Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Previous Archive
09 May 2020

Dear Students

UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENTS AT THE UFS

I hope you are well, healthy, and safe. I also hope that you are engaging with your friends and lecturers regularly, and that you have settled into the online learning environment. As with communities around the world – including higher education institutions – Kovsies also feel the impact of the exceptional circumstances resulting from the global COVID-19 outbreak. So much has changed, and our lives are directly and indirectly affected. It is a true test of our resilience and ability to adapt to a changing environment.

I know that it has not always been easy for you – none of us were prepared for a global pandemic of this magnitude. But I also see this as an opportunity for us to develop our learning and teaching model and to find ways of further enhancing the university’s processes and systems.

The suspension of the academic programme and the national lockdown had a huge effect on our staff and students. We had to act fast to ensure the continuation of the 2020 academic programme. Our first priority was to develop low-tech online and distance approaches to learning and teaching. Consequently, we developed support for academic staff and students to navigate the new online learning environment. We also revised our academic calendar and rolled out a carefully planned emergency remote teaching and learning methodology.

It is encouraging to know that you began with online learning this week. Early indications are that the Transition and Orientation from 20 to 30 April 2020 worked well in preparing you for the online learning that started on 4 May 2020. It is also good to know that the #UFSLearnOn material helped you to get ready for the start of online academic activities. Be assured that your lecturers are working hard to deliver a quality teaching and learning experience in the current circumstances. Just as this is a new experience for you, it is also a new learning experience for your lecturers. You may still experience some challenges with your academics as we complete the first week of online learning. Please contact your lecturers and/or faculties so that we can find solutions for you. You can also visit the Digital Life Portal (under the Student Toolbox) on the KovsieLife website.

You have been away from your lecturers, friends, familiar surroundings, and campus facilities for a long time, and I know that you miss it. Unfortunately, the university is bound by Level 4 restrictions and it is not possible to allow any students back on our campuses until so directed by the national government. Only final-year MB ChB students are allowed to return to campus next week – as per the directive from the national government. The majority of staff are also working from home until otherwise indicated, and in accordance with national directives for the further easing of lockdown restrictions.

This is not a university decision but is prescribed in terms of national regulations. Be assured that the university has taken adequate measures to ensure the safety of all facilities, assets, and private belongings on the campuses. We will let you know as soon as we receive a directive that students may be allowed on campus – this will be done in a phased approach in order to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Your safety, health, and well-being remain our first priority. Look after yourself and your mental health – make use of the #WellnessWarriors campaign of our Department of Student Counselling and Development that is aimed at encouraging health and well-being among students.

Please remember to regularly check the official communication platforms to stay up to date with developments at the university. Avoid fake news, verify information, and only consult the official communication platforms. 

Obeying the lockdown restrictions is an act of kindness to yourself and to others; #StayAtHome and practise social distancing.

I wish you all the best with your studies and hope to see you on our campuses soon.


Best regards

Prof Francis Petersen
Rector and Vice-Chancellor


News Archive

State of our campuses: UFS extends vacation as from 28 September until 7 October 2016
2016-09-28

In solidarity with the call for free education for the poor and missing middle, a discussion was held with the University Management Committee this morning, in consultation with the student leadership, and after careful assessment of operational matters on all three campuses of the University of the Free State (UFS), we agreed upon the following:
 
1.    All classes, tests, and assignments will be suspended until Friday 7 October 2016. This means that the university will close on Wednesday 28 September 2016 for an extended vacation until 7 October 2016. The academic programme will resume on Monday 10 October 2016.
                     
2.    This will allow the entire university time to demonstrate solidarity, in collaboration with student leadership, academic and support staff, and the broader community in support of free higher education for the poor and missing middle.
                  
3.    The administration of the university will continue on Thursday 29
September 2016, and staff will have access to their offices to plan the additional academic support for students, to consider the re-scheduling of the academic calendar, to engage with the Department of Higher Education and Training in relation to the students’ demands, and to continue with support services during the extended vacation.
 
4.    The university management and student leadership will also, over the next three days, engage in discussions to provide for a platform that is conducive to continued collaboration between students and the university leadership.
 
5.    The suspension of tests, classes, and assignments will also allow time for a social compact and code of ethics for protests to be agreed upon and signed between student leadership and the university management.

 In respect of the Qwaqwa Campus, some protesting students yesterday intimidated others and forcibly removed staff, as well as security personnel. Today, university property was burnt. In view of our commitment to the safety of staff, students, and university property at the campus, it was necessary to evacuate the campus – including residences – with immediate effect. However, residential students are allowed to remain on campus until midday tomorrow (28 September 2016).

The university leadership again wants to emphasise its support for a national policy of free education for the poor and missing middle and stresses its support for peaceful protests on matters that are of concern to our students.
 
We further understand the frustration of many students and their parents/guardians at the closure of the campuses and the impact it has on academic staff, staff in the Support Services, our security personnel, teaching, learning, projects, assignments, lectures, tests, fieldwork, and the academic calendar in general, and commit to do all in our power to ensure the delivery of quality education to all our students under difficult circumstances.


Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

 

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept