Proposal
WELCOME AND ORIENTATION FOR THE NEW BATCH
Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna
Medical Students’ Union 2012/13
1/28/2014
WELCOME AND ORIENTATION FOR THE NEW BATCH
Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna
Medical Students’ Union 2012/13
1/28/2014
Contents
1. Introduction
Each year, nearly 125 students from various parts of Sri Lanka enter into the Faculty of Medicine, Jaffna. They come from varied traditional, cultural, religious and linguistic backgrounds. Most of the students who successfully achieved high z-score to enter into the Medical Faculty are often found contented with self learning and self centered goals. And it was not challenged during their advanced level study period in the Sri Lankan education setting either. On the contrary, the process of learning in the Faculty is totallydifferent and requires total dedication and high level of motivation in addition tocollaboration with other students and group work.
A well planned and closely monitored interactive programme at the beginning of the curriculum will exclude ‘ragging’ and certainly help the newcomers to get to know each other and their seniors. it will be the first step forthe students to engage them in such group works and to socialize.
In the past, several steps undertaken by the MSU and the administration to promote students’ interaction over different period of time, failed due mainly to the students’ misuse of such opportunities. The recent changes in students’mentalitylit a green light for a healthy a students’ interaction. Also the gap of three years without such programmes becomes positive in discontinuation of transfer of wrong concepts regarding ragging running between batches.
Hence, with a positive approach to reach out the newcomers, this new proposal has been drawn. By implementing this programme, the faculty will not fall short in providing a strong support at the start of the carrier and for the development of fruitful interpersonal relationship of the newcomers. It also makes them aware of theirhidden talents.
2. Prohibition of Ragging
The MSU will abide with the policy of “Zero tolerance” towards ragging.
All the students are informed of the University Grants Commission Circular No. 919 – “Guidelines to be introduced to curb the menace of ragging in the Universities or Higher Educational Institutes (HEls)” and “Prohibition of Ragging and other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act (No.20 of 1998)”.
Medical Students’ Union is committed totake its responsibility and work transparently with the administration in preventing ragging.
Ragging
(1) Any person who commits, or participates in ragging, within or outside an educational institution, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate be liable, to rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years and may also be ordered to pay compensation of an amount determined by court, to the person in respect of whom the offence was committed for the injuries caused to such person.
(2) A person who, whilst committing ragging causes sexual harassment or grievous hurt to any student or a member of the staff, of an educational institution shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years and may also be ordered to pay compensation of an amount determined by court, to the person in respect of whom the offence was committed for the injuries caused to such person.
The newcomers are protected by law
Every newcomer will be informed of his/her rights and duty to abstain ragging and re-assured that he/she is protected by the law of the country. Also, it will be emphasized that indulging himself/herselfin any behavior or act that may come under the definition of ragging is equally offensivelike ragging and subjected to punishment as per the lawenforced and by-laws of the University.
3. Welcome Committee
A welcome committee will be formed predominantly from the 34th batch while two students from other batches will be included. The office bearers will be selected at a batch meeting and it will become functional with the approval from the President/MSU, senior treasurer/MSU, Student’s councilor/Faculty of medicine and Dean/Medicine.
The responsibilities and key activities of the welcome committee include
Welcome the newcomers
Catering the needs of the newcomers
Ensure healthy inaction among the newcomers
Promote healthy senior-junior inactions.
Getting permission from relevant departments and units.
Organizing and conducting the ‘Games and Aesthetic sessions’
Monitoring that there is no act of raging occur during the Games and Aesthetic sessions
4. Events in the first day
According the curriculum, the programme for the first day will be a meeting with the new students and their parent, where the addresses will be delivered by key persons. The president of the MSU will also address the students. This programme is organized by the office of the dean.
The MSU would keep the relatives and friend of students occupied with presentations about faculty functions, student life, batch trips, etc. It will be organized at the ground floor with the help of administration. The MSU members shall be present and have discussion with the relatives and friends of the students.
5. Games and Aesthetic sessions
There will be six sessions scattered throughout the first two weeks of introductory period. During each session the presence of two academic staff members is preferred to ensure the smooth running. Also the MSU members will be present at each session to assist the welcome committee in monitoring the events. Each session shall be commencing with an icebreaker event. A points system will be used and the winners will be announced on the final day. The students of the winning group will be included in the groups with the newcomer next year. The activities we wish to propose are as follows.
First Session:
This day being the first day of the new comers, we wish to have a small get together and to divide the students in to 4 groups*. Each group will consist of 31 new students and we wish to include 9 senior students (35th batch - immediate seniors) into those groups. This grouping is done to avoid practical difficulties we may face in doing activities with a very large number of students. Each group has their own leader. The groups have to make their own cheers, flags, come up with a name and practice for the performances.
The very first activity will be a “name game”, where we will select the person who can remember the maximum number of names of his/her group. This will be done in the groups and this will be the first step to get to know each other. The other important thing is that the seniors of each group will also take part in this game and that will make them get to know the new comers. From the four teams 8 people will be selected and they will compete in the final day – welcome party, where the challenge will be to identify the named person.
Signature hunt: Is a booklet the students are given and they will have to collect as many senior's signatures as they can and to get it the senior can ask them to do things like their group cheer or the sing song, or spell the senior's name in different ways. This time for every 100 signatures they collected they were given a medal. The student who gets the highest no of signatures will be awarded in the welcome party. (? students might be vulnerable – make it clear in the proposal that it is optional)
Concerns on students’ vulnerability:
Those who don't want to participate are told it's not compulsory but they will miss the fun and know fewer seniors.
Book review: On the same day we willrecommend a book and ask them to read it and prepare a book review for the last day, when we will select the best book review.
Furthermore they will be given a topic for discussion, which will be discussed on the third day.
Each group will decide which game they are going to play in the second session
For all these we would need 2hours on this day.
* Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala students will be evenly distributed into groups.
Second Session:
This is the sports day. Each group will be playing badminton, table tennis, carom, volleyball, cricket, football, basketball etc, depending on their choice. (It will be decided on Monday) during 2hours they will be able to play with their friends.
The newcomers will be competing among themselves and the seniors shall encourage and cheer the players. The talented boys and girls will be identified to play a friendly match between the teams comprised of seniors of all batches and the new batch.
Third session:
This day the groups will have their discussion on the topic they were given on first session. After thediscussion of 1½ hours, each group will make Two Tamil (& Sinhala / English – according to the choice of newcomers) debating teams respectively and will be given topics (Choosed by .Vocal contest and poetry competitions will be held. The seniors (35th batch) in the batch will identify newcomers to perform in the welcome party * don’t think this is appropriate.
Fourth session:
The groups will have their intra group debates on this day and the winning two teams (Tamil winner and English/Sinhala winner) will represent their group on the finale day debates. 4 teams from each medium will compete on the final day. Best team will be selected according to the marks achieved by each team after the debate on the final day.
Fifth session:
On this day seniors in each team will share their experiences in university and guide the juniors by explaining them how to read for an assignment, where to seek helpetc.
Sixth session:
This is the final day of the program. 16th of February, being a Sunday day, we wish to spend the whole day with new comers. Final debates, the main discussion, singing and dancing competitionwill be there on the final day. The day will end with the Welcome party in the evening.
6. Visits and lectures by MSU
According to the curriculum MSU would cover the below mentioned lectures and visits the introductory period of first eight weeks. The date and time will be discussed and fixed with the pre-clinical coordinator.
Lectures
7. Welcome party
The welcome party will be conducted at the end of two weeks. A separate committee, comprised of students from the immediate senior batch (35th batch), will organize the event. The office bearers will be selected at a batch meeting and it become functional with the approval from President/MSU, senior treasurer/MSU, Student’s councilor/Faculty of medicine and Dean/medicine.
8. Budget and Funding
This year, the expected expenditure for the proposed activities will be covered using the fund allocated under the HETC project particularly for the orientation of new batches. The Fund enables us to utilize a sum of 12 500 LKR per batch/year. According to the Terms of Reference of HETC orientation programme, this year we could use the allocation of two year/batches (35th& 36th batches).
The budget will be submitted to the project Coordinator - Dr.(Miss.) S.Ambikaipakan through the senior treasurer/MSU. The Estimated has been attached herewith
9. Conclusion
This proposal has been draw with a high caution to excluded ragging and many possible senior-junior interactions have been cut off due to risk of ragging. But with positive feedback, they can be accommodated in coming years.
- Introduction
- Prohibition of Ragging
- Welcome committee
- Events in the first day
- Games and Aesthetics sessions
- Visits and lectures by MSU
- Welcome party
- Budget & Funding
- Conclusion
1. Introduction
Each year, nearly 125 students from various parts of Sri Lanka enter into the Faculty of Medicine, Jaffna. They come from varied traditional, cultural, religious and linguistic backgrounds. Most of the students who successfully achieved high z-score to enter into the Medical Faculty are often found contented with self learning and self centered goals. And it was not challenged during their advanced level study period in the Sri Lankan education setting either. On the contrary, the process of learning in the Faculty is totallydifferent and requires total dedication and high level of motivation in addition tocollaboration with other students and group work.
A well planned and closely monitored interactive programme at the beginning of the curriculum will exclude ‘ragging’ and certainly help the newcomers to get to know each other and their seniors. it will be the first step forthe students to engage them in such group works and to socialize.
In the past, several steps undertaken by the MSU and the administration to promote students’ interaction over different period of time, failed due mainly to the students’ misuse of such opportunities. The recent changes in students’mentalitylit a green light for a healthy a students’ interaction. Also the gap of three years without such programmes becomes positive in discontinuation of transfer of wrong concepts regarding ragging running between batches.
Hence, with a positive approach to reach out the newcomers, this new proposal has been drawn. By implementing this programme, the faculty will not fall short in providing a strong support at the start of the carrier and for the development of fruitful interpersonal relationship of the newcomers. It also makes them aware of theirhidden talents.
2. Prohibition of Ragging
The MSU will abide with the policy of “Zero tolerance” towards ragging.
All the students are informed of the University Grants Commission Circular No. 919 – “Guidelines to be introduced to curb the menace of ragging in the Universities or Higher Educational Institutes (HEls)” and “Prohibition of Ragging and other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act (No.20 of 1998)”.
Medical Students’ Union is committed totake its responsibility and work transparently with the administration in preventing ragging.
Ragging
(1) Any person who commits, or participates in ragging, within or outside an educational institution, shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate be liable, to rigorous imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years and may also be ordered to pay compensation of an amount determined by court, to the person in respect of whom the offence was committed for the injuries caused to such person.
(2) A person who, whilst committing ragging causes sexual harassment or grievous hurt to any student or a member of the staff, of an educational institution shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years and may also be ordered to pay compensation of an amount determined by court, to the person in respect of whom the offence was committed for the injuries caused to such person.
The newcomers are protected by law
Every newcomer will be informed of his/her rights and duty to abstain ragging and re-assured that he/she is protected by the law of the country. Also, it will be emphasized that indulging himself/herselfin any behavior or act that may come under the definition of ragging is equally offensivelike ragging and subjected to punishment as per the lawenforced and by-laws of the University.
3. Welcome Committee
A welcome committee will be formed predominantly from the 34th batch while two students from other batches will be included. The office bearers will be selected at a batch meeting and it will become functional with the approval from the President/MSU, senior treasurer/MSU, Student’s councilor/Faculty of medicine and Dean/Medicine.
The responsibilities and key activities of the welcome committee include
Welcome the newcomers
Catering the needs of the newcomers
Ensure healthy inaction among the newcomers
Promote healthy senior-junior inactions.
Getting permission from relevant departments and units.
Organizing and conducting the ‘Games and Aesthetic sessions’
Monitoring that there is no act of raging occur during the Games and Aesthetic sessions
4. Events in the first day
According the curriculum, the programme for the first day will be a meeting with the new students and their parent, where the addresses will be delivered by key persons. The president of the MSU will also address the students. This programme is organized by the office of the dean.
The MSU would keep the relatives and friend of students occupied with presentations about faculty functions, student life, batch trips, etc. It will be organized at the ground floor with the help of administration. The MSU members shall be present and have discussion with the relatives and friends of the students.
5. Games and Aesthetic sessions
There will be six sessions scattered throughout the first two weeks of introductory period. During each session the presence of two academic staff members is preferred to ensure the smooth running. Also the MSU members will be present at each session to assist the welcome committee in monitoring the events. Each session shall be commencing with an icebreaker event. A points system will be used and the winners will be announced on the final day. The students of the winning group will be included in the groups with the newcomer next year. The activities we wish to propose are as follows.
First Session:
This day being the first day of the new comers, we wish to have a small get together and to divide the students in to 4 groups*. Each group will consist of 31 new students and we wish to include 9 senior students (35th batch - immediate seniors) into those groups. This grouping is done to avoid practical difficulties we may face in doing activities with a very large number of students. Each group has their own leader. The groups have to make their own cheers, flags, come up with a name and practice for the performances.
The very first activity will be a “name game”, where we will select the person who can remember the maximum number of names of his/her group. This will be done in the groups and this will be the first step to get to know each other. The other important thing is that the seniors of each group will also take part in this game and that will make them get to know the new comers. From the four teams 8 people will be selected and they will compete in the final day – welcome party, where the challenge will be to identify the named person.
Signature hunt: Is a booklet the students are given and they will have to collect as many senior's signatures as they can and to get it the senior can ask them to do things like their group cheer or the sing song, or spell the senior's name in different ways. This time for every 100 signatures they collected they were given a medal. The student who gets the highest no of signatures will be awarded in the welcome party. (? students might be vulnerable – make it clear in the proposal that it is optional)
Concerns on students’ vulnerability:
Those who don't want to participate are told it's not compulsory but they will miss the fun and know fewer seniors.
- The signatures can be obtained only during the sessions.
- The time spends on senior-junior inaction; particularly for this purpose will not be more than 3 minutes.
- Acts beyond these guidelines are consider as ragging and subjected to punishment.
Book review: On the same day we willrecommend a book and ask them to read it and prepare a book review for the last day, when we will select the best book review.
Furthermore they will be given a topic for discussion, which will be discussed on the third day.
Each group will decide which game they are going to play in the second session
For all these we would need 2hours on this day.
* Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala students will be evenly distributed into groups.
Second Session:
This is the sports day. Each group will be playing badminton, table tennis, carom, volleyball, cricket, football, basketball etc, depending on their choice. (It will be decided on Monday) during 2hours they will be able to play with their friends.
The newcomers will be competing among themselves and the seniors shall encourage and cheer the players. The talented boys and girls will be identified to play a friendly match between the teams comprised of seniors of all batches and the new batch.
Third session:
This day the groups will have their discussion on the topic they were given on first session. After thediscussion of 1½ hours, each group will make Two Tamil (& Sinhala / English – according to the choice of newcomers) debating teams respectively and will be given topics (Choosed by .Vocal contest and poetry competitions will be held. The seniors (35th batch) in the batch will identify newcomers to perform in the welcome party * don’t think this is appropriate.
Fourth session:
The groups will have their intra group debates on this day and the winning two teams (Tamil winner and English/Sinhala winner) will represent their group on the finale day debates. 4 teams from each medium will compete on the final day. Best team will be selected according to the marks achieved by each team after the debate on the final day.
Fifth session:
On this day seniors in each team will share their experiences in university and guide the juniors by explaining them how to read for an assignment, where to seek helpetc.
Sixth session:
This is the final day of the program. 16th of February, being a Sunday day, we wish to spend the whole day with new comers. Final debates, the main discussion, singing and dancing competitionwill be there on the final day. The day will end with the Welcome party in the evening.
6. Visits and lectures by MSU
According to the curriculum MSU would cover the below mentioned lectures and visits the introductory period of first eight weeks. The date and time will be discussed and fixed with the pre-clinical coordinator.
Lectures
- Recreational Activities in the faculty - 2 hours
- MSU and Students’ activities - 1 hour
- Information Technology Centre - 1 hour
- University and health centre - 2 hours
- ITC, Faculty of Medicine - 2 hours
- Teaching Hospital - 3 hours
7. Welcome party
The welcome party will be conducted at the end of two weeks. A separate committee, comprised of students from the immediate senior batch (35th batch), will organize the event. The office bearers will be selected at a batch meeting and it become functional with the approval from President/MSU, senior treasurer/MSU, Student’s councilor/Faculty of medicine and Dean/medicine.
8. Budget and Funding
This year, the expected expenditure for the proposed activities will be covered using the fund allocated under the HETC project particularly for the orientation of new batches. The Fund enables us to utilize a sum of 12 500 LKR per batch/year. According to the Terms of Reference of HETC orientation programme, this year we could use the allocation of two year/batches (35th& 36th batches).
The budget will be submitted to the project Coordinator - Dr.(Miss.) S.Ambikaipakan through the senior treasurer/MSU. The Estimated has been attached herewith
9. Conclusion
This proposal has been draw with a high caution to excluded ragging and many possible senior-junior interactions have been cut off due to risk of ragging. But with positive feedback, they can be accommodated in coming years.