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17 August 2021 | Story Dr Cindé Greyling | Photo Supplied
Marisna Nel, Director: Governance and Reporting in the Department of Finance.
Marisna Nel is the Director: Governance and Reporting in the Department of Finance at the University of the Free State. Although her overall responsibility relates mainly to governance and financial reporting, it also includes the management of the following divisions within the Department of Finance:  Salaries; Accounts Payable; General Reporting; Travel and Expense Claims; and Financial Systems.

What is the best thing about your job?
The people. I am proud to say I’m surrounded by loyal, hardworking colleagues who will never shy away from walking the extra mile. They never stop to amaze or inspire me. 

What is the best and worst decision you have ever made?
One of my better decisions was to work abroad in both the USA and Ireland for a period of three years post articles. I will always be grateful for the life lessons learnt and professional experienced gained. However great these opportunities were, my ‘best’ decision was to return to South Africa. I truly believe that, irrespective of all the challenges we face in South Africa, we are resilient people with the ability to inspire and influence change. I also met the love of my life back home and am the proud mother of two boys. I do not recall a specific decision that I regret. My life journey thus far formed and made me the person I am today, and therefore I would not want it any other way.

What was/is the biggest challenge of your career?
Balancing my professional career with being a wife and mom. 

What does the word woman, mean to you?
Being a mom, wife, friend, daughter, sister, and colleague all in one. I believe that each of these roles contributes to our growth and internal well-being, and that is what makes women special.

Which woman inspires you, and why?
I do not have a specific role model, but rather some specific qualities that I admire. The ability to stay true to your beliefs. Sometimes, it means taking the difficult route to be able to do the right thing and having the courage to do it.

What advice would you give to the 15-year-old you?
Live and enjoy every moment. Do not focus so much on the future that you forget to enjoy the moment.

What is the one self-care thing that you do? 
Spending time with my family in nature – camping is our family thing. It helps me to refocus on what really matters when life wants to run away with me.

What makes you a woman of quality, impact, and care?
My values and strong ethics make me who I am – helping me to make fair decisions consistently and focus on the true North in times of difficulty. I believe the way to build trust is by always being honest. This is what I try to live by and also teach my children. The last value I hold dear is what my father has always emphasised through his entire life – humility. We are all part of a bigger picture and each one has an important role to play.
 
I cannot live without … coffee and my family. 
My secret weapon is … my ability to laugh at myself. 
I always have … faith. 
I will never … parachute.
I hope … to someday be able to say that I’m done with my to-do list.

News Archive

Call for campus review and participation into renaming and renewal of statues, signs, and symbols on UFS campuses
2016-08-25

 

The leadership of the University of the Free State (UFS) is issuing a Call for the renaming and renewal of statues, signs, and symbols on the three campuses to staff, students, and alumni.

In line with the founding statement and guidelines of the Naming Committee of Council, The Call will seek to retain the best representations of the history and identity of the UFS over more than a century, while committing to the transformation imperatives of our new democracy so that the totality of statues, signs, and symbols give credence to both the past and the future, all in line with the values of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

Submissions should be made to the
SSSC between 21 July 2016 and 31 August 2016.
Proposals can be delivered to the
office of the Director: Communication and
Brand Management at Room 49,
Main Building, Bloemfontein Campus, or
via email to sssc@ufs.ac.za.

The ‘Guiding Principles’ of the Naming Committee, approved by Council on 8 March 2013, are transformation, reconciliation, excellence, distinctiveness, leadership, comprehensiveness, balance and sensitivity. The Policy of the UFS on Naming and Renaming is available here: http://bit.ly/2aeTLUz; and the Remit of the Naming Committee of the UFS is available here: http://bit.ly/29NXESC.

The Call will give special attention to creative submissions from staff, students, and alumni, such as signs and symbols that reflect our entangled past and place rival memories in critical conversation. Whatever is proposed, our commitment to the Academic Project and the Human Project remain foundations on which inspirational proposals could be based. In the end, a campus that is richly diverse, inclusive, and just in its symbolic infrastructure, would give visible meaning to the university’s commitment to social justice and reconciliation.

All submissions should be made to the Statues, Signs, and Symbols Committee (SSSC) between 21 July 2016 and 31 August 2016. Proposals could be delivered in hard copy to the office of the Director: Communication and Brand Management at Room 49, Main Building, Bloemfontein Campus or via email to sssc@ufs.ac.za.

Proposals will be reviewed by the SSSC, which is a subcommittee of the Naming Committee.

Final proposals will be submitted to Council for consideration at its final meeting of the 2016 academic year. In other words, new statues, symbols and signs – those approved by Council – will be implemented from January 2017.

Submissions could include, but are not limited to, the following: the renaming of streets and buildings; the proposal of new statues and other symbols on campus; the renewal of artwork collections; the reconfiguration of existing statues and symbols; the introduction of memorial gardens; the instatement of new galleries, sculptures, and literary collections; the establishment of prominent academic chairs or annual academic lectures in the name of illustrious figures, etc. Particular attention should be given to new buildings in the process of being built, such as residences.

Finally, it is important that the views and recommendations of all staff, students, and alumni be considered in submissions and that every campus citizen, past and present, has a sense of being able to participate fully and freely in the process.

Released by: Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Tel: +27 51 401 3422/2707 or +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

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