FLY@UP: the Finish Line is Yours

FLY@UP is a UP initiative aimed at encouraging students to keep up with their class and graduate in the minimum prescribed time. “FLY” stands for “the Finish Line is Yours”. The need for such an initiative was recognised when statistics showed that on average only about 40% of UP’s students graduate in the minimum time. As a result, FLY@UP aims to encourage students to take responsibility for their own finish lines and ensure they graduate in the minimum prescribed time.

The number one reason for students not graduating on time is incorrect study/programme choices. Therefore, the FLY@UP programme revolves around three core messages to students, namely, choose modules carefully, manage your time and work consistently, and aim for a good semester mark.

In its quest to get these messages across to students while at the same time providing support to students to implement these messages in their studies, FLY@UP has partnered with UP Library Services. To date, three collaborative workshops have been presented, dealing with study methods, note taking skills and time management respectively as well as offering valuable information regarding the use of the library.

Feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive and our last workshop saw the greatest number of student attendance to date.

Another critical part of these workshops is the involvement of faculty student advisors (FSAs). During the workshops, FSAs introduce themselves and the services they offer which are, among others, individual consultation, academic support, goal setting, study methods, test and exam preparation and career exploration. After the workshop,

students have the opportunity to meet their FSA face to face and ask questions in order to address some of their concerns. Each faculty at UP has its own FSAs. For more information and FSA contact details, visit the website www.up.ac.za/fly@up.

The next workshop hosted by FLY@UP in collaboration with UP Library services will focus on examination preparation thereby addressing another of FLY@UP’s critical messages: Aim for a good semester mark. Students might enter the examination with a 40% sub minimum semester mark. This would require of students a mark of 60% in the examination in order to pass their modules. FLY@UP’s message is that this is not an ideal situation and that it poses a great risk. Through the workshop we would like to encourage students to work consistently from day one in semester 2. We also want to assist students in preparing for the upcoming examination in the best possible way in order to ensure that they do not find themselves in the undesirable position of being faced with academic exclusions.

FLY@UP would like to thank our sponsor Bookmark, for prizes that are handed out during the workshops as well as UP Library Services for their continued support and partnership in driving this all important initiative.

To UP students we would like to say, the finish line is yours. Take it upon yourself to reach it in the minimum prescribed time and #graduateontime.