Unilorin suspends over 300 graduating students

The University of Ilorin has suspended over 300 graduating students for misconduct centred around the illegal access to their grades spreadsheet.

Following their appearance before the university’s Student Disciplinary Committee (SDC) last week, school authorities suspended accused students, the bulk of whom are graduating students, for misconduct bordering on illegal access to their academic grades spreadsheets.

According to the letter, the suspension is expected to last through the Harmattan Semester of the 2019/2020 academic session.

“You will recall that your appearance before the Student Disciplinary Committee (SDC) to defend yourself in respect to the allegation of misconduct levelled against you.

“After due consideration of all evidence, the committee was convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that the allegation of misconduct has been established against you. It has accordingly recommended to the Vice-Chancellor, who in the exercise of the power conferred on him, has directed that (Name of the student) be suspended from the university for a semester, accordingly.

“You’re hereby suspended from the University for the Harmattan Semester 2019/2020 academic session,” the letter read.

Through last week, the management invited the concerned students to appear before a committee headed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Mrs Sylvia O. Malomo, to defend themselves against aforementioned allegations.

Speaking with some of the affected students, while some bemoaned the “harsh” decision of the university management, some claimed they were innocent of the charge. They stated that they did not illegally bypass the login parameters for the university’s website and they did not access the spreadsheet in question.

“The management’s decision is very harsh considering the fact that majority of us are innocent!” a 300 level student from the faculty of Management Sciences cried out.

“I did not check, I did not know how my portal got blocked. I just found myself in this mess,” Another affected Student of Mass Communication said.

Additionally, some of the affected students also claimed that the SDC did not give them ample time to make their defence as they (SDC) constantly asked them “not to waste their time.”

“The SDC is just for formality; the decision is by the Deans of Faculties. We were not given a chance to defend ourselves. They only asked whether one is guilty or not and when you tell them you are not guilty they automatically believe you are lying. But if you tell them you are guilty, they are ready to listen to whatever you have to tell them,” another affected student from the faculty of Management Sciences explained.

Meanwhile, as contained in the letter of suspension, the management has given the suspended students the right to appeal the SDC’s decision, within 48 days after the date of the letter.

“In case you are dissatisfied with this decision, you are free to appeal to the university council through the Dean of (your) faculty and Vice-Chancellor with 48 days after the date of this letter,” the letter reads.

In the university of Ilorin, final year students’ results are traditionally not released to the students. Student academic performance spreadsheet is only provided by the student’s level advisor in the student’s first-third year in the school, while the last (the 4th) is kept hidden from the student. 

The official reason for this has not been made public by the management.