Student activism should not be denigrated, especially not by a University lecturer

Students feel that as a University lecturer, columnist Mark-Anthony Falzon (The Sunday Times, September 11) should support rather than unjustly try to denigrate the work and efforts of a student organisation, especially one working on a positive initiative (explaining to the public the consequences of staying in the sun for long hours).

Moreover, this is not the first time Dr Falzon has demeaned or criticised students and student organisations at University in his writings.

Even if written in a personal capacity, his comments go to show that in 2011 there are still elements at University which hinder, restrict and oppress student activism, student involvement and stu-dent engagement, something which the University per se should be working on promoting, especially since we always speak of ‘apathy’ in our University.

We would like to express students’ concern over Dr Falzon’s comments and show solidarity with the medical students’ organisation, MMSA.

Signed by: 

Karl Agius, Roberta Rizzo, Angelo Micallef, James Cassar, Student representatives on the University Senate, Abigail Cremona, KSU, Social Policy Commissioner (o.b.o. student organisations), Stefan Balzan, President, University Students’ Council (KSU), Msida