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UFS implements measures for staff to manage the national lockdown

24 March 2020

UFS implements measures for staff to manage the national lockdown

MESSAGE BY PROF FRANCIS PETERSEN, RECTOR AND VICE-CHANCELLOR

Dear Colleagues

I hope that you are keeping a level of calmness in this difficult and exceptional time. The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 23 March 2020 that South Africa will enter a nationwide lockdown for 21 days from midnight on Thursday 26 March 2020 to midnight on Thursday 16 April 2020, has left many of our staff members anxious. It has, on the other hand, made South Africans work together towards the common goal of flattening the COVID-19 curve so as to ease the immediate pressure on the country’s health system.

My message to you this evening is to explain the measures implemented by the executive management of the University of the Free State (UFS) to manage the lockdown.

1. Essential services
As you know, only essential services will be allowed to continue operating nationally. This also applies to our three campuses.

During a meeting of university vice-chancellors with Universities South Africa (USAf) this morning, it was indicated that only services classified as essential (e.g. safety and security services) may continue during the lockdown period.

There are, however, critical university operations such as Information Technology, the Animal Sciences Unit, key laboratory and research services, which are currently not formally accredited with the relevant authorities to access the university during lockdown. USAf is raising this as a matter of urgency with the inter-ministerial committee of the Presidential Command Centre.

I will keep these functions updated on the progress made by USAf over the next 24 hours, but as it stands now, these functions would not be able to access our campuses during lockdown.

2. Closing of the campuses
All three campuses will close as from 16:00 on Thursday 26 March 2020. Only staff providing accredited essential services (i.e. security staff and emergency maintenance services) will continue working from Thursday 26 March 2020 onwards. This means that no one will be able to access the campuses after 16:00 on Thursday unless they form part of the accredited essential services.

Only the main gates of the campuses will be open; there will be strict access control, including a register to sign in and out. Only staff belonging to those functions that are vetted by the relevant authorities will be allowed access onto our campuses. Further communication in this regard will be sent by the Department of Human Resources to all members of senior management to share with staff on Wednesday 25 March 2020.

However, it needs to be noted that the national security protocols will surpass these arrangements if and when needed.

The respective deans will make arrangements with staff involved in research projects that need attending to, those who have to check research equipment, and those who work in certain laboratories – all barring prior accreditation by the relevant authorities.

3. Residences
Most students have vacated the residences, except for a small number of postdoctoral and international students who will remain on campus during lockdown. The Office for International Affairs and the Department of Housing and Residence Affairs are providing the necessary support to this group of students.

4. Academic programme
The University of the Free State is committed to continue and complete the academic programme. I want our students and their parents/guardians to rest assured that the university’s Teaching and Learning Management Group (TLMG) is working hard to develop alternative ways of presenting the learning and teaching programme.

The university’s online engagement with students will start on Monday 20 April 2020. Until then, the best possible support for lecturers and students will be created by adapting existing support and practices most suited to our new online environment.

Please look out for the information relating to the Keep Calm, Teach On and #UFSLearnOn campaigns managed on the university’s communication platforms by the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in cooperation with the Department of Communication and Marketing.

5. Continuation of university operations
Within the context of this uncertain time, we should remain focused on the continuation of university operations. Therefore, the concept of working from home remains. The lockdown period is perceived as special leave, as it is deemed that staff members are in fact at work; therefore, application for leave does not have to be submitted. Additional arrangements will be made with staff members providing essential and other designated critical services, which will be communicated by the relevant line managers.

6. Communication platforms
I encourage you to remain in contact with the university by regularly monitoring the communication platforms for important and/or critical information. You will find all the COVID-19 related information on this webpage. Other communication platforms for our staff during the lockdown include the UFS social media platforms, SMS, the KovsieApp, and the Newsflash.

It is important for staff to ensure that their cellphone numbers are updated in order to receive communication via the KovsieApp and SMS:

KovsieApp: www.ufs.ac.za/kovsieapp
SMS: www.ufs.ac.za/sms

As we realise that circumstances could change rapidly, the UFS Coronavirus (COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2) Task Team and the Special Executive Group will continue our frequent discussions to assess the global and national situation – during and after the lockdown.

I encourage you to remain calm, as this is a difficult and extraordinary time not only for our country, but for the entire world. It is a time for us to think differently about what we do and how we do it, and also a time to take a step back and #StayAtHome in the best interest of the many communities around us.

Thank you to each and every staff member for your dedication and commitment over the past few weeks. We will get through this national and global health crisis.

Be safe, look after yourself, and take preventative steps to avoid contracting the virus during this period of national lockdown.

News Archive

UFS launches history book

2007-02-02


Attending the launch of the UFS history book were, from the left: Prof Stef Coetzee, Prof Francois Retief, Prof Wynand Mouton, Mr Pieter Cox (Chairperson on Sasol) and Prof Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS). Profs Coetzee, Retief and Mouton are former rectors of the UFS.
UFS launches history book The University of the Free State (UFS) today launched its history book titled, From Grey to Gold, on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein. “The history of the UFS is one of faith, hope, struggle and determination. The book tells a fascinating story that stretches over a 100 years. It is divided into five main phases, which tells about the growth of the UFS from a poor Free State community to a mature university. Interesting stories about student days, sport, rag and hostel activities are included in each phase,” Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor said during the launch of the book. “One cannot know where you are going if you don’t know where you are coming from. You have a clearer idea of the issues facing an institution if you know the history. A book like this one is also an important source of reference for staff on the campus,” said Prof Fourie. The first research for the book was done from 1999-2003 by Prof Leo Barnard from the Department of History and a team of researchers. They also compiled the first manuscript. During the last three years, Prof Fourie was closely involved with the writing of the final phase and finishing off the history book project. “It was an honour to be so closely involved with the story of the UFS because now I have a better understanding of the institution, its people, its culture and its way of thinking. For any rector of a university, such an understanding of its institution is a requirement,” Prof Fourie said. The book is partly sponsored by Sasol. During the launch of the book, Mr Pieter Cox, Chairperson of Sasol said the company and the UFS have been partners for 57 years. “Both Sasol and the UFS are striving for excellence – Sasol for excellence in technology and the UFS for excellence in education,” said Mr Cox. “It was an easy decision when the UFS approached Sasol for financial support of the history book. Its a formidable piece of work, something Prof Fourie and the UFS can be proud of,” said Mr Cox. The book consists of more than 500 pages with hundreds of photos and a wide range of supplements of office-bearers, awards and achievements (including national and sporting colours). A timeline framework, putting the history of the UFS in context with the history of the Free State, South Africa and of the world, is also included. Besides the supplements, the history book also tells the story of amongst others the establishment of the UFS; the role of its founding fathers; black pioneers of transformation; the establishment and development of academic departments and faculties; student numbers; pioneers and trends in research; academic entrepreneurs; campus issues and campus politics; interesting facts and stories about student life (rag, intervarsity and cheerleaders, sport and the Springboks, hostel traditions); the admission of black students and anguish about race; language and culture; the development of the Main Campus; the Tickey and the Banana and much more. Emphasis is placed on a very high level of quality. “It is not every day that the university becomes hundred years old and the institution will be measured by the quality of the book. We cannot say the UFS is a university of excellence if the book does not reflect that,” Ms Edma Pelzer, Director: Physical Resources and Special Projects said. Ms Pelzer managed the project as part of the last mentioned part of her portfolio. The search for photographs was an important aspect of the book and it was a big task to find photographs and write captions. It took almost a year to translate and prepare the English edition and almost ten months to ensure the accuracy thereof, especially to correctly translate the typical Free State and UFS terminology and naturally to complete the English manuscript’s layout and proofreading. In the mean time the cover pages were designed and in September 2006 the manuscript went into the final print process. The Afrikaans title is: Van Sink tot Sandsteen tot Graniet. The cost of the book is R380 per copy. Those who already ordered the book will soon receive their copy. Orders can be placed by contacting Mr Dawid Kriel at UFS Marketing on 051 401 3409 or on the UFS web site at www.ufs.ac.za. The book is also available at Van Schaik Book Store on the Thakaneng Bridge, UFS Main Campus and at Fascination Books in Mimosa Mall, Bloemfontein. Media release Issued by: Lacea Loader Media Representative Tel: (051) 401-2584 Cell: 083 645 2454 E-mail: loaderl@mail.uovs.ac.za 2 February 2007

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