A group of University of South Africa (Unisa) students were left feeling disappointed and frustrated after arriving at the International Convention Centre in East London for their graduation ceremony, only to be told that it had been cancelled. The students, who had been looking forward to walking across the stage and receiving their certificates in a formal ceremony, were instead handed their certificates by Unisa staff at the reception of the venue. Thuthula Sodumo, a disabled graduate who had worked hard to earn her Master of Philosophy in Gender Studies with distinction, expressed her disappointment, saying that the university had robbed her of an opportunity she had worked towards for years.
Sodumo, who uses a wheelchair, said that she had desperately wanted to walk across the stage to show other people living with disabilities that their circumstances should not prevent them from pursuing their dreams. She added that the university's decision to cancel the ceremony had been demotivating and had diminished what should have been a celebration of her achievements. Other students, including Zimkitha, also expressed their disappointment and frustration, saying that they had received no communication from the university about the change in arrangements and had spent money on travel and clothes for the occasion.
According to Unisa spokesperson Tommy Huma, the affected students had been informed on September 7 that the second ceremony would no longer take place and that their graduation had been brought forward to October 5. Huma said that the notice had been sent through students' MyLife email accounts, the university's official communication platform. However, some students claimed that they had not received the email, leading to confusion and disappointment on the day of the ceremony.
The cancellation of the ceremony has also led to concerns about financial losses incurred by the students. Some graduates have threatened to take legal action against Unisa, accusing the university of trying to "cover" itself by later changing dates on its information portal without notifying students. Aisha Abrahams said that she wanted Unisa to reimburse her for costs incurred, while Mr Bartman, a parent, expressed his disappointment and frustration, saying that the experience had been emotionally draining for his family.
The university's decision to cancel the ceremony has been met with criticism from students and parents, who feel that the university did not handle the situation well. Unisa understands the importance placed on graduation ceremonies by students, their families and friends and regrets this unfortunate incident. However, the university has not commented on whether students would be refunded or indicated how many graduates had been scheduled to participate in Tuesday's ceremony.
The incident has highlighted the importance of effective communication between universities and their students. Students and parents have emphasized the need for universities to be transparent and clear in their communication, particularly when it comes to important events such as graduation ceremonies. The incident has also raised questions about the university's handling of the situation and whether it could have been avoided.
The graduation ceremony was initially scheduled to take place on October 5 and 6, with over 100 graduates set to participate on Tuesday. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the university decided to cancel the ceremony and hand out certificates to graduates downstairs without a formal ceremony or scroll presentation. Key issues surrounding the incident include a lack of communication from the university, financial losses incurred by students, and the importance of graduation ceremonies for students and their families.
Key points
- Unisa students express disappointment and frustration after graduation ceremony is replaced with certificate handover.
- University spokesperson attributes cancellation to miscommunication, citing email notification sent to affected students on September 7.
- Incident raises questions about university's handling of situation and need for effective communication with students.
