SINGAPORE - The National University of Singapore (NUS) has implemented new penalties, including expulsion, to ensure students comply with temperature-taking measures, in the light of the coronavirus pandemic.

The punishments increase in severity based on the number of offences, with third-time offenders facing immediate suspension of up to a month and the termination of any hostel housing agreement.

In addition, third-time offenders will go before the university's Board of Discipline for a hearing that could end with them receiving more punishments, such as further suspension or even expulsion.

In a circular to students on Monday evening (March 23), seen by The Straits Times, NUS senior deputy president and provost Ho Teck Hua, said: "Temperature monitoring is important because as many as 98 per cent of Covid-19 patients have a fever."

The university requires all students to take their temperature twice daily - in the morning and afternoon, including weekends and public holidays - and to declare the readings in an online system.

They have to take a photograph of each reading with a date and time stamp, and retain the image for a week. The university will conduct spot checks.

Prof Ho said in the circular: "For the safety of our community, you must comply with the measures we have instituted. Any non-compliance will be dealt with in accordance with the NUS student disciplinary procedures."

Non-compliance includes making a false declaration, not being able to provide photographic evidence of a temperature reading, or the proportion of temperatures declared is below 70 per cent for one week, or not even one temperature reading each day.

First time offenders will receive a warning letter, with those staying in hostels getting nine demerit points.

The Demerit Point Structure on the university's website says if a hostelite accumulates 16 demerit points or more within one residential year, which runs from June 1 to May 31 every year, he or she will face a housing suspension of 12 months with effect from the date of the disciplinary outcome letter.

Any demerit points accumulated within a residential year, that amounts to less that 16 points, are reset to zero on June 1.

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Second-time offenders will not be able to view their examination results for the second semester of the current academic year, for a month from the date the results are released.

This means they will get their results later than their peers.

Graduating students will not receive their degree scrolls for a month from the date they are issued, and research students will not get to submit their dissertations or theses for examination for a month from the date of the offence.

They will also have to do community service for up to 100 hours, with those staying in hostels receiving an additional nine demerit points, on top of the initial nine for the first offence.

"These measures have been put in place for the benefit of the NUS community. It is essential that you do your part as a student to keep the NUS community safe and healthy," said Prof Ho.