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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.
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Reboot your academic success
2016-10-25
The University of the Free State (UFS) is committed to completing the academic year in the interest of our students who want to complete their studies, as well as the country which desperately needs graduates to grow the economy.
The UFS has developed a strategy to rescue the academic year, which will allow students to continue with their learning and achieve outstanding assessments (assignments, tests, and exams), whether they are on or off campus.
As part of this strategy, the UFS has developed the Academic Reboot Pack. The aim of the pack is to help students focus their attention on completing the academic year successfully. The pack provides advice for students on how to best approach their studies, given the university’s academic rescue strategy, and provides strategies on how to address the challenges they might be facing.
Get your copy of the reboot pack on Blackboard under announcements or click here to download it.
If students have any question or queries regarding the Academic Reboot Pack, they can send an email to: advising@ufs.ac.za.