A university’s duty does not end with enforcing rules. It must also make sure the systems that govern students’ academic lives are fair, efficient, and responsive. Recent announcements at Rivers State University (RSU) on portal payments, ID card verification and resumption arrangements have put the institution’s administrative processes under scrutiny.
Consider the new fees. A ₦15,000 toxicology examination fee covers a mandatory test for hard drugs. A ₦10,000 Institute of Fraud Examiners fee applies to eligible 200-level students taking Entrepreneurship. A memorandum from the Students’ Organisation of the Social Sciences (SOSSAN) has explained both charges. Even so, explanation after the fact is not enough. Students and parents should not have to piece together what they are paying for. The university should state clearly what each charge covers and who must pay it.
The ID card policy raises a different concern. Enforcing verification may serve legitimate security goals, and the university is entitled to know who is on its campus. But students should not be penalised for delays in producing or distributing the cards. A policy is only as fair as the system behind it. If compliance depends on a process the university has not made efficient, the obstacle is the administration’s, not the student’s.
The campaign against indecent dressing raises a broader question of priorities. Discipline has a place in any institution. It should rest on clear, reasonable standards that respect students’ dignity and avoid needless interference in their personal choices. Students also have other concerns that deserve equal energy, including classroom capacity, hostel security and allegations of misconduct. Each of these calls for serious attention and fair investigation, with firm action where wrongdoing is established.
The administration of Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi has a chance to show that discipline and student welfare can work together. A secure campus, adequate learning facilities, transparent procedures, and accountable leadership matter as much as enforcing rules.
RSU must not only tell students how to behave. It must also give them an environment where they can learn, feel safe, and thrive. Effective leadership is judged by the problems it solves, not by the rules it enforces.
