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17 June 2020
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Story Dr WP Wahl
The Division of Student Affairs (DSA) prioritises innovation to meet the challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition among students. To this end, several student volunteers and student governance structures are collaborating with the DSA on various initiatives.
During 2019, various conversations were held about the possibility of creating a health-promoting food environment at the UFS where students and staff are well informed and empowered to take appropriate action regarding their food and nutritional needs. These conversations resulted in an institutional strategy to address the food environment at the UFS. Student representatives serve on a technical committee that directs the implementation of this strategy. In this regard, several initiatives have already been launched.
Students from residences and other student communities have planted vegetable gardens on the Bloemfontein Campus with the assistance of KovsieACT and the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Students and staff are already harvesting and distributing vegetables to needy students every week. Measurements were put in place to continue this during the COVID-19 period. The following vegetables were planted: spinach, cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots.
Food parcels, donated by Tiger Brands and Gift of the Givers, are continuously handed out by DSA staff and student volunteers. In this regard, 540 food parcels have already been handed out on the Bloemfontein Campus during the COVID-19 period alone. During the same time, 117 students received food parcels on the Qwaqwa Campus. The innovation of this food parcel project rests on the fact that business, NPOs, UFS students, and DSA staff are collaborating to address food insecurity and malnutrition.
More collaborative initiatives will be implemented over the next 12 months. The DSA staff and students are already working with the Department of Dietetics and Consumer Sciences to create information packages about the preparation of low-budget nutritious meals.
Related article:
Vegetable tunnels established to continue the fight against food insecurity
UFS Statement regarding incorrect issuing of application acknowledgement letters for the 2015 academic year in 2017
2017-07-07
The University of the Free State, through the Office of Student Academic Services, is investigating a communication error that resulted in a number of students receiving application acknowledgement letters for the 2015 academic year via email from the university in 2017.
An error occurred in the internal electronic letter mailing system, which resulted in letters being mailed that were set on 2015 parameters instead of 2017. This resulted in 31 000 communications being assigned to 19 123 applicants who applied in 2015 and already received acknowledgment letters.
The university pledges to correct this communication error by sending apologies to the affected students via SMS, as well as responding to any enquiries relating to this matter in a timely manner.
The university sincerely apologises to students and families who are affected, and will take strict measures to ensure that this error does not occur again.
For further enquiries, please contact: +27 51 401 9666 or email: studentadmin@ufs.ac.za.
Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393