NU way to name change for NTU
The Enquirer polled 150 students at various locations in NTU campus on their views about renaming the university---Illustration: Lin Junjie
The poll indicated that 66% of 150 respondents said no to the suggestion of a change in the name of the university. Engineering students made up close to two-thirds of those against renaming the university.
In 2003, NTU led by President Su Guaning, aimed towards changing the university’s name to Nanyang University by 2005. However, in 2004, this plan was shelved.
According to a Straits Times article dated July 2004, President Su said this change will only take place once NTU becomes a full-fledged comprehensive university.
In response to the poll, many expressed the change as impractical and strange.
“NTU is already a global name. Having the name changed means we have to inform the world all over again.”Ms Lee Wei Ting, a second-year Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) student, said: “NTU is already a global name. Having the name changed means we have to inform the world all over again.”
“NU sounds strange,” first-year Economics major Mr Seng Yuan Gan said. He is not alone as Mr Lim Kuan Chien, majoring in Biological Engineering, feels that the acronym for the university must have three letters. “If not, it won’t sound nice,” the 20-year-old said.
Another concern was the identity of the old Nanyang University.
Mr Shang Yun Zhou, a second-year EEE major from China felt that NTU is different from the Nanyang University of the past as it was a mandarin-speaking university.
In addition, business student Sim Yihui expressed her concern that Nantah alumni will be unhappy if NTU were to change its name to Nanyang University.
“I read in the Straits Times before that a lot of the Nantah alumni do not see NTU as a continuation of Nantah,” the 21-year-old said.
Meanwhile, the remaining third of the total respondents warmed to the idea of a name change for several reasons. One factor was the presence of schools outside the technological field.
Second-year Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering student Mr Kevin Koh believes that having a strong business school is a good reason for renaming the university better known for its engineering schools.
“…because of the stereotypical thinking of the word technological, my UK friend asked why is an arts school doing in a technological university?” 19-year-old School of Art, Design and Media student Ms Jane Koh said.“…because of the stereotypical thinking of the word technological, my UK friend asked why is an arts school doing in a technological university?” 19-year-old School of Art, Design and Media student Ms Jane Koh said.
Besides the renaming of the university, the poll also asked students if Nantah was part of NTU. Nanyang University then, in the 1950s up till 1980, was commonly known as Nantah.
About 43% of the respondents were unsure about Nantah and its history relating to NTU. The remaining students were divided in their opinions over Nantah.
Second-year EEE major Ms Wong Yan Nan from China feels that although Nantah is part of NTU, it is now history. “It’s just a name and it does not matter,” she said.
However, there are others like final-year EEE student Mr Kheu Zong Jie who is certain that Nantah is part of NTU. “Monuments at Yunnan Garden are a big reminder of the Nantah Spirit,” he said.
Mr Allen Lee, an environmental engineering major and member of the NTU Basketball team, shared with the Enquirer the sense of encouragement felt at his games when the “old boys — really old, with white hair — come down to cheer on the NTU Basketball team”.
“That’s probably the Nantah spirit,” the 23-year-old said.
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