Ms Zuzeka Mkra Student Retention Unit Date: 26 June 2019 TOPIC: After the exam results - Unisa

Ms Zuzeka Mkra
Student Retention Unit
Date: 26 June 2019
TOPIC: After the exam results

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Student Retention Unit (SRU)

• The SRU has a mandate to implement and coordinate the First-
  Year Experience (FYE) programme.

• The FYE programme aims to provide extended support to
  students entering Unisa for the first time by providing essential
  information during crucial points in the student journey.

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FYE projects

        A look at the FYE Projects

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FYE weekly emails

• Seven emails were sent to each cohort: those registered in
 January 2019 (first-time entering) and those registered in
 June/July 2018 (returning first-time entering students).

• The last email for the semester was sent out on the 25th of June
 2019.

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FYE Live broadcasts…

• This is our 7th live broadcast and thank you for joining us.
• FYE live broadcast successes:
   Crucial tool as it bridges the gap between students and the
    institution.
   Live interaction with the students.
   Immediate response to student queries.
   If missed, recording can be watched later from FYE website
    www.unisa.ac.za/FYE.
  Most viewed: over 40 000 students.

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FYE mailbox

• The SRU has created an FYE mailbox for students to send FYE
  related queries: fye@unisa.ac.za
• The SRU team attends to all queries on a daily basis.
• FYE mailbox uniqueness:
   No automated response.
   Students receive feedback within 48 hours.
   Students appreciate swift response.
   Non first-time entering students also utilise the mailbox.

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FYE website…
• FYE website was created to bridge the gap between
  students and administrative/academic staff by providing
  information related to:
   Support services available to all Unisa students
   Including all FYE related information on all the various
     services provided to first-time entering.
• The website is updated on a regular basis. Visit
  www.unisa.ac.za/FYE.

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FYE MOOC

• FYE MOOC piloted in the following regions:
   Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Rustenburg and Cape Town.
• Changes made based on the comments received during
  the piloting.
• The SRU launched FYE MOOC on 31 May 2019.

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ADVOCACY & RESOURCE CENTRE FOR STUDENTS
            WITH DISABILITIES
               (ARCSWiD)

        “NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US”

             Presenter: Mr. PJ NKUNA

PREAMBLE

ARCSWiD affirms the commitment to:
position Unisa as an institution of first choice for students with disabilities;
support these students through an empathetic understanding of their needs;
provide appropriate facilities and remove existing barriers.

Implications:
UNISA may not discriminate against any student with a disability;
UNISA will ensure an enabling environment to prevent barriers, delays,
inconvenience and unfair practices.

Planning for next semester

 Students with disabilities are encouraged to register early to enable the
  University to produce their accessible study material .e.g. braile, audio,
  large print etc.
 Apply for special examinations arrangements by the first of August 2019.
 Students who require prescribed books in accessible formats should
  request for the books at registration.
 Advise ARCSWiD on their individual needs including study material in a
  format of their choice by completing special assistance form.

Financial assistance

 Students with disabilities who require financial assistance/bursaries, should
  complete the application forms at the point of registration.
 The following supporting documents should be attached to the application
  for the bursary; Proof of income, Proof of disability, Certified ID/birth
  certificate copies and a quotations of the required assistive devices
  relevant to their disabilities.
 Students are advised to submit quotations from official suppliers.
 When choosing a supply the student should select a supplier who will
  provide him/her with after sales support.
 Students who are rejected by the bursary should submit an appeal if they
  are not satisfied with the outcome.

Choosing modules for your next registration

 It is important for students to chose modules which they will be able to cope
  with as per their disabilities.
 Check that you meet the pre-requisites and co-requisites for your chosen
  modules and ensure the selected modules fall within the curriculum.
 Students who require Sign Language Interpretation services should notify
  ARCSWiD/ the Regional office.
 Promote the use of ICT, by facilitating the provision of access technology in
  regional centres(multipurpose lab) for the use of students with disabilities.

THANK YOU!

AFTER THE EXAMINATIONS

KW MOKGUPI
TUITION AND LEARNER SUPPORT: CHS

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF AFTER THE EXAMS

• What worked and what didn’t?
• How many modules did you register?
• Are you still convinced that what you will be continuing
  with is still what you enjoy and want?
• Was support enough to make your learning easier?
• Do you still need more support and in which areas?

START OF SEMESTER

• Before registering, verify if you are still doing the right
  curriculum.
• List all the modules that you would like to register.
• Are there pre-requisites and how do they impact on the
  courses to register for semester 2.
• Are there any co-requisites?

• Check if the courses you want to register are
  semester and not year courses.
• Temporary Registration- is not registration. You need
  to pay the initial minimum fee (around R600 per
  module) for your registration to be finalized.
• Preliminary Time-table - use this time table so that
  you can make a decision on which modules to
  register.

EXTENSION ON REGISTRATION DATES
• Registration dates have been extended.
• We urge you to register as soon as possible and pay the
  required minimum fees. Don’t wait for the extended
  payment dates.
• Waiting to pay on the extended dates will have an impact
  on your academic year progression (e.g. delivery of study
  material, assignment submissions, exams and so on).

ACCESS TO CRITICAL INFORMATION

• All the information on closing dates for submission of
  assignments will appear in your tutorial letter 101.
  However, due to the extension in dates for registration, the
  dates on the tutorial letters might not be relevant then you
  need to check the following spaces for updates:
  – Unisa website/online platforms.
  – Emails and messages to your cellphones.

SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS
• There are various ways of submitting assignments.
  However, some have proven to work at the disadvantage
  of the students.
• Post - if there is a postal office strike then your
  assignment won’t reach Unisa on time.
• Learning centres - consider the time that assignments are
  collected and the time they take to reach Unisa.

• MyUnisa - the best! Your assignment is submitted and
  recorded instantly.
• However, when submitting via MyUnisa do not wait for the
  closing/last day as you might experience problems with
  the system as everyone will be submitting on the same
  day.

TIPS TO STUDENTS
• Read and read your books until it hurts!
• Acquire ALL the prescribed material for your
  course/module.
• Do not write to pass exams or assignments. Read to know
  and understand your material.
• Use all the available support to make your studies
  enjoyable.
• Choose the most viable method for the posting of your
  study material.

• Become true friends with MyUnisa as it is the only
  platform where you can access all the information and
  study material from.
• Do not wait for the last minute to submit assignments.
• Draw a time-table for your studies.

Student Laptop Project
             2019
REPORT PREPARED BY MS M.M. SIBANDA, DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN
                        THE
              OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR

                     25 JUNE 2019

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INTRODUCTION
• The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)
  agreed that students who qualified for the Learning
  Material Allowance (LMA) can use it to buy a laptop or
  textbook through Unisa internal processes.
• Qualifying Criteria: Students to be registered for 60 credits
  per year in order to qualify for R5000 LMA
• Students registered for less than 60 credits will be
  allocated R600 per module
• The money will be transferred to the Intellimali card to
  enable student to buy prescribed books                     29

BACKGROUND
• In November 2018, Council resolved that the piloting of
  the project should ensure that every student have a laptop
  in 2019.
• The piloting focused on student who are funded by
  National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and who
  qualified for the Learning Material Allowance (LMA).
• Students who qualified for R5000, were given an option to
  choose between a textbook or laptop. NOT BOTH!
• A web link was used to make this choice.
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BACKGROUND continue…
• The web link was activated from 13 February to 13 March
  2019 for students to make a choice.
• Only students who activated their MyLife account could
  make a choice as the web link was sent via the MyLife
  account.
• Students who did not activate their MyLife account were
  to activate the MyLife account first for many other
  benefits.

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ALLOCATION TO SERVICE PROVIDERS
• Various service providers were appointed to deliver the
  laptops to students across the Provinces.
• UNISA Regional Offices were used as a point of laptops
  deliveries and collection
• UNISA allocates a list of qualifying students to suppliers
• Suppliers would contact students to collect their laptops
  when it is ready for collection.

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COMMUNICATION TO STUDENTS
• NSFAS students were informed in December 2018 of
  these new developments regarding use of Learning
  Material Allowances (textbooks vs laptops).
• Deliveries of laptops started in April 2019 and is ongoing.
• Over 90% laptops have been delivered to date.

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STUDENTS CHALLENGES
• Students showing up at the distribution venues without being
  notified by suppliers
• Some students are not contactable due to various reasons,
  mainly is the change of contact details, cell phone numbers in
  particular.
• Students not honouring the appointments for collections
• Students relocating to different provinces without notification
• Students who did not sign the NSFAS Bursary Forms
• Students who are demanding laptops whereas they did not qualify
  in terms of the criteria.
• Students demanding both textbooks and laptops, which is against
  NSFAS Funding Policy

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CONCLUSION
• If you were to be given an opportunity to choose between
  a laptop and cash, what will you choose?

            MAKE A WISE CHOICE TODAY!

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THANK YOU

   “BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED”

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE
                AND
    BE GRATEFUL OF YOUR SITUATION

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For more information

         Contact us
     • fye@unisa.ac.za
Take part in our FYE MOOC
    • mooc.unisa.ac.za
      Visit our website
  • www.unisa.ac.za/FYE

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