, many a time, we don’t get to see what
they do behind the scenes but certainly these
help the student community in one way or
the other.
The Things We Think About But Do Not Say
It is difficult to be honest with people that I
have not met yet.
However, I realised that I did not want to
belong to a community that I was not ready
to be honest with.
So, allow me to be honest and to share some
of the things that I think about but do not
say.
I think about the kind of community we
should be. It is more fulfilling if we all
belong to a bigger picture, a family.
I think we can be a tight-knit community
with a strong school spirit and camaraderie
if we all worked towards it together. We
should offer support and friendship, and
leave no one behind.
I think about a sense of daring to experiment.
The 4th Student’s Association Council
Issue 0,Page XII
The Blue and Gold
November 2007
What’s up with the SAC?
This term, the outgoing committee has
contributed with their dealings with CIT
(improving spam mail control, constantly
managing additional bandwidth, printing
services) and OFM (providing dusters in
GSRs, increasing power points in open areas
and benches, in the process of requesting
24/7 air-conditioning).
The Financial Committee has also
introduced SMUSA receipts to track the
revenues earned by clubs and societies to
Thoughts from the SA president
I remember the sense of adventure that
enthused our SMU seniors to get involved
in all sorts of different things.
I think about us really daring to do things
and seeking forgiveness later rather than
permission.
I think about doing less and doing better.
I think that while we should always be
optimistic about what we can achieve, we
should not condemn ourselves to never
achieving enough.
I think about being able to talk about
anything with anyone in my community. I
believe that we need to communicate with
one another with honesty and enthusiasm.
There should not be any barriers between
any SMU student. Such an open culture
helps us build spirit.
help ensure that the collected revenue will
be channeled back into school activities to
benefit student life.
The committee is also working with the
school administration to review the current
Student Financial Procedures and to draft
Standard Operating Procedures governing
fund release (from administration, handover
procedures and club and societies’ reserve
guidelines) to help facilitate handovers
within the student body.
I think about the direction set by the
university administration and if it helps
our student community. We receive a lot of
financial and staff support for our pursuits
outside the classroom. However, we have
lost many slots within the week, previously
allocated for our co-curricular interests, to
make-up lessons. Are students becoming
more inefficient or is the workload
increasing?
I think about the kind of experience that I
expect to come away with after being part of
this community.
I think it should not just be about getting a
job. We should be learning something about
ourselves that we would not be able to learn
from anywhere else.
I think about how many in our community
still think about these things.
SA’s Message
The SAC has also directed the massive
cleanup and major revamp of the CCA
room.
Do also look out for the “What’s Your
Problem Forum” – an initiative during
SMUSA week to understand students’
complaints.
– EPHRAIM LOY
I think that while most of us do not talk
openly about it, we still care.
Most of all, I think of the reasons why I
would not talk about these things that I
think about and I realised that there were
no good reasons why I should not talk about
them.
So, I hope you talk about them too.
Yours Sincerely,
Ahmad Firdaus
Students’ Association Council