Several postgraduate students found themselves locked out of University WiFi and unable to gain after-hours access to their building just days before their theses were due.
The issue appears to have been caused by the automatic reset of the Student ID system on February 23, which cleared 2017 students and updated to reflect 2018 enrolment.
The entire class of Masters of Economics students were overlooked in the reset. Their theses were due on February 28, meaning the final five days of their study was done without access to many of the facilities they needed.
According to a University spokesperson, the information in the student management system, eVision, required for Studylink, was that the ECON580 paper was to finish on 22 February 2018.
However, the students concerned did not receive this information.
The students said they were still able to access the desktop computers in their Commerce Building office, but couldn’t connect devices to the WiFi and couldn’t access any desktops in the Central Library or any other libraries.
The students were also unable to access the Commerce Buildings after-hours. “Losing after-hours [building access] is the worst,” said one postgrad. “We’re just not leaving. We’ll be here until we’re done.”
None of the Masters of Economics students brought the issue to I.T. Services, as they felt they didn’t have time to deal with it given their looming deadline.
“It’s just the way it is,” said one student, “I.T. Services won’t do anything; it’s just bureaucracy.”
The Commerce Division said they “would like to issue an apology to all those students affected”.
OUSA President Caitlin Barlow had not heard of any other postgrads with the same issue but said, “If any students are facing this same issue contact our postgraduate rep, Kirio, on postgrad@ousa.org.nz, as soon as possible so we can get it sorted for you.”
To ensure it doesn’t happen again, the Division said they have “amended procedures surrounding the submission of dissertations/projects and these will be communicated to all Departments.”