179 newly enrolled students of Lanyang Campus (LC) are special in many ways. First of all, their enrollment last week symbolized the official commencement of TKU’s Fourth Wave. Furthermore, they attend lectures that are 90 percent conducted in English and will form an especially close bond with their teachers—a realization of a traditional English collegiate education. For example, they shared dinner together last Monday, followed by a campus-wide campfire barbecue on Friday (23rd) evening. Students find such an approach innovative.
However, due to adverse weather conditions this summer, the completion of LC in Yilan has been delayed; consequently, all students and faculty members have to stay in Tamsui for the first semester. In response to this news, a student from the Software Engineering Department of LC thinks it is rather advantageous as he and others can experience life on both campuses, so as to gain insight to different student cultures. This view is shared by another student from the Multicultural and Linguistic Studies Department who sees staying in Tamsui for half a semester positively. It can allow Lanyang students the opportunity to get to know Tamsui, the place and the students enrolled here, but also take advantage of the vast resources and convenient transportation means available to all during this time. At least, what they see here is a known environment, so for first-time home-leavers, it is slightly easier to adapt than going to Lanyang immediately. Nonetheless, some students find where they are staying now, the Lanyang Hall of Residence in Danhai is a little distant from some amenities that surround the Tamsui Campus. They are all fairly impressed by the beauty of the main campus and the conveniences that are on offer around it.
To the decision of staying in Tamsui in the first semester, TKU President, Dr. Flora Chang emphasizes that the construction of LC will be completed in time and will only let students move in when everything is indeed in top condition as the university takes students’ safety seriously. She ensures that Lanyang students are well cared for so that they understand that university is fair-handed in dealing this matter.
Dr. Lin Jyh-horng, the Director of LC explains that all Lanyang classes are held in basement of the Business Management Building between 9 am and 9 pm from Monday to Friday. There are special shuttle buses taking them between their residence and Tamsui Campus in mornings and evenings. However, this does not mean they are supposed to be isolated from the rest of students and campus life. He wants his students to mingle with other students and in particular, attend club events so that they can learn from the students here how to organize student lives, such as procedures of setting up clubs, and the foundation of unions and councils.
