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15 October 2021 | Story Department Communication and Marketing

Dear Student

Nationally, there are fraudulent activities related to the ‘stealing’ of student data enabled by


1. the sharing of student login credentials with other parties;
2. national mobile data service providers clamping down on the misuse of data allocations by universities to students; and
3. students misusing data allocations made to them.
 
The University of the Free State (UFS) cannot unblock you if you are blocked by a service provider for fraudulent activity. 
 
Managing your credentials and passwords is your responsibility. 

 For more details, please read the following message.
 
Your digital identity is very important and has a very direct influence on not only your digital life, but also has a very direct influence on your private life.  

The following is a more detailed explanation of this statement:
 
Your digital identity is the key to unlocking all forms of access to digital services such as bank accounts, access to private digital services, and access to the learning materials at the university.  All of this is controlled through two very simple ‘things’, being your login code and the password attached to the specific login code.
 
At the point of first registration as a student, a unique student number is allocated to the student.  This is a unique number that will identify you as a person throughout your academic journey and will also ‘live on’ for many years thereafter, or for as long as there is an active relationship between you and the university.  

We, as the university, do not re-use these unique numbers and they are active for life.  This is the manner in which the university identifies you as a unique individual and we link ALL other digital services to this number, also the provision of data to enable your academic journey.  

When you lose control over your login credentials, you, personally, are immediately exposed – firstly as an adult, and secondly, in your private capacity.  At this point, there is very little the UFS can do to assist you in regaining control over your digital identity.  
 
Recently, one of the national mobile data vendors uncovered a fraudulent syndicate that purchases a student’s credentials (login code and password) and then literally takes over your private life, using your credentials to enter into agreements on your behalf, for which you are then personally accountable.  Apart from the foregoing, the university’s monitoring systems also indicate that there is widespread sharing of login credentials among other students (not registered at the UFS) and also with other external parties such as friends, family, etc.  
 
It is important to note that these activities are fraudulent by nature.  As a law-abiding institution, the university is also obligated to report these activities to the South African Police Service (SAPS), which will result in an investigation aligned to criminal activities.  This is not a situation where the UFS can support the implied individual; it will be a personal criminal matter.  The crux of the matter is that the single student is now exposed to the full force of the law in terms of fraudulent actions, which can result in criminal cases against the student – personally.
 
From the perspective of the national mobile data operators, they also monitor the use and abuse of their national infrastructures and will protect their interests in this regard.  In line with this, the UFS – through the GlobalProtect VPN solution – was fully in control of the allocation of pre-defined monthly data allocations to the student community and could manage students who misused the facilities internally without the national/criminal elements added to it.  This is no longer the situation.
 
At national level, the mobile data providers do not follow a very strict regime whereby they allow the use of data up to the limits defined by each of the universities in South Africa.  Once that specific level has been reached, the relevant student (customer) will be cut off at the level of the provider and will not receive any data access for the rest of that month.
 
Should you (as an example) be a student who allows other parties to mimic you as a registered student, your allocated data can be exhausted in a single day, leaving you stranded for the rest of that month.  At that point you will then personally have to purchase additional data to enable you to engage academically with the UFS.  This has a very critical spin-off effect.  Students who run out of data for whatever reason, can no longer claim that the university should foot the bill for additional data, as records will show that ‘other parties’ were allowed to digitally engage with the UFS.  These records are kept and can be used to support the stance of the university as a whole.
 
In this regard, the UFS departs from the notion that the academic programme of a student needs to be supported, where the costs of aspects such as access data is taken care of, given very specific limits imposed on the university as a whole.  These aspects are directly linked to the sustainability of the ‘grant’ in terms of overall affordability, the management of the facility, and lastly, that it is used in support of the academic journey of the student.  The intent here is not to provide any data for the pursuance of lifestyle matters, such as certain social media activities, etc.  As far as possible, we are in constant negotiation with the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) to ensure that the university is in line with the specific student needs related to academic services.  These are ongoing discussions where the student voice is heard and acted on.
 
In accordance with the foregoing, the matter is no longer in the hands of the UFS as the sole provider, but control over this is now also monitored and managed at a level where South African universities are no longer fully in charge.  This is a very unfortunate matter brought about by the misuse of the facilities by certain individuals who are not interested in the well-being of our students.  The situation is what it is, and as the accountable party, the UFS will continue to play a critical role in this regard.
 
When confronted with any matter related to the loss of data, students are invited to contact the ICT Service Desk at 051 401 2000, who will then determine if the login credentials have been shared or not, and to support the student where there are legitimate issues to be dealt with.  Please note that ICT Services has very well-kept access records per student, and if there are other technical reasons why connectivity was lost, ICT Services will assist the student to regain access to the teaching and learning facilities of the UFS.  

Fair to say, if any evidence exists that login credentials have been shared, it is not a typical hack event; the UFS cannot assist the student by intervening in the contract agreement with the mobile data provider on behalf of the student, as the contract holder remains the student.     

News Archive

UFS produces an inspirational Summer Graduation
2016-12-12

Description: Dr Ferial Haffajee summer graduation Tags: Dr Ferial Haffajee summer graduation 

Dr Ferial Haffajee, editor-at-large at The Huffington
Post SA, who was conferred with an honorary doctorate,
and Dr Khotso Mokhele, the Chancellor of the
University of the Free State at this year’s Summer Graduation.
Photo: Eugene Seegers

“A graduation ceremony epitomises every student’s academic dream and pursuit, and allows you to look back as you enter the professional career of your choice.”

These were the words of guest speaker Dr Mafu Rakometsi, Chief Executive Officer of Umalusi, that resonated through the Callie Human Centre at this year’s Summer Graduation on the Bloemfontein Campus. He mentioned that today graduates would look back at a journey that started with hesitant steps, and despite all their ups and downs, they had managed to make it this far.

During the afternoon session, Prof Lis Lange, Vice-Rector: Academic, at the University of the Free State (UFS), said that graduations were always an occasion for celebration and this year, there were two reasons for these celebrations.

 “The first is simply that we made it through a difficult 2016 and the secondly because we are celebrating two crucial professions that will attribute to the well-being of this country, namely teachers and health practitioners.”

Meaningful graduation ceremony for Ferial Haffajee

This year, the UFS had the privilege and honour to confer editor-at-large at The Huffington Post SA, Ferial Haffajee, with an honorary doctorate in the Faculty of the Humanities.

Speaking after the graduation ceremony, Dr Haffajee said, “It was really, really meaningful for me, because I’ve never been able to graduate. When I finished university, it was during the struggle against apartheid, so we didn’t graduate. It was a wonderful day and wonderful to see the role that young people are playing on this campus.”

“Dr Ferial Haffajee has made a significant contribution to press freedom in South Africa. She is known both nationally and internationally for the work she has done and therefore it is an honour to welcome her as a Kovsie. She is one of the people who represent the values of the UFS. We are proud of her and we wish her great success,” said Prof Milagros Rivera, Head: Department of Communication Science and acting Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities at the UFS.

Description: Summer graduation 2016 general photo Tags: Summer graduation 2016 general photo 

Photo: Johann Roux

Inspiration drawn from graduation ceremonies

During his address, Dr Khotso Mokhele, the Chancellor of the UFS, made special mention of many that inspired him at the graduation ceremonies.

His inspirations included Dr Ambrotius Swartbooi, who suffered a spinal injury from a near-fatal car accident which left him paralysed and a quadriplegic, yet who still managed to receive his doctorate; Setsoane Ntseki, a matriculant with poise and an incredible voice, who delivered the song item; Judge Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the Council at the UFS and a close friend of Dr Mokhele, with whom he worked for many years; as well Dr Haffajee, a trail-blazer that many look up to.

Damian Viviers was recognised as one of the youngest PhD graduates in the Faculty of Law, where he received a PhD in Mercantile Law. He is a research fellow in the Department of Mercantile Law, and was recently appointed as candidate attorney in the commercial department at Phatshoane Henney Attorneys.

In closing, his message to the class of 2016 was simple, that even though the world and our country may find itself in an odd space now, the graduates needed to remember that even though they would become leaders, there was always something bigger than themselves.

“Go out there and do us proud. Come back and plough back into this institution not only with your money, but your skills and time too.”

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