The written word: Diversity in Yale-NUS student-run publications
It is no secret that Yale-NUS is a melting pot of people from different cultures, backgrounds, identities, and perspectives. This diversity also extends to the College’s many student-run publications, which serve as conduits for critical thinking and discussions on various perspectives and ideas important to the community and beyond.
Various issues from The Octant. Image provided by Xie Yi Hui.
Yale-NUS’ oldest student-run publication, The Octant traces its roots back to the College’s first batch of students in 2013. Today, the student newspaper is more widely read within the community than ever, with large online viewership and physical print copies being distributed for free every Friday.
“What makes us distinct is our mission. We are a student newspaper dedicated to freedom of speech and critical discourse, and we hold those in power accountable, which could be an individual, an organisation, or an institution,” said Xie Yi Hui (Class of 2023), current Editor-in-Chief of The Octant.
The publication has covered a wide range of topics. Some of the more popular articles include, “How Yale-NUS Disables Students and How We Can Do Better”, an investigative piece on campus accessibility, and “The Death and Life of Great Halcyon RCs”, a commentary on the usage of campus space. The articles are often cited in discussions surrounding policy changes on campus.
“Before I matriculated, reading The Octant helped me get a better understanding of what Yale-NUS was like,” shared Sabrina Eng (Class of 2025), a reader of the newspaper. “Especially now, with the announcement of the merger and the deluge of information surrounding it, the articles help me process everything that is happening,” she added.
Looking ahead, The Octant hopes to have more coverage on the National University of Singapore (NUS) as well. “I believe that some of the issues and concerns we have, have implications beyond the walls of our college, and it is our responsibility to report them,” Yi Hui shared.
The Mocktant’s logo. Image provided by Shaun Lee.
Taking its place as The Octant’s mischievous younger sibling, The Mocktant was founded as Yale-NUS’ first and only satirical news publication.
Apart from merely providing light-hearted and comedic twists on College happenings, the publication uses humour to start conversations about important issues on campus. “Our goal is to creatively use humour and satire to bring in different perspectives and tackle potentially serious issues,” elaborated Shaun Lee (Class of 2024), Treasurer and a current Editor of The Mocktant.
Moreover, many in the community have found solace in the publication’s light-hearted take on things. “We believe humour can be a genuine source of solidarity and comfort, especially during difficult times in the community,” noted Shaun.
Branching out from their website, the team recently started a Telegram channel, boasting almost one thousand subscribers, that provides regular, humourous updates on campus happenings. Matthew Aviso (Class of 2023), a reader of The Mocktant, shared that, “I always look forward to the next update on the Telegram channel. It is also great that all my friends also subscribe to it, so we often laugh about it together. It is like receiving bite-sized articles in the form of a few sentences”.
The current editorial team of The Diacritic, including Danan Lee (top left), Tanisha Verma (top right), and Ashley Chin (bottom) (all Class of 2024). Image provided by Ashley Chin.
Besides traditional forms of journalism and satire, the College is also home to publications centered on scholarly research and multilingualism.
The Diacritic, founded by the Yale-NUS Society for Academic Research, is an experimental multimedia online publication that challenges what traditional scholarship means. They publish submissions by undergraduates on a diverse range of topics.
“The Diacritic came as a natural solution to a lot of problems we saw and felt in the state of academia—cool ideas being locked away, and an incredibly high barrier to entry to understanding what academics are saying in their papers. Undergraduates are in the uniquely perfect position to bridge that gap. They know enough to be able to write about a topic in an accessible way,” said Ashley Chin (Class of 2024), co-Editor-in-Chief.
While The Diacritic has expanded and has readers all over the world, ranging from America to the Philippines, a key highlight of their journey was an interview they secured with Nobel Laurate, NUS Professor Sir Konstantin Novoselov when they were just starting out.
“It was very affirming for us that someone believed in us and what we stood for,” Ashley recalled.
The cover page of Tònes’s Issue 8, themed ‘you did well’. Image provided by Annabelle Mou.
Another fine example of the College’s diversity is Tònes, a literary magazine that publishes pieces in non-English languages.
“Our publication was founded to provide members of the Yale-NUS community a space to express themselves through writing in foreign languages of their choice, usually their native tongue. Oftentimes, for an individual, deeper meanings and emotions are expressed better in their native language,” explained Annabelle Mou (Class of 2024), current Editor-in-Chief of the magazine. “We are also encouraging members of the community to engage with other cultures.”
In honour of their hard work and vision, Tònes recently won the 2021 Kingfishers Award for Intercultural Engagement. “As multiculturalism and intercultural engagement has always been the central focus of our publication, it was a huge affirmation for what Tònes stands for, and the values the team continues to uphold,” she proudly shared.
Innovative in their pursuit and constantly pushing the boundaries of the written word, these student-run publications contribute to the vibrant and dynamic life found at the College.
