It is abundantly clear that this weeks’ KSU Freshers’ Week was turned into a platform for big companies to sell their brand and create a hyper-consumerist environment on the University Quad. The lack of investment in students’ organisations was apparent due to the fact that student organisations were only given two small tents away from the main area, and the facilities provided were sub-par to those given to the companies. This meant that the Quadrangle and all central areas, which are meant to be student dedicated spaces were deprived of student-led activity and displays.
The decision by KSU to host companies and corporations on Quad falls in line with more recent Freshers’ Weeks, which has been actively pushing away student organisations from the heart of the University of Malta for the last decade. This is a sorry state of affairs since students, particularly those wishing to engage in student affairs, should be at the forefront of this week.
Along with the private endeavour of the university student residence – Campus Hub – by the University of Malta, there are many clear indications that the university’s primary ethos has become consumerism, not the rich academic experience and social conscience that such an educational institution has to provide. The money-grabbing incident at Campus Hub by FreeHour only highlighted these problems.
We demand that in future years, this week, should be led by students for students. What was once a time for freshers to meet fellow students, organisations and familiarise themselves with the University has been turned into a week-long market. Studenti Graffitti demands that the respective institutions revise the layout of the KSU Freshers’ Week by consulting all relevant organisations, students and entities.
In-negozju ġie qabel l-istudenti – Studenti Graffitti jikkundannaw l-organizzazzjoni tal-KSU Freshers’ Week
Jidher ċar kristall li l-KSU Freshers’ Week ta’ din il-ġimgħa nbidlet fi pjattaforma biex il-kumpaniji l-kbar ibigħu d-ditti tagħhom u joħolqu ambjent iper-konsumista fil-Quad tal-Università. In-nuqqas ta’ investiment fl-organizzazzjonijiet tal-istudenti kien evidenti minħabba l-fatt li l-organizzazzjonijiet tal-istudenti ngħataw biss żewġ tined żgħar ‘il bogħod miż-żona prinċipali, u l-faċilitajiet ipprovduti lilhom kienu inferjuri għal dawk mogħtija lill-kumpaniji. Dan wassal biex il-Quadrangle, li hi maħsuba tkun żona ddedikata għall-istudenti, kienet nieqsa minn attività u wirjiet immexxija mill-istudenti.
Id-deċiżjoni tal-KSU li tospita kumpaniji u korporazzjonijiet fil-Quad tkompli mat-tradizzjoni tal-Freshers’ Weeks li rajna f’dawn l-aħħar snin. B’mod attiv dan qed ibiegħed l-organizzazzjonijiet tal-istudenti mill-qalba tal-Università ta’ Malta. Din hija sitwazzjoni tal-biki għax l-istudenti, partikolarment dawk li jixtiequ jieħdu sehem fl-affarijiet tal-istudenti, għandhom jingħataw il-prijorità waqt din il-ġimgħa.
Flimkien mal-isforzi privati tal-Università ta’ Malta għal residenza tal-istudenti universitarji, jiġifieri Campus Hub, hemm ħafna indikazzjonijiet ċari li l-ethos primarju tal-università sar il-konsumeriżmu, mhux l-esperjenza akkademika rikka u l-kuxjenza soċjali li istituzzjoni edukattiva bħal din għandha tipprovdi. L-inċident fejn intefgħu karti tal-flus mill-kumpanija Freehour biex jinġabru mill-istudenti fil-Campus Hub kompla jenfasizza dawn il-problemi.
Nitolbu li fis-snin li ġejjin, din il-ġimgħa tkun immexxija mill-istudenti għall-istudenti. Dak li darba kien żmien biex studenti ġodda jiltaqgħu ma’ organizzazzjonijiet u studenti oħra u biex jiffamiljarizzaw ruħhom mal-Università, inbidel f’suq li jdum ġimgħa. Studenti Graffitti jitolbu l-istituzzjonijiet rispettivi jirrevedu l-organizzazzjoni tal-KSU Freshers’ Week billi jikkonsultaw lill-organizzazzjonijiet, studenti u entitajiet rilevanti kollha.
