Unisa ‘working’ to address 1,400 pending disciplinary cases

Students have complained about the efficacy of programmes such as the Invigilator App used during online exams, as well as discrepancies and delays in how these processes were being handled.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, the university’s acting vice principal of institutional development, Ramogoai Magano, assured the public that investigations and disciplinary processes regarding dishonesty and alleged cheating during exams were being conducted in accordance with Unisa’s stringent policies regarding academic integrity.

“It must be emphasised that students who are under investigations and/or undergoing disciplinary hearings are allowed to register in the intervening period to ensure that, should they be found not guilty, they are disadvantaged with regard to their studies and academic progress,” Magano said.       

Unisa confirmed that it was probing just over 1,450 cases and has set itself a target of addressing 75 of these per week.

According to Magano, the formal hearings set to resolve the pending cases have begun.

“All cases pertaining to non-adherence to the Invigilator App have been concluded. Based on the conclusion of the investigations that the contraventions were minor, the students were given warning letters.

“The remaining cases – about 1456 – pertain to pure academic dishonesty (plagiarism, non-adherence to Turnitin, etc.) and the formal hearings in this regard already commenced on 25 March 2024.”

Responding to reports students were complaining about the slow pace of these hearings, the Manager for Student Disciplinary Matters, Ndhuma Rhulani Shivambu, said they would do their best to hasten the process.

Despite these challenges around online-based examinations, Magano said Unisa had no plans to return to venue-based exams.

Meanwhile, student leader Aphiwe Dlamini said since before the COVID-19 pandemic, Unisa has always prided itself in the successful introduction of online-based learning and that students who wish to join the institution must first introspect on whether or not they are compatible and capable of adhering to the university’s rules.

“We know that there are areas that need improvement. We have been excelling in terms of the online examination. Even as you register with the institution, there are guidelines which clarify, before you enrol with Unisa, you know what to expect.”

The university said it was running awareness campaigns to educate students on its programmes. However, it admitted that few students attend targeted webinars or use practical tools such as the mock exam.

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