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04 September 2020 | Story Prof Francis Petersen

 

Dear Student,

On 26 August 2020, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, delivered a statement on COVID-19 alert Level 2 measures in the post-school education and training sector. This was followed by a letter to students from Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State (UFS), dated 27 August 2020.   

The UFS is taking a structured and phased-in approach to return its students and staff to the campuses. In his statement, Dr Nzimande indicated that a maximum of 66% of the student population would be allowed to return to campus during Level 2 of the national lockdown. However, taking into consideration the adherence to physical distancing and hygiene measures, the capacity of the university’s lecture venues allows for 52% of the student cohort to return to campus during Level 2. 

The university management is aware that students have been enquiring about their return to campus and wishes to bring the following under your attention:

1 STUDENTS RETURNING TO CAMPUS DURING LEVEL 2

1.1. Students who are required to return to campus during Level 2 will be informed by the university, providing a permit for access to the campus.

1.2. Although the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has indicated that all first-year students in all undergraduate programmes may return during Level 2, this is only a guideline. The UFS’s approach is NOT for all first-year students to return to the campuses, but has opted for first-year students in laboratory/practical programmes to return. This means that first-year students in the Faculties of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Health Sciences will return to the campuses during Level 2. 

1.3      NOTE: If you have NOT been contacted, you will be supported through  remote multimodal teaching, learning, and assessment until you are informed by your faculty that you can return to campus. 

2 CAMPUS ACCESS PERMITS

2.1 A campus access permit may only be issued to students who form part of the cohort of students who may return to campus during Level 2 of the national lockdown. 

2.2 Students who received a campus access permit during Level 3, may use the same permit to obtain access to campus during Level 2. 

2.3 A campus access permit may only be issued by the Senior Director: UFS Human Resources on request from the faculty dean’s office. The permit will be sent via email to the student concerned after it has been issued. 

2.4 To get access to the campus, you must be in possession of the campus access permit and your valid student card. The daily screening protocols and procedures must also be adhered to. This includes completing the COVID-19 online screening questionnaire before entering the campuses. The principle of ‘no mask, no campus entry’ remains in place. 

2.5 According to the national lockdown regulations, international students will only be allowed to return to South Africa during Level 1 of the national lockdown.
 
3 STUDENTS IN RESIDENCES

3.1 It is important for students living in residences on campus to note that the university aims, as far as possible, to maintain the principle of ‘one student per room’ for the sake of physical distancing.

3.2 Please make sure that you have received your campus access permit 

before returning to campus.

 3.3 Students who live in on-campus accommodation and who are required to return to campus must please first contact the Department of Housing and Residence Affairs (HRA) at resapplications@ufs.ac.za to make the necessary arrangements before starting their journey back to campus. These students must also ensure that they are in the possession of a campus access permit.

3.4 Students who still have academic books in their rooms, have a second opportunity in September 2020 to request that it be sent to them by the Department of Housing and Residence Affairs (HRA). This process is currently underway. The university can unfortunately still not allow students who, for instance – want to collect their belongings – to return to campus if they do not form part of the current cohort. 

4   FAST GUIDE FOR THE RETURN OF STUDENTS TO CAMPUS

A Fast Guide for the Return of Students to Campus has been compiled to assist those students who are required to return to campus during Level 2.

5 ACADEMIC SUPPORT

In an effort to ensure that the academic project continues and all students are supported and not left behind. The university’s student facing support services have been adapted to offer you support during this time. 

Look out for the #UFSLearnOn campaign and reach out to any of the following services:

• Tutorial support: 
+27 51 401 2444 

• Academic advising:
Bloemfontein Campus: advising@ufs.ac.za 
Qwaqwa Campus: advisingqq@ufs.ac.za
South Campus: advisingsc@ufs.ac.za 

6   STUDENT WELLNESS SUPPORT

Taking control of your mental wellbeing is essential and you are encouraged to adopt an active approach to fostering your mental health and building resilience. The following resources are available to assist you in promoting and supporting your wellbeing:

• Student Counselling and Development:
Bloemfontein Campus: T: +27 51 401 2853 | E: SCD@ufs.ac.za
South Campus: T: +27 51 505 1298 | E: SCDSouth@ufs.ac.za
Qwaqwa Campus: T: +27 58 718 5033 | E: SCDQQ@ufs.ac.za

• UFS Student 24 Hour Toll-Free Careline (Mental Health Support):
0800 00 6363

News Archive

Minister praises the Faculty of Law
2009-02-13

 
At the launch of the Faculty of Law at the UFS's celebration of 100 years of jurisprudence, under the theme "Iurisprudentia 100", were, from the left: Judge Faan Hancke, Extraordinary Professor in the Department of Criminal and Medical Law and Chairperson of the UFS Council, Judge Lex Mpati, President of the Highest Court of Appeal, Mr Surty, Judge Hendrik Musi, Judge President of the High Court of the Free State, and Prof. Henning.
Photo: Stephen Collett
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Enver Surty, has praised the Faculty of Law at the University of the Free State (UFS) for producing lawyers, academics, judges, etc. of great note.

Mr Surty was guest speaker this week on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein at the launch of the faculty’s celebration of a century of excellence in legal education, training and research at the UFS. The theme of the celebration is “Iurisprudentia 100”.

“The faculty has throughout its existence demonstrated its capability and capacity to produce scholars, legal practitioners, academics, judges, politicians etc, of great note. The university can take pride in the fact that, as an institution, you have done so well,” said Mr Surty.

Mr Surty said that our judiciary must be adequately qualified and it must be representative of our nation. “We must therefore have more aspiring judges in our midst and we must have a more representative judiciary – in race and gender. This is where an institution like the UFS can play an important role,” said Mr Surty.

Mr Surty also commented on the university’s engagement with its communities.
“The UFS has begun to recognise the importance of community engagement. Unless community engagement is part of your curricular activity we would not be able to produce the judges of the caliber we need who are better able to understand the social and economic context of our society,” he said.

According to Prof. Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty of Law at the UFS, the faculty has a distinguished history of excellence in theoretical and practical legal education and training, which can be traced as far back as the establishment of the Grey University College in 1904.

Over the years, student numbers grew considerably and today the faculty has over 2 700 graduate and postgraduate students.

“The faculty prides itself on the fact that some of its students and lecturers went on to hold some of the highest offices in the country. Under its alumni are state presidents, ministers of state, administrators, judges of appeal, judges, rectors, professors and lecturers at the UFS as well as at other universities, advocates, attorneys and legal advisors – in private practice as well as in government,” said Prof. Henning.

The faculty’s “Iurisprudentia 100” celebrations will take place throughout the year with activities such as breakfasts for the various alumni groups of the faculty and a series of inaugural lectures. Cum Laude awards will also be
handed to Judge Lex Mpati, President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, and Judge Louis Harms, Deputy President of the Supreme Court Appeal. The celebrations will be concluded in November with a prestige dinner.

Celebration programme:

26 February 2009: Visit by Prof. Fernand de Varennes (of the Murdoch Law School, Perth, Australia),
13 March 2009: Breakfast for all candidate attorneys
18 March 2009: Breakfast for judges and Cum Laude awards
15 May 2009: Breakfast for labour law certificate alumni
11 September 2009: Breakfast for diploma alumni (CFP)
16 October 2009: Breakfast for attorneys and advocates
9-12 November 2009: Inaugural and public lectures
13 November 2009: Centenary dinner

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za  
18 February 2009

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