Cyberbullying in NUS

Change from without is needed when change from within is obstructed by administrative interests. Photo by the writer.

Excerpt :

A student from a financially-disadvantaged background speaks up for a financial aid issue, and instead becomes the victim of vicious cyberbullying from fellow students, with the bulk of the comments focusing on her writing style. This bewildering case of cyberbullying is related to KRC’s engagement with the USP financial aid issue, which you can read more about in this companion article. The first three paragraphs provide a brief background of the incident, and can also be found in the companion article.

A Brief Background
The University Scholars Program (USP) is an interdisciplinary program for NUS undergraduates. Previously, students in the USP did not have to pay any fees over and above NUS tuition fees to be part of the program, and could enjoy a whole range of subsidised global study trips, exchange programs and conference grants. However, when the USP moved into University Town in August 2011, a two-year compulsory residency component was included into the program. This component adds an additional $11,060 (at least) to the USP students’ fees.

USP professors and students had raised concerns that a weak financial aid scheme coupled with an inflexible compulsory residency critierion, would constitute a barrier to entry into the program for financially needy students, but only using internal, private channels of communication.

In October 2011, KRC raised the same concerns, but on a public platform.

WRITTEN BY KOH CHOON HWEE / PUBLISHED ON MAY 28, 2012 

To continue reading, please refer to this link : Cyberbullying in NUS