Last week, KSU celebrated its successful annual Freshers’ Week on campus with thousands of newcomers, current, and alumni students roaming the stands for freebies and a taste of free donuts. The week long event is orchestrated by KSU to usher in a new academic year, and this year happens to be the first with fewer COVID-19 restrictions; From Challenges for an opportunity to win AirPods, free stationeries, expensive giveaways, and a huge turnout, to political candidates visiting campus – it seemed like KSU’s Freshers was one to be remembered for a while longer than usual.
So What Went Wrong?
Last week on Friday, both Moviment Graffitti and Times of Malta commented on the disparity of treatment from KSU’s end towards student organisations as opposed to corporate companies. The profiling of what went wrong is reminiscent of TTE’s open letter in response to the General Election debate dispute. KSU’s conduct as the most vital student body representative, once again, focuses on brand expansion and power upkeep.
The complaints mentioned:
- Lack of space for student organisations
- Corporation oriented freshers
- Campus Quadrangle hosting only large corporations and KSU’s Stage
KSU’s response mentioned in Times of Malta set the scene for many. Ignoring the previous allegations, KSU’s President stated that all NGOs were notified and were given a choice to arrange the time slots. The comment was seen to be missing the point. The main issue was the misplaced privilege of space and potential for meeting new students in an environment suitable for everyone. As expressed by Andrew Sciberras, president of GħSL, there was a mood of disappointment amongst the NGOs.
What Has Freshers’ Week Become?
A large stage for KSU to give out tote bags and parking permits while student organisations sweat
it out in small heavily crowded tents? The current environment points towards a week-long event hyper-focused on exploiting what was once an opportunity to gather and make new social connections to an opportunity for political campaigning and corporate brand expansion.
Open to feedback
In the next commission meeting on the 11th of October where KSU meets with the student organisations, KSU has pledged to hear out the concerns following Freshers. The opportunity for discourse gives a glimmer of hope for a more student-centred Freshers’ Week next year, in addition to a more careful KSU executive when giving more privileges to those who pay instead of those who voluntarily give time and energy to serve and represent the student body.