Page 26 - Transformation Report

5. Broadening Access

The creation of a supportive, humanising learning One of the advantages of the AS includes the identification
environment conducive to student access for success is of of several markers, specifically associated with first-year
primary importance to the University. The University has been student application data, that identifies students who
systematically increasing access to higher education for first- may possibly require additional academic support. These
generation students from socioeconomically disadvantaged include the following: applicants with Applicant Score (AS)
backgrounds, particularly those from quintiles one to three between the 25th percentile and the median; applicants
schools, which are the most deprived. More than half of with Mathematics/Technical Mathematics/Mathematical
all new first-time entering students enrolling at Mandela Literacy scores between the 25th percentile and the median;
University are from schools in poorer areas and this has applicants presenting with Mathematical Literacy; quintile
significant implications for financial support, as well as the 1 to 3 learners who may require additional transitioning
need for expanded academic support to ensure that these support; and English First Additional Language learners.
students are given every opportunity to achieve their full The information of these students was forwarded to the
potential. As much as the Fees-Must-Fall campaign brought relevant academic departments early in the first semester so
about improved funding support to students from poor that they could be monitored and supported. In addition,
and working-class backgrounds, this breakthrough did not where students had several markers flagged, Student
entirely resolve the funding challenges of the so-called Success Coaches contacted these students to discuss the
“missing middle” students. development of academic success plans to promote student
success for each student.
Student-centric support is understood as an ecosystem of
integrated excellent services purposefully designed with and In addition, through the funding received from the Kresge
for students to enable, expose, engage, and empower them Foundation as part of the Siyaphumelela project, the
as human beings to realise their life aspirations through their University initially appointed academic advisors in two pilot
pathway at the University. In 2018, the University developed faculties, EBEIT and Law, to complement existing wrap-
a new model for establishing admission requirements for around student support initiatives and to assist with tracking
undergraduate programmes, which made our admissions student progress. Predictive learning analytics were identified
process more efficient. The 2020 first-time entering students that can be used by these academic advisors to identify and
were the first intake admitted via the Applicant Score (AS) implement appropriate academic support interventions for
admissions criteria. By 28 January 2020, a total of 11 100 students. It was interesting to note that these were the only
first-time entering applicants had received firm offers of two faculties that demonstrated an increase in the retention
acceptance, based on their final school-leaving results. rate of first-year students by 2 and 7 percent respectively
However, only 5 301 of these first-time entering students from 2018 to 2019. This new addition to the suite of student
enrolled in 2020 as compared to 6 355 in 2019. Students support interventions showed much promise and was
who do not register at the University largely take up offers therefore mainstreamed across all faculties as part of the
made by other universities, which is an ongoing challenge. organisational redesign process undertaken in 2019.

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