Students in their final year of Construction Management and Engineering in Waterford IT will have to sit an extra module in their final semester, as the college failed to assign a lecturer for the module the semester previous.
Final year students at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) have described as “totally unacceptable” a situation where an extra module has been added to their final semester in this academic year due to the failure to assign a lecturer to the module in the first semester prior to Christmas.
Final year students studying Construction Management and Engineering will now have to complete an additional module this semester, as well as their existing coursework and dissertation. A similar situation also applies to students in their third year of the course.
In social media posts earlier this week, a number of affected students criticised WIT for its handling of the situation. The students said it was putting them “at a great disadvantage”, described their predicament as “totally unacceptable” and accused WIT of “adding additional stress to an already stressful time for the students”.
The students have also claimed that they were not being kept up to date on any progress being made towards resolving the situation.
In a statement to JOE, a spokesperson for WIT said that the college experienced “the unusual situation” where it was unable to deliver a specialist module in the first semester as originally scheduled.
“We continue to work with the students to deliver the programme and maintain the integrity of the academic award they will get,” the spokesperson said.
Responding to enquiries from JOE, meanwhile, a spokesperson for WIT Students’ Union said that the union is currently working with the affected students and the Institution to come up with a solution for the students.
“WITSU has advocated at all levels of the Institution and management for these students and the issue was most recently raised at the Academic Council where the Education Officer expressed concern and disappointment for the students,” the spokeperson said.
A meeting has been scheduled between students and WIT staff/management to discuss the matter.
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