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01 October 2018 | Story UFS | Photo Johan Roux
Newly elected South Campus SRC
Newly elected South Campus SRC with campus principal Prof Daniella Coetzee and Dean of Student Affairs, Pura Mgolombane.

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) 2018/2019 SRC elections on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses solidified institutional transformation with the implementation of the newly adopted Constitution of the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC). 

The 2018/2019 elections marked the first ever SRC elections on the South Campus, which will take place on two legs because of the residential period of qualifications on the South Campus. Based on this, only the elective portfolios of Deputy-President, Secretary, and Student Development and First-Generation Students were elected. The next leg of the CSRC elections on the South Campus will take place in March 2019, when the elective portfolios of President, Treasurer, Policy and Transformation, and Commuter Students will be elected.

After a meticulous nomination process, Campus Student Representative Councils (CSRC) were elected for the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses.
 
The outcome of the UFS CSRC elections tallied 6 912 votes on the Bloemfontein Campus, 3 216 on the Qwaqwa Campus, and 419 votes on the South Campus.

Newly elected 2018/2019 Bloemfontein Campus ISRC President, Sonwabile Dwaba, thanked students for respecting democratic processes, and for their maximum participation throughout the election procedures. He assured students that they did not make a mistake by appointing him as their president and added, “I condemn all forms of violence against women”. He also pleaded with students to always pursue justice for victims of any form of violence within the margins of the law.

Sakhile Mnguni, Qwaqwa Campus CSRC President, celebrated his victory with a whopping 65% of the votes. He emphasised the importance of ongoing dialogue to avoid what he termed ‘problems’ at a later stage. “Like a traffic light, let’s discuss matters when conditions are still conducive and not wait until the light turns red, for that’s when discussions are no longer conducive,” he said.

According to the amended constitution, the newly elected ISRC members must represent the interests of the student community in all representations and interactions with UFS structures, as well as with the public. The ISRC will also serve as ambassadors of the UFS at other institutions, organisations, and entities.

Bloemfontein Campus list of results:

Elective Portfolios:

President: Sonwabile Dwaba (EFF-SC)

Vice-President: Bokang Fako (EFF-SC)

Secretary General: Khanya Ralarala (EFF-SC)

Treasurer General: Emmanuel Viwe Mqushulu (EFF-SC)

Policy and Transformation: Koketso Mathews Khunou (EFF-SC)

Student Development and First-Generation Students: Serame Patrick Sebudi (EFF-SC)

Commuter Students: Nasmé Puley (INDEPENDENT)

Ex-Officio Portfolios CSRC Members

Day Residence Student Council: Jon-Dylon Petersen

Arts and Culture Student Council: Patrick Chrilele

Student Associations: Thato Dlamini

Academic Council: Pauline Mugerwa

Postgraduate Students: Seithati Ramonaheng

International Students: Omar-Raphael Tabengwa

Sports Affairs: Katleho Lechoo

Student Organisational Council: Ntsitsa Ned

Civic and Social Responsibility: Chéri Matjila

On-Campus Residences: Thabang Sako


Qwaqwa Campus list of results:


President: Sakhile Khulekani Mnguni (SASCO)

Deputy President: Mongezi Miracle Khethwa (SASCO)

Secretary General: Selloane Antonett Mile (SASCO) 

Treasurer General: Andiswa Sibonelo Khumalo (SASCO)

Policy and Transformation: Lwanele Reginald Madonsela (SASCO) 

Student Development and First-Generation Students: Makalo Tsuluba (SASCO)

Commuter Students: Bongumenzi Siphelele Praiseworth Mdakane (SASCO) 
 
Media and Publicity: Patricia Ntomfuthi Kubheka (SASCO) 

Ex-Officio Portfolios CSRC Members

Associations and Religious Affairs Student Council: Lindokuhle Sydney Vilakazi

Campus Residence Council: Motshedisi Fortitude Raliphoko

Arts and Culture Council: Ntandoyenkosi Khumalo

Academic Council: Duduzile Ritter Mhlongo

Universal Access and Social Justice Council: Senomfundo Mhlongo

Postgraduate Student Council: Teboho Mofokeng

International Student Council: Omotayo Ashafa

Sports Affairs: Lebohang Hendry Miya


South Campus list of results:


Deputy President: Nomathemba Pakade

Secretary: Mvuyo Madlala

Student Development and First-Generation Students: Allistaire Abrahams

News Archive

UFS receives multimillion rand international funding for Advancement
2013-01-21

21 January 2013

We are one of four South African universities that have been selected to take part in a multimillion-rand programme to bolster private fund-raising and Advancement efforts.

The UFS will receive US$640 000 (R5 612 800) over a period of five years to use in advancement efforts.

In total, the US-based Kresge Foundation will make US$2.5 million available to the four universities, which includes the UFS, Durban University of Technology (DUT), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ), over the next five years as part of a joint initiative with Inyathelo: The South African Institute for Advancement, to support the long-term financial sustainability of higher education institutions in South Africa.

Kresge will also provide programmes and support aimed at enhancing student access to universities and improving graduation rates.

Bill Moses, who directs Kresge’s education programme, says declining government support means that South African university officials need to tap into diversified philanthropic and private funding if they want to enhance their institutions’ ability to serve students better. “Stronger Advancement skills are critical to their success and ultimately to getting more South African students into universities and completing degrees. Advancement is not just about raising funds. It is the practice of building, maintaining and improving support, skills and other resources to ensure the sustainability of an institution,” explains Moses.

 This latest Kresge initiative follows the success of a five-year partnership with Inyathelo that helped five high-profile South African institutions - the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits); the University of Pretoria (UP); the University of the Western Cape (UWC); the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and the Children’s Hospital Trust - increase their private fund-raising revenue threefold. The four universities will receive additional funding over the next five years and will serve as mentors to the new group of institutions.

In April last year, Kresge announced a new commitment to South African higher education that builds on its efforts in the United States to improve university access and help students succeed academically. Their ‘Promoting access and success at South African universities’ programme will seek to strengthen pathways to and through universities, especially for students who are often unprepared for university study. Moses says enhancing the ability of universities in South Africa to graduate the next generation of knowledge workers, will make it possible for the country to compete more effectively in the global economy. “Access to higher education in South Africa has improved dramatically since the end of Apartheid. A doubling of enrolment since 1994 has, however, contributed to serious challenges, including under-prepared students and disappointing graduation rates. We are confident that our programme will help address some of these obstacles to success,” says Moses.

Kresge has already funded several efforts that support its interest in strengthening pathways to and through universities this year, including a grant to the University of the Free State to expand the South African Survey of Student Engagement, as well as funding to the University of Pretoria to support a conference in January, which will highlight opportunities to promote access and success at South African universities.

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