Despite the numerous support systems, academic performances in many South African higher institutions continue to experience challenges while some are declining in throughputs. Some of the support mechanisms seem to be black boxed, notwithstanding the deteriorating situation. Thus, there is "prima facie" evidence that the factors that influence dwindling performance are unknown. This study, therefore, explores the effect of black boxing the support provided in the institutions, towards finding a long-lasting remedy to the challenges, through information technology (IT) solutions such as the robotic automated process (RPA). Qualitative data was used, to deeply understand why things happen in the way that they do in providing and receiving academic supports while performance remains low and challenging. The relationship and interaction between human and non-human actors of over ten years were traced in existing sixty-one documents and analysed. From the analysis, structural property, technological change, and power relationship manifest from the simplification of networks, durable configurations, and invisible factors. These factors were found to be of significant and dominant influence on academic performance through the support an institution provides. From the findings, a conceptual framework is proposed, purposely to guide an RPA-based system can be designed.