A person's value increases from knowledge augmented by experience; therefore, it is essential we build high the foundation of our knowledge during our university years. Later,upon entering society, we find that we will stand out from the crowd only by respecting the experiences of different types of people and learning from them with utmost modesty. I also firmly believe that if we intend to compete effectively in the highly-competitive international marketplace, which has becomethe sole challenge our students seek to face, language and communication skills, especially English, are of primary importance.Besides, a global outlook is equally vital; therefore, we should not limit ourselves to the opportunities in Taiwan. As educatorsof future leaders and outstanding professionals, we encourage our students to open their eyes widely to the world at large.
Regarding student participation in society, it is my belief thatparticipation in social movements is a natural occurrence, especiallysince it is part of NTU tradition. Nonetheless, students who participate in social movements must carefully think through what they are doing in order to formulate rational decisions and ultimately take responsibility for their actions. They should evaluate the pros and cons of the issues and avoid simply following others without making their own judgments. On another front, the number of student clubs has climbed despite a decline in enrollment. While everyone wants to be a club leader,it should be emphasized that the richness and value of club activities lies in one'sability to cooperate and work with others. Those who desire only to lead fail to learn the true spirit of group activities.
As to campus development, the College of Social Sciences has officially completed its move back to the Main Campus this semester, making it easier for the college's students to take elective courses offered by other departments as well as for the students of other departments to enroll in electives in the social sciences. The college's students will also find it more convenient to take part in extracurricular and student club activities and enjoy more chances to meet their schoolmates on the Main Campus.
Another important development this semester is the extension of the services provided by the Office of Student Affairs' new Financial Aid Office.Thispast January the office expanded financial aid eligibility for students from low-income families to include not only first-year students but all university-level students, raising the number of students eligible for financial aid from 100 to 400. Meanwhile, the OSA's Career Center is working to offer more internship opportunities through the Global Internship Program. The centerexpects to significantly increase the number of participating enterprises from 600 to 1,500 next year.