Latest News Archive
Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
![]()
#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
UFS subscribes to ResearchResearch
2006-02-20
|
ResearchResearch is the world's leading publisher of news and information for the international research community. From their offices in London, Sydney, Washington, Brussels, Amsterdam and Sweden their editorial team provides unrivalled expertise and in-depth news coverage of research policy and politics, and comprehensive listings of funding opportunities and sponsors across all disciplines.
The information on this site is stored in three interlinked databases:
1. Funding opportunities
2. Sponsors
3. News
Funding opportunities
Records include a detailed abstract of the opportunity including details of eligibility requirements, deadline, the original text of the call (where available); and links to the application form, specific page of the sponsor's web site, contact details of programme management and records in our Sponsors database describing the relevant research programme and sponsor. Note: You will only see funding opportunities that you and your researchers are eligible to apply for.
The Funding opportunities database has been designed to be easy to use for occasional users but offers complex search options for regular users. Opportunities can be browsed by Sponsor, by discipline, type of sponsor, purpose of award, by deadline, eligibility, and so on.
Sponsors
Records include the objectives, eligibility requirements and application procedures of sponsors along with relevant links to the sponsors’ web pages. Note: You will only see sponsors that you and your researchers are eligible to apply for funding from.
News
Keep up to date with global research developments. Research Day Worldwide, a roundup of all the latest in research policy and politics from the UK, US, Europe, Australia & New Zealand, Asia and Africa.
Access to ResearchResearch.com is available from any PC on the university network, though staff is encouraged to obtain their own username and password, which allows access from a PC off the University network, as well as allowing staff to set up customised funding alerts on their own areas of research and subscribe to news alerts (click on Apply for a personal account under my institution's license to register and obtain a username and password).
Other facilities include the ability to bookmark information, collate and distribute it to colleagues in the form of a "Magazine". This is especially useful for staff with a research co-ordination role.
Further detail is available from the Directorate Research Development (Dr Aldo Stroebel, stroebea.rd@mail.uovs.ac.za, 401 3506).
|