The Arts Students Association are pleased to note that the amendments to the Stage and Film Classification have been launched for public consultation, and agree that this is indeed a positive step forward to revive the cultural scene in Malta, and move towards lending it a greater autonomy.
ASA also urges its members to take an interest in these amendments and participate in the consultation period, which lasts until February 7, as part of the duties of an active citizen within a democracy.
The Arts Students’ Association believes that the students’ organisations work is being undermined. With reference to Mark Anthony Falzon’s article entitled ‘We shall nanny them to the beaches’ published in the Times of Malta on the 11th September 2011, is, a direct attack on the Malta Medical Students’ Association (MMSA). Dr. Mark Anthony Falzon, as a head of department coming from the Faculty of Arts should know better. Students’ organisations can be criticised, however, offering your weekly occasion opinion just attacking a student organisation is not the way to go. Student organisations carry their particular duties towards student life and must be appreciated with the limited resources each organisation has.
To whom it may concern,
The Arts Students Association (ASA) feels concerned on how things were tackled for those promoted second year students within the Faculty of Arts. Online registration confused some students. During the past few weeks we have received an amount of complaints from students when enrolling registration on e-sims. Many students felt that it was better that they first choose whether they are going to continue their studies as Honours (Hons) or General(Gen). Had this happened, it would have been so much easier for Art Students to register for four optional credits or eight optional credits respectively.
Many students did not know that for Honours (Hons) one would have to opt for 4 ects. ASA assumes that it was the faculty’s office responsibility to announce students on some procedures before registering. Consequently, the process did not run smoothly for the lot. It created unnecessary confusion in our students’ minds and, in some cases, insecurity about their courses. Moreover students expressed the wish to have their respective course programme published online, so that it would be much easier and flexible to register. On a last note, some students did not receive all of their results. This has naturally led to more confusion on what to do.
ASA hopes that in the upcoming academic year these problems would be minimized or, far better, abolished. In this way we can ensure minimization of complaints, stability and security within our faculty staff and students.
Karl Littlejohn, ASA PRO.
Il-Mużika u l-lingwa Maltija.
L-Assoċjazzjoni tal-istudenti tal-Arti(ASA) hi ikkonċernata dwar is-settur tal-mużika f’pajjiżna. Aħna nemmnu li l-lingwa Maltija għandha ħafna kontribut x’tagħti, u dan mhux inqas fil-Mużika. B’hekk aħna nappoġġjaw l-inizjattiva biex jerġa jibda jittella’ l-festival tal-Kanzunetta Maltija. Bħala għaqda ta’ studenti responsabbli mill-istudju fl-arti u anke bħala ċittadini Maltin, aħna rridu li l-lingwa Maltija u kull ħaga li tagħmilna Maltin bħal kultura u d- drawwiet għandhom jingħataw iktar importanza. L-artist lokali jrid ikun iktar rikonoxxut biex itella l-ħiliet tiegħu fil-pubbliku, iżda nemmnu li jrid ikun hemm sistema ta’ kwalifikazzjoni għall-Artisti ħalli x-xogħol ikun iktar professjonali u jikkompeti sew ma’ ta’ barra.
Karl Littlejohn
ASA PRO
***********************************************************
Music and the Maltese Language
The Arts Students’ Association is deeply concerned about the music sector in our country. We firmly believe in the valid contribution that the Maltese language can give even in such sector. With this in
mind, we would like to show our full support to the recent initiative in trying to revive the Maltese Song Festival. As a student organisation within the artistic field, and as Maltese citizens, we
want all the factors that make us Maltese, such as the language, culture and traditions to be given greater importance. The local artist must be aided in all possible ways so as to publicly
demonstrate his abilities and be further recognized nationwide. Having said this, however, we believe that there must be some sort of classification system for artists, which will effectively increase the
professionalism and standard of local work.
Karl Littlejohn
ASA PRO
Dear members,
A press release about the suspension of Erasmus grants from the European Commission was published by ASA
https://artsuom.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/youth-in-action-and-lifelong-learning/
ASA has signed the petition regarding the Youth in Action and Life-Long Learning Programmes and yesterday it was presented to MPs at 5:45
http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=109172832460577&ref=ts
ASA is also fully supporting the initiative being taken by KSU and KNZ in sending a letter to the European Commission with regards the suspension of the Youth In Action and Life-Long Learning Programmes http://www.ksu.org.mt
On the other hand, KSU are currently trying to gather more information. ASA is encouraging those students who wish to go on Erasmus, to visit KSU website
http://ksu.org.mt/en/component/form/?form_id=5
and fill in the feedback form available. ASA will continue to inform about any further updates.
Regards ASA Executive
The Arts Students’ Association wishes to express its deep concern with regards to the news of the temporary suspension of Malta by the European Commission from the eligibility to certain funds which are key and vital for the betterment of education. Such will negatively affect a number of individual students and student organizations.
Erasmus, part of an EU programme which is deeply popular amongst university students including students within the faculty of arts being a mobility programme forms part of these funds and hence is directly impacted. The resultant impact being thus far a notice to prospective outgoing Erasmus students that their ‘golden opportunity’ is on hold.
It would be here worth mentioning that ever since Malta acceded to the European Union six years ago the number of Maltese students taking up the chance to go on an Erasmus exchange have increased, particularly within the Faculty of Arts. ASA believes that such incidents will in no way serve or aid such further positive results.
ASA thus augurs that the necessary action is taken and that Malta is duly restored with regards to these funds. ASA believes that such is a matter both of national pride but perhaps more importantly as a matter of students rights.
Ritratti tal-ASA flimkien ma delegazzjoni tà Studenti fl-Istudji Maltin mal-President tà Malta.
Artiklu li deher fuq il-gurnal L-ORIZZONT fuq din il-kwistjoni.
Il-Kwistjoni tal-Lingwa
Il-kwistjoni tal-lingwa mid-dehra reġgħet tqajmet wara ħafna snin. Din id-darba l-vittma hi l-lingwa Nazzjonali ta’ pajjiżna; Il-Malti. Fl-Università ta’ Malta għandhom jiġu użati ż-żewg lingwi uffiċjali ta’ Malta. L-użu tal-Malti hu importanti ħafna għalina. Bħala Assoċjazzjoni tal-arti aħna napprezzaw il-lingwa Maltija, il-kultura u tradizzjonijiet ta’ pajjiżna ,u rridu nagħmlu minn kollox biex dawn jiġu mħarsa. Hemm ħafna korsijiet fejn l-użu tal-Lingwa Maltija hu meħtieġ għax-xogħol u għat-taħriġ. Irridu nżommu f’moħħna li l-Malti hi lingwa uffiċjali tal-Unjoni Ewropea. Jistà jagħti l-każ li forsi l-Malti ma jiġix miktub u mitkellem kif suppost,u b’ hekk għandha ssir iktar ħidma biex il-lingwa Maltija tiġi msaħħa. L-ASA ma taqbilx mal-mod kif ġie meħud il-każ tal-Lingwa. Aħna nħossu li din hi diskriminazzjoni sfaċċata għall-istudenti. Hemm ċertu korsijiet fejn lanqas ir-riżultat ta’ Jannar ma ħareġ għas-sempliċi fatt li dawn wieġbu bil-Malti f’kors li jirrigwarda l-Malti stess.Fl-eżamijiet l-istudenti Maltin għandhom dritt jekk iridu, biex iwieġbu bil-lingwa Maltija. L-ASA se tkompli ssegwi dan il-każ u se tara li jiġi solvut malajr.
***********************************************************
The Language issue
The language question has arisen once again after a lengthy pause. This time, it’s the Maltese language, our country’s national language that has suffered. At the University of Malta, both national languages should be used. As an art association, we appreciate the Maltese traditions, culture and language and we should do our utmost to preserve them. There are a number of courses which require the use of the Maltese language. We have to keep in mind that Maltese is one of the European Union’s official languages. In reality, the language isn’t being used properly in some cases and so there should be more effort to try and strengthen the language. ASA would like to express its views against the way the language was treated. We believe that this is clear discrimination to students. Certain courses which required answers in Maltese have yet to publish their January exam results. In exams, Maltese students should have the right, if they choose to, to answer in Maltese. The Arts Students’ Association would continue to follow up on this case and make sure it is solved shortly.
Karl Littlejohn
ASA PRO
Arts Students' Association (ASA) 