Academics object to 'indiscriminate' criticism

University lecturers have expressed dismay over critical graduation ceremony speeches and the way they are reported in the media, insisting that graduation day should not serve as a platform to criticise academics indiscriminately.

The university academics' association had commissioned a study that analysed last year's speeches to see whether they were negative or positive about the academics and the university.

With graduation day approaching for thousands of students, the association said it was hoping that this year's student speeches and media reports would reflect the reality of most students' experiences better than they had done in previous years.

The association said it felt that "graduation ceremony speeches should not serve as a platform to criticise the academic staff indiscriminately. Instead, students should make use of the existing appeals' structures in place at the university. If necessary, such structures can be strengthened to encourage students to avail themselves of them".

Nevertheless, the academics' body pointed out, the 10 students who read graduation speeches last year were contacted by the association and asked to elaborate on the comments they had made: "To date, not one single reply has been received from these students.

"It is most unfortunate that, all too often, graduation speeches delivered by graduands are presented as having a good deal of adverse criticism of the University of Malta. Yet, this is to a great extent unfair and unfounded."

Commenting on the study commissioned on last year's graduation ceremonies, carried out by Dr Charles V. Sammut and Prof. Godfrey Baldacchino, the association noted that: "Although the media reports of the speeches presented them as having been very negative, the favourable comments about the various faculties and departments of the University of Malta far outweighed the unfavourable ones.

"Various speeches praised lecturers for their thoroughness in the preparation of courses; for the dedication showed in research; for inspiring students to take greater pains with their own work; for helping students to mature on a personal level as well as on a professional one; for their congeniality towards students and for promoting a sense of collegiality among students. The negative comments attracted more media attention."

On the other hand, there were some very serious claims in some of the speeches including that some lecturers were often late or even failed to turn up for lectures, were careless in marking assignments, did not maintain constant marking standards and discouraged students.