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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

First-year students encouraged to attend UFS welcoming function
2006-01-12

The University of the Free State (UFS) will host a welcoming function for all new first-year students and their parents on Saturday 14 January 2006 in the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein.

The function starts at 11:00 and will be addressed by the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, Prof Frederick Fourie. UFS staff will also be available to provide vital information to first-year students on academic matters.

According to Mr Vernon Collett, Registrar: Academic Student Services at the UFS, Saturday’s welcoming function can assist students and parents by providing vital information on the many high quality academic learning programmes on offer at the UFS in six faculties.

“If students and parents have this information it will make the registration process, which starts next week Tuesday 17 January 2006, much smoother,” Mr Collett said.

The UFS has split the registration process into various categories of students and Mr Collett appealed to all students to adhere to the dates and times which apply to them as a one-stop service will be available so as to avoid unnecessary delays in the registration process.

The registration of first-time entering first-year students who applied before 30 November 2005 to study at the Bloemfontein Campus will take place from Tuesday 17 January 2006 at the Callie Human Centre.

Senior undergraduate students (that is, students entering their second or later year of study) may register from 23 January 2006.

Postgraduate students, first-time entering first-year students and other students who applied for admission to the main campus after 30 November 2005 must register at the Callie Human from 2 February 2006. 

Late applications will be accepted until Wednesday 25 January 2006 at the Information Centre on the Main Campus’ Thakaneng Bridge. These applications will be regarded as pending and will be processed as places become available on the programme the student has applied for,” said Mr Collett. 

Vista Campus:
The Vista Campus in Bloemfontein – which was incorporated into the UFS in January 2004 – no longer accepts applications from first-year students. Such prospective students had to apply to the UFS Main Campus. Students who had been registered on the Vista campus last year must register at the Vista Campus on the same dates as applicable on the Main Campus.

Qwaqwa Campus:
At the Qwaqwa Campus of the UFS, all first-time entering first-year students must report on Thursday 19 January 2006, after which the registration of these students will take place according to a specific programme. The official welcoming functioning for new first-years at the Qwaqwa campus of the UFS will take place on Saturday 11 February 2006 at 08:00 in the Rolihlahla Mandela Hall on the Qwaqwa Campus.

Mr Collett appealed to first-year students who have applied to study at the Qwaqwa Campus and their parents to attend this function which fulfils the same role as the one held on the Bloemfontein Main Campus.

Detailed information on the dates and times of registration for the various faculties and academic learning programmes is available on the UFS website at www.uovs.ac.za. Prospective students may also call the Main Campus in Bloemfontein on (051) 401-3000 or the Qwaqwa Campus on (058) 718-5000 for more information.

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 January 2006

 

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