This academic year saw a record number of new or revived student organisations surfacing amongst the student population on campus.Despite this increase in student participation their was also a record low number of voters for the recent Kunsill Studenti Universitarji (KSU) election, when only 9.98% of eligible students voted.

Student politics is a topic that the majority of students are not particularly conversant with. It is sometimes difficult to get the student to understand what KSU is, let alone the average citizen or the media. Whether it is a lack of political education at secondary level or in the Systems of Knowledge syllabus, or just the fact that students are only concerned with their three or more years on campus before stepping out to work, still remains a phenomenon.

Recently, student organisations were invited to a KE-KPS seminar where old and new student organisation members learned about the history, structure and function of KSU. For someone like me who had a brother involved in MMSA (Malta Medical Students’ Association) for many years, student participation was engraved in me from a young age. I remember stealing my brother’s @KSU magazine whenever he used to receive it at home and read about what was happening on campus at the time.

I also used to help out during MMSA activities and would visit the Student House when in those days MMSA had a little messy office much like the one I work in now with Insite – some things never change. I fondly remember attending the KSU Student Fest and Campus Fest as well during my Sixth Form days.

However, the most influential moment for me was when I was chosen to be a KPS observer for St. Aloysius’ Sixth Form. I remember a different KPS from the one I attend now. The debates were better structured and represented as each organisation had something to say and always made sure they said it!

Before then, I couldn’t really say I knew what KSU is all about. Sometimes that one little chance of being involved in the bigger picture changes your whole perception of that little picture you had in your mind before. Despite this I dispelled all familiar notions and attended the latest KE-KPS seminar on Saturday, 24 April with an open mind.

The session started a bit late. Around 45 members had registered to attend but only around 30 showed up including current and newly elected KSU Executive members. This was a real pity as the seminar was well-organised and structured. Organisations that were present included ASA, CommA, GĦSL,  Insite,  SCubed and SDM, with SCubed having the highest number of new Executive members present.

Former KSU Executive member Dr Justin Fenech kicked things off with a brief history of KSU from its foundation in 1901 to the present day. Did you know that KSU is the oldest national students’ union in Europe and that NSTS (the first language school in Malta) was actually a sub-committee of KSU? And did you ever hear of the time when Prince Charles was to visit campus to unveil a plaque and at the same time Government finally decided to tarmac the ring road around campus and add proper facilities for the students? I repeat – some things NEVER change.

Students got so annoyed at this after years of asking for these upgrades that they decided to steal the plaque overnight and hid all the chairs for the arrival ceremony on the roof of Students’ House. It’s a hilarious reaction but pure genius. A stunt like that these days would not go down too well at all. But Dr Fenech was quick to point out that the due to the nature of the times (the thirty-or-so years after World War II) “students had to be rebels”. In fact, the biggest KSU vs Government clash was and still remains the medical students’ issue during ex-Prime Minister Dom Mintoff’s time in government.

Dr Fenech then went on to explain the structure of KSU by using a simple diamond shaped illustration. The diamond is KSU and being a union that means any student enrolled in a course with the University of Malta, Junior College, Institute of Health Care, Bighi and the Gozo Campus is a member of KSU. This means that all students can attend and have a right to vote during the KSU Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is the highest body of the diamond structure. On a level playing field are KPS and KE which were included within the current structure in 1995.

Most students are not familiar with these two anagrams. KPS refers to ‘Il-Kummissjoni tal-Politika Soċjali tal-KSU’ and is made up of all the active student organisation members on campus. When the media reports an issue tackled or a vote passed within KSU this is actually done by KPS.

The terms are used interchangeably as arguably KSU represents the whole structure after all. This is why sometimes people get confused which is which. In order to have voting power within KPS a student needs to be part of the Executive board in a student organisation and attend KPS meetings. Also, members of KPS can raise topics on the Agenda during KPS meetings which are mainly of social, economic, political and environmental reasons.

KE on the other hand tackles academic issues and is made up of all student faculty/centre/institution representatives on campus. KE stands for ‘Il-Kummissjoni tal-Edukazzjoni tal-KSU’. Sometimes an important issue may overlap and be discussed in both KPS and KE, as happened with the UMASA directives back in 2008/2009.

Dr Fenech closed this second information session off by reminding student organisation members that they should think ahead, continuously involve potential members and engage in constant training. He also reminded us that:

“You are the crazy people who have decided to do this. Some students like you get it but then you have those that just never will get it and never will get involved. You must have the willingness to work together or else keep fighting on who is right. And remember this: Nobody’s right!”

The third session saw student organisations and student reps divided into two groups. The former was headed by Leonard Bonello (ex-Secretary General of KSU) and the latter by Roberta Avellino (ex-President and Education Commissioner of KSU).

The sessions were very engaging where the speakers got everyone to debate on what KPS and KE are all about and the rights and responsibilities pertaining to each student involved in these two. Current KPS and KE commissioners and coordinators were also present to give their input.

Finally, an interrogative style session was organised by Mr Bonello on the functions of the KSU Executive Board. Current and new members were put on a panel in front of the whole group together with other new student organisation members and questioned on their roles within KSU or their organisation. The first panel had Carl Grech (ex-KSU PRO and 2 years running President in KSU), Karl Agius (ex-Education Commissioner and current Secretary General in KSU) and James Cassar (ex-KSU PRO and current Vice-President in KSU).

The second panel had Isabelle Camilleri (ASA President) and Jonathan Falzon (SCubed President) describing their challenges as President in a student organisation. The final panel had Martina Galea (current Finance Officer in KSU), Rachel Cassar (ex-Social Policy Coordinator and current KSU PRO) and Nathan (new Finance and Acitivites Officer for SCubed).

As a result of the very positive response from this session, participants requested more seminars like this to be held throughout the year.

After the sessions participants socialised over some food and wine and were still buzzing way after. I took this as a chance to mingle with different students and everyone said that they had definitely learned something new from the session (even the older and more knowledgeable members).

In addition, new members or reps did not find it to be intimidating at all and are now more enthusiastically looking forward to pursue their student life and get involved in KPS and KE. And with this optimistic attitude in mind, I hope this is the start of a change in the right direction for student life on campus.