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24 March 2020

#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


News Archive

UFS honours young researchers
2006-02-10

Some of the guests attending the recognition function were from the left:  Prof Magda Fourie (Vice-Rector:  Academic Planning at the UFS), Mr Joseph Smiles (lecturer at the UFS Department of Political Science and Thuthuka grant holder), Prof Frans Swanepoel (Director:  Research Development at the UFS) and Dr Carlien Pohl (lecturer at the UFS Department of Microbial,  Biochemical and Food Biotechnology and Thuthuka grant holder).
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

The guest speaker was Prof Jonathan Jansen, Dean:  Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria (UP).  He gave tips to young and promising researchers on how to be an outstanding scholar. 
What is a Scholar 

UFS honours young researchers       

The University of the Free State (UFS) last night honoured 24 young researchers who are taking part in the National Research Fund’s (NRF) Thuthuka programme.

The recognition function is the first of its kind at the UFS.  “The renewed focus on research development that was recently announced at the official opening of the UFS by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Frederick Fourie, is an indication of the institution’s endeavour to create an environment in which research can be improved and flourish.  This can only be obtained when researchers are being valued and that is why it is important to honour our young researchers,” said Mrs Annelize Venter, researcher at the UFS Research Development Directorate and coordinator of the programme.
 
The focus on research was also touched on recently by President Thabo Mbeki during the opening of Parliament when he said:  “We will continue to engage the leadership of our tertiary institutions focused on working with them to meet the nation’s expectations with regard to teaching and research. For its part, the government is determined to increase the resource allocation for research and development and innovation, and increase the pool of young researchers."

According to Mrs Venter, research done in 2004 shows that the majority researchers who publish are white males above the age of 50.  “Many students who undertake magister studies choose not to conduct research, but rather to do a thesis and additional subjects.  This means that research is not stimulated.  Students also find it difficult to obtain financial support for postgraduate studies,” she explained.
“Thutuka is a capacity building programme of the NRF that is aimed to 
fund and support the qualifications of women and young black scientists and other researchers who do not have a rating for postgraduate research.  It is based on a funding partnership between the UFS and the NRF,” said Mrs Venter.

Last night Prof Frans Swanepoel, Director: Research Development at the UFS, added to his by saying:  “With the Thuthuka programme we aim to create and sustain a research culture at the UFS, promote international research and train researchers of a high quality and enhance the research capacity at the UFS by focusing on women, black researchers and other promising researchers.”
 
The programme was started by the NRF in 2001.  At that stage only 17 grants were made countrywide.  Last year 370 postgraduate students took part in the programme.

According to Mrs Venter the programme was implemented at the UFS in 2003.  “At that stage we only had 5 grant holders.  This year there are 24 Ph D and magister students on the programme,” she said. 

A couple of young promising researchers, who will be participating in the programme in 2007, also attended last night’s recognition function.

The guest speaker was Prof Jonathan Jansen, Dean:  Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria (UP).  He gave tips to young and promising researchers on how to be an outstanding scholar.

Nine professors were also congratulated with their promotion to senior research professor, namely Proff Louise Cilliers (Department of English and Classical Languages), James du Preez (Department of Microbial,  Biochemical and Food Biotechnology), Johan Grobbelaar (Department of Plant Sciences), Dingie Janse van Rensburg (Centre for Health Systems Research and Development), Dap Louw (Department of Psychology), Philip Nel (Department of Afro-asiatic Studies and Language Practice and Sign Language), Louis Scott (Department of Plant Sciences), Dirk van den Berg (Department of History of Art) and  Andries Raath (Department of Constitutional Law and Philosophy of Law).

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
10 February 2006

 

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