A female participant is handpicked by a senior dentistry student and given the title “sexy timer.” She sashays and counts down to the start of the “Goodnight Song.”

Another participant appointed as the “cock” will step out to crow like a rooster announcing the start of the freshmen orientation event.

Everyone raises his right arm when the cock shouts “up.” At the sound of another “up,” the cohort will cover their right armpits with their left palm. 

The freshmen will sing the “Goodnight Song” to the seniors, and then go into a mock sleeping posture, with their head resting on their right palms. 

The cock will crow again and all the freshmen will have to “wake up.” The entire process would be repeated at the discretion of senior dentistry students watching on. 

These revelations about the dentistry freshmen orientation activities were provided by second-year dental student and sports secretary of Dental Society, Samuel Ong Jien Woon, in an interview with The Observer. 

Recounting his own experience during orientation, Ong said such traditions and other activities performed by freshmen take place every year in the Faculty of Dentistry. 

According to the Faculty of Dentistry brochure, it has one of the smallest cohorts in NUS of about only 140 undergraduate students. 

Ong wrote a letter to The Straits Times Forum on Aug. 01 to suggest “avenues of redress” for unwilling participants in such orientation activities as he felt not all undergraduates are keen to join such events. 

Referring to the forum letter, he explained that the main concern was that some alumni might “engage in their own definition of fun interaction with the juniors,” but declined to comment further or specify the intent of this type of interaction. 

In particular, he said another activity called the “All-Night-Long” routine performed by freshmen in front of seniors and alumni, is a mass participation “rag” dance, although not regarded as compulsory in nature, is compelling enough for all to take part in. 

By convention, “rag” is an NUS tradition where different faculties and halls build their own performance floats using recyclable materials. It is accompanied by a dance routine. These activities are done to allow students to bond as they work together.

However, Ong said, “Personally, I think that ‘All-Night-Long’ and the ‘Goodnight Song’ are not good traditions. I think tradition is definitely not an excuse. It should not be an excuse, a disguise for ‘ragging’ in the spirit of having fun to be carried out.”

Associate Professor Kelvin Foong Weng Chiong, vice-dean of academic affairs in Faculty of Dentistry, said these two traditions were a lot worse during his time.

Activities carried out today are remnants of an old tradition. 

“Mine was really horrible, terrible,” he said with a laugh. “It’s better not (to recount it) you know. I’ve got saliva rained on me, that sort of thing. Mine was worse, much worse.”

Professor Foong also said it was not his decision to keep such traditions as he tries not to interfere with student events and would rather leave it to the Dental Society to decide. 

“Neither do I encourage or discourage. Besides, we try not to micro-manage. These are student affairs. These are adults. At the end of the day, it’s fun things in the eyes of the students,” he said.

He reiterated that freshmen students are informed in advance they can choose to opt out from the orientation and its activities.

“(When) you’re forced to do something, it’s the worst kind of experience. It’s not something you would enjoy. You would want to have an experience you would enjoy for life,” Professor Foong said.

Some foreign students also find orientation activities in NUS inappropriate.

Ng Suan Eng, the deputy director of Student Services at Office of Student Affairs, said in an e-mail interview that “some existing practices are seen as childish by our international students and not befitting a world-class university.” 

“Freshmen who are not comfortable with any orientation activities or who have feedback on any ‘ragging’ incident can report these incidents directly to OSA.” 

However, Ng added that OSA has not received complaints about ragging incidents in the Faculty of Dentistry this year.

“We would encourage all students to come to OSA to see us, or send email directly to the dean of students or any of the OSA officers if they witness or experience any form of ‘ragging’ on campus. We assure them of full confidentiality.” 

In the meantime, the administration is determined not to intervene with orientation activities except to provide an advisory role. 

“It is something I would like to leave to the students to handle,” Professor Foong said. “I might be out of touch with what the younger generations prefer. For the students, we let them manage the orientation. Orientation participation must be voluntary.” 

None of the freshmen from the Faculty of Dentistry that The Observer tried to speak to wanted to be quoted and gave no reason for refusing an interview. 

The president of the Dental Society, who oversees the planning of freshmen orientations, could not be reached for comment at press time.