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#UFSupdate (18 March 2020): UFS IMPLEMENTS MEASURES TO MINIMISE RISK OF COVID-19 TO STAFF
STATEMENT BY PROF FRANCIS PETERSEN, RECTOR AND VICE-CHANCELLOR
The executive management of the University of the Free State (UFS) welcomes the announcement of Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology on 17 March 2020 that all post-school training institutions will have an early recess, starting on 18 March 2020. The Minister’s directive that universities should minimise risk of COVID-19 to all its staff during this time is also welcomed.
The announcement of Dr Nzimande is in line with the university’s decision on 16 March 2020 to suspend the academic programme as from 17 March 2020 and to resume it again on 14 April 2020.
It is important for us all to know that this is not business as usual, and that different thinking is required. Responsible citizenship is one of the crucial elements the world has increasingly been experiencing for the past few weeks. This is why we must act out our responsibility towards one another by focusing on ways in which social distancing can be achieved – especially during this low-risk period that South Africa is still experiencing. This is one of the reasons that informed the university’s decision on 16 March 2020 week to suspend the academic programme and also for students to vacate the residences by 20 March 2020.
The health and well-being of our staff members are equally important. The university’s Employee Task Team that was established on 16 March 2020 analysed options for the continuation of university operations during the recess period. These options were submitted to the executive management, discussed with the Chairperson of the UFS Council and approved on 18 March 2020.
Staff members who have children at school and pre-school may work from home on 19 and 20 March 2020. For the period 23 March 2020 to 13 April 2020, the number of staff members present on all three campuses will be reduced to a minimum and staff members may be allowed to work from home where practically possible.
Arrangements have been made to accommodate those staff members who are performing services which cannot be done from home (such as cleaning, gardening, maintenance, sports, etc) in a flexible and reasonable way. Similar arrangements will be made with office-based support services staff, prioritising institutional needs and based on humane and personal circumstances. Academic staff have been requested to ensure that the online learning materials are finalised and made available for the online learning platform.
The decision for employees to work from home is based on the premise that all employees are deemed to be at work from 23 March 2020 to 13 April 2020. This requires staff members to be available and contactable by line managers at all times during the university’s normal working hours.
I am comfortable that these measures will alleviate the concerns from our staff regarding the spreading of COVID-19 and the risk to themselves without compromising university operations.
Prof F W Petersen
Rector and Vice-Chancellor
University of the Free State
Vishuis the best Koshuisrugby team in the country
2012-04-11
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Photo: Varsity Cup
11 April 2012
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The best in koshuis rugby. That is the title Vishuis Residence rugby team can use with pride. Vishuis gave Stellenbosch University’s Dagbreek Residence a drubbing with a 44-26 win. They clinched the 2012 Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championships title on Monday 9 April 2012 at the Tuks Rugby Stadium in Pretoria.
It is the second time that Vishuis has won the tournament. Kovsies now has three Steinhoff Koshuisrugby Championship titles. Armentum won the title in 2009 and Vishuis won its first title in 2010.
Vishuis went into finals unbeaten, whipping residences from the University of Pretoria (Tuks) and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) on their way to victory. The Kovsie students beat Steinhoff Mopanie from Tuks 26-18 in a round three match and thrashed TUT’s Steinhoff Monitor 133-13 in a round five match. The Vishuis team beat Steinhoff Dagbreek 15-14 in their first match of the tournament. The Kovsies played five matches in total.
Vishuis team manager and fellow-coach, Gerhard Meyer, said it was only the third time that his team had participated in the tournament. Meyer, who played in the Vishuis team that won the tournament in 2010, said winning the Championship as player and fellow-coach was a personal highlight. “Taking it step by step, the hard work of the boys has been rewarded.”