NUS Students’ Union apologises to freshmen for orientation activities

SINGAPORE — The National University of Singapore Students’ Union (Nussu) has apologised to freshmen made to undergo “reprehensible” sexualised games as part of their orientation, and stressed that it did not endorse these games.

In a statement yesterday, it said also that it has called for emergency meetings with staff and key personnel from various NUS offices to discuss their concerns over the recent reports and to assist with the investigations.

“These sexualised activities ... are indecent, reprehensible and not condoned. We would like to sincerely apologise to the freshmen who have been placed into those uncomfortable situations during informal icebreaker games,” said Nussu in the statement posted on its Facebook page.

It stressed that the “egregious behaviour” of a few students should not be seen as a “proper representation of the moral integrity and mannerism” of NUS undergraduates and the general nature of their activities.

The brouhaha started when reports surfaced of games carried out at orientation camps, some of which simulated rape scenes, among other simulated acts. Following a dunking incident, NUS then suspended all orientation week events save for the Rag and Flag fundraising day.

The students’ union also appealed to the public for understanding, saying it has received several reports of harassment of its students, such as name calling and the use of derogatory language.

“We will also work with the school in restoring the faith in all student-led events, to identify and rectify the issues arising from the surfaced inappropriate cases while not compromising the interest of our students,” it said.