Rules Unread: The Unintended Consequences of Student Handbook Unawareness

By: Oladele Robiat

In a shocking turn of events, on the 4th of March, 2025, Nice Linus, a 400-level student of faculty of law, was denied her right to be inaugurated as the majority leader of Obafemi Awolowo hall, University of Ibadan. The reason? A pending Students’ Disciplinary Committee (SDC) case stemming from her involvement in a protest against school fees increment during the Aweda-led administration.

According to the University Management, it is stated in the Student Handbook that anyone with a pending SDC case cannot hold a position in the student community. The irony of this situation is that this handbook which students are being held accountable to is inaccessible to them. Over the years, several students of the first and best University have been reprimanded for offences supposedly written in the handbook. But one would expect that if students are expected to adhere to the rules and regulations outlined in the handbook, they would have unrestricted access to it. However, the reverse is the case.

The student handbook is a critical resource for students that is meant to outline the rules, regulations, and expectations that govern their academic and extracurricular activities and is supposed to be given to students upon their entry into the university. Without access to this document, students may struggle to navigate the university’s policies and procedures, potentially leading to misunderstandings and unintended consequences.In the University of Ibadan, the student handbook appears to be a mystery as not so many students have read, seen or even heard of it. “”I have no idea there is a student handbook,” said Abdulmatin Adegbesin, a 200-level student of the faculty of law.

During the orientation program for the 2024/2025 freshers, the Dean of Student Affairs informed the matriculants to check their school portal for the school handbook but many reported that they couldn’t find it. Deborah Mamora, a 300-level student of the department of Economics, believes that the absence of the handbook “leaves the freshmen at the mercy of any information they hear without being able to verify their credibility.”

In an exclusive interview with Nice linus she stated: “For my case they said according to the handbook anyone having a pending SDC case should not contest. I think that it’s not essentially about the punishment first. It’s about our right to know the rules, to be involved in making the rules even. Where we neither make the rules nor are made aware of them via a handbook we pay for every session, it will be wrong to fabricate things and attempt to punish us for such ‘offenses’.”

The impact of this inaccessibility can be felt across the student body, particularly among freshmen who are transitioning from secondary school to university. These students are already navigating a new academic environment, and the lack of access to the handbook can add to their confusion and anxiety. Similarly, Staylites may face challenges in understanding the rules and regulations governing student conduct, campus resources, or extracurricular activities.

” Sometimes you want to be sure about attendance policies, dress codes, hostel rules, or disciplinary processes—but there’s no single, accessible reference. It’s frustrating and it can put students at risk. The student handbook shouldn’t be a privilege, it is a right. Every student deserves access to it.” Lamented Ebenezer Oluwagbenga Adeyefa 300-level English Student.

Aduwo Ayodele, a student activist and 400-level History Student, believes that “when students are not aware of the rules and regulations that govern them, it can lead to misunderstandings, and a sense of disenfranchisement. This lack of transparency can undermine trust between students and administrators, creating an environment where students feel disconnected from the decision-making process. “I think the university can make virtual copy available, although i don’t want to believe that with the outrageous amount we pay as school fees the university of Ibadan is broke to make hard copy available” said Aduwo

Aduwo’s suggestion that the university make a virtual copy of the student handbook available is a practical and reasonable solution. Given the digital age we’re in, it’s surprising that the university hasn’t already done so. His comment about the high school fees also raises valid questions about the university’s priorities and resource allocation. By making the handbook available online, the university can ensure that all students have access to the information they need, while also reducing costs and environmental impact.

All effort to get the president of the student union and the speaker of the SRC to know their take proved abortive.

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