The Students’ Campus Council (SCC) at the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) has introduced academic support programme to address student concerns related to academic matters and services offered by faculties.
The initiative was developed in response to ongoing student concerns about marks, credits, graduation outcomes and GPA calculations. It will take place twice a month for six months from 10:00 to 16:00 near the SCC offices and aims to connect students with faculty support through student leaders.
Bonolo Mashilo, a SCC academic officer, emphasised the need for structured support systems to address academic challenges faced by students.
“This programme is planned to take place twice a month to provide students with easier access to faculty services through their faculty leaders. The key focus areas include academic-related matters, expediting faculty responses to student issues, providing clarity on timetables, offering study strategies in collaboration with the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) team and ensuring easy referral to relevant departments,” Bonolo said.
Each of the seven faculties will have four representatives and student leaders will assist in directing students to the appropriate departments, including Student Academic Lifecycle Administration, the Bursary Office and the Finance Office.
Practical support
“We also realised that some student issues are practical in nature and do not necessarily require intervention from faculty administrators. In such cases, student leaders can provide appropriate guidance, with support from CTL services, and refer students to the relevant departments based on their queries. For example, instead of consulting the faculty about financial issues, students can be directed to the Finance Office,” he said.
The initiative is expected to contribute to faster resolution of academic queries, reduce the number of pending cases, improve student satisfaction and strengthen communication between students and faculty structures.
“My advice to students is to actively consult and participate in this initiative whenever they see their faculty stall in front of the A5 CLB building. This will allow them to raise any issues they may be experiencing at the time and prevent problems from accumulating. The programme also encourages students to regularly check their student portals for marks and important updates so that assistance can be provided promptly,” Bonolo concluded.
Student leaders engage with students during the academic support programme.
