NewsLetter #2:

Dear students,

Summer days have swiftly drifted away, and academic terminology seems to be having its toll over the holiday vocabulary… And what is likely to be called up to the Gozitan student’s mind? … Most probably a series of missed buses, an even longer account of missed ferries, energy-draining dashes for the luckier ones who manage to make just in time, monthly austere looks by the uncompromising landlords and sequential qualms of how to make ends meet.

Yet should our educational experience, which our fellow Maltese students perceive as an enviable adventure, go haywire? The present GUG executive gives a definite “No!” We are fully conscious of the fact that Gozitan students sum up to 1/10 of the University population; a number which has the full potentiality to create pressure, and voice its preoccupations, so as not to say its suffered discrimination. We are doing our utmost to go public, and to state it loud and clear that the Gozitan student is a citizen who is able to stand his ground and who will not give way to the conventional attitude of remaining silent for the sake of being given contributions.

And yet, the GUG executive goes far beyond words to help from having the system descending into chaos. Many are those who still cradle the belief that as GUG we are simply there to follow custom and fulfill a post. This is definitely a far cry from what we have in mind. This past summer was not a hibernating period for GUG, but it consisted of three months of continuous meetings, debates and consults about how to achieve the very best for the Gozitan student. We proudly say that Gozitan students have always been among the highfliers within even pursued course, and to render this further more attainable, we are seeking to initiate a more student-friendly system of examinations for the Gozitan student. This would plainly give the student the option to sit for his exams in the comfort of his native land, avoiding having to cross over sometimes just to check whether the time-table has been amended.
Additionally, a substantial amount of students following various courses have to daily make it all the way to Malta during the summer period, without being given any subsidies or contributions for the relative expenses. We have underlined this discriminative attitude and are presently talking it over so as to financially accommodate these students. And to proceed on the same monetary wavelength, let’s face it… can we refer to the given Gozo grant as being sufficient? Unlike the Maltese student, the Gozitan student has to pay for additional accomodation; energy bills, fixed line calls, internet service, food, and a plethora of other needs which when summed up exceed by far the financial amount provided.

Subsequently, as an executive, we are holding up meetings with the national upper-heads, including major political parties so as to avoid equating seeming with being. And with regard to the freshers, we would like to help fade away all the strains on face-to-face interactions between all the other students who would apparently seem to have got the hang of how the system works. What’s more is to avoid having your expectations being thwarted and to provide you with a smooth lead-through as possible. This would be rendered viable through our stands which you are most welcome to confer with during your first days on campus.
Once we’d have managed to come to a fulfilling conclusion regarding such claims on which we are already being given positive feedback, we would surely let you know.

See you on campus !! :)

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