Sunway Student Council Town Hall

On the 26th of November 2024, the Student Council Town Hall took place and transformed JC3 into a buzzing hub of dialogue, ideas, and change. Organised by the Sunway University Student Council (SUSC) and Sunway College Student Council (SCC), the town hall wasn’t just any campus event—it was a collection of voices, a platform for change, and a witness to what would happen when the councils, Clubs and Societies (C&S) leaders and all Sunway students come together with to voice out their thoughts on student life, academics, or C&S challenges. By 6:00 PM, students and attendees were already arriving for registration, filling the air with excitement and anticipation for what was coming.

CORE Introduction: Introducing the EXCOs and the Directors

Issac Lee Lok Xing, an executive from the Secretarial Department of SUSC, officiated the town hall’s opening as the emcee with a welcoming tone for the evening. He began by introducing the key figures of the night—the CORE team of SUSC and SCC.

Front row, from left to right: 

• Choco Wong Ho Yan [SCC Academic Affairs Director]
• Lee Xiao Xuan [SUSC Academic Affairs Director]
• Khoo Zi Qi [SCC Student Welfare Director]
• Vera Nazarova [SUSC Student Relations Director]
• Yong Weng Qi [SCC Extracurricular Director]
• Jayden Loh [SUSC Extracurricular Director]
• Thanesh Sridharan [SCC Social Relations Director]
• Jonadab Tan Tze Ming [SUSC External Relations Director]
• Anna Goh Ying Yi [SCC Community Service Director]
• Assim Ali [SUSC International Student Relations Director]

Back row, from left to right:

• Phang Hou Mun Herman [SCC President]
• Nur Khairun Najwa binti Kamarudin [SUSC General Secretary]
• Lee Jaeger [SCC General Secretary]
• Justin Yong Wenn Weii [SUSC President]
• Wong Chee Kin [SUSC Vice-President]
• Chi Guo Hao [SCC Treasurer]
• Voo Wan Ni [SUSC Treasurer]
• Caitlyn Koay Yen Zi [SCC Vice-President]
• Jelivan Shastryvarma [SUSC Public Relations Director]
• Denisse Khong Shin Whye [SCC Advertising & Promotions Director]

Opening Speech: Setting The Tone

Following the introductions, the presidents of SUSC and SCC took the stage to deliver their respective opening speeches.

First up was Justin Yong, the President of SUSC. With a professional yet passionate tone, he welcomed everyone and highlighted several key milestones. He reflected on the successful and the biggest student intake that took place in September 2024, as well as the Freshmen Fiesta, which warmly welcomed new students to the Sunway family. Justin also introduced a new SDR/SPR system with 82 new appointments, in hopes of improving efficiency among the academic schools. He also shared the success of Biolympics 2024, a sporting event organised collaboratively by SUSC, Sunway Biological Society and Sunway International Student Ambassadors. Additionally, the Student Welfare Form launched by the Student Relations Department allowed students to voice their concerns directly, contributing to better support systems. Finally, the president mentioned the Executive Member Recruitment Report, noting the improvements made in selecting more diverse academic and international student representatives. The speech reflected the council’s ongoing efforts to improve campus life and support the student body.

Next, Herman Phang, the President of SCC, highlighted several successful initiatives. These included the ANZ Education Fair, a tertiary education exhibition featuring Australian and New Zealand institutions, and He-Art Beat, an acrylic painting workshop in collaboration with the Dignity for Children Foundation. He also mentioned Droplets of Life, a blood donation drive, and Clash of Captains, a captain ball tournament promoting physical well-being. Herman emphasized that these initiatives, along with many others, were designed to enhance student life and foster community engagement.

Together, the presidents’ speeches set a powerful foundation for the evening, reinforcing the importance of being the bridge between the management and the students to enhance campus life. With the formalities complete, the floor was officially opened for the evening’s discussions.

Padlet Q&A: Addressing Student Concerns

The first half of the town hall utilised the Padlet platform to collect a diverse range of student concerns, in hopes of fostering transparency and encouraging open dialogue.

1. The first ever question was on the lack of lecture recordings. Xiao Xuan (SUSC Academic Affairs Director) acknowledged the difficulties some students face without recorded lectures and promised to re-address this matter with university management. She emphasized the complexities involved, such as the school’s concerns about class attendance, but reassured students that their feedback would be presented in the upcoming meeting with the academic higher-ups.

2. Library seat hogging was another hot topic. Choco (SCC Academic Affairs Director) elaborated on new rules prohibiting belongings left unattended for over 20 minutes and encouraged students to report violations directly to the librarians. Xiao Xuan further added that these measures are aimed at ensuring fair access to study spaces for everyone.

3. Convocation venue concerns sparked another interesting discussion. Chee Kin (SUSC Vice-President) empathised with students about the amphitheatre’s limitations like the insufferable heat and accessibility challenges within the Sunway Lagoon Theme Park. While he recognised the need for long-term improvements, Chee Kin informed the students that the facilities team is exploring alternative venues at the moment and interim solutions are currently in place, such as the instalment of additional fans for better ventilation. 
4. Extracurricular-related matters were brought up too, especially on club event approvals. Herman (SCC President) and Jayden (SUSC Extracurricular Director) explained that these delays were caused by safety concerns and administrative processes as events held outside campus require additional scrutiny to ensure feasibility and student safety. Club representatives were also encouraged to collaborate closely with the council for smoother approvals in the future.

5. Finally, questions about inclusivity and support systems on campus also emerged. For instance, Assim addressed how international students experiencing discrimination in any way can report incidents and seek support through the ISR Department. Vera (SUSC Student Relations Department) also highlighted the importance of evidence in addressing harassment cases, urging students to report such cases immediately as every report will be handled with the utmost seriousness.

Closing Remarks: Presenting the Final Thought

As the live Q&A came to an end, Chee Kin and Caitlyn (SCC Vice-President) delivered heartfelt closing remarks, thanking everyone as well as promoting the council’s social media platforms for students to receive the latest updates. Again, they emphasized the importance of transparency, open dialogue and collaboration to build an accepting and inclusive campus for every student.

With that, the Student Council Town Hall November 2024 was undoubtedly a success, in ways like addressing the immediate concerns of the student body as well as laying the foundation for a more collaborative and dynamic campus culture. It was more than a town hall; it was a groundbreaking moment for us to create a better Sunway environment, together.

“Your Voice; Our Concern!”

— SUSC & SCC —

Written by: Jimmy

Edited by: Tisyha