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CUADS at 20 years - creating accessible learning environments

06 December 2021 | Story Martie Miranda and Mosa Moerane | Photo Supplied

The CUADS office promoting accessible learning environments.

Twenty years ago, the need was identified to accommodate students with disabilities on the Bloemfontein Campus, and in an attempt to provide an accessible environment and academic life for these students, the Unit for Students with Disabilities was established in February 2001. The unit started with one staff member, fifteen registered students, and one Braille printer. Since 2015, the name of the unit has changed to the Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS), with offices on all three campuses. There are currently 247 registered students, 13 staff members and three Braille printers, with a pool of ad hoc South African Sign Language interpreters, editors, and amanuensis.

Full integration of students with disabilities

After 10 years of existence, the unit was ready and committed to look at future possibilities for the full integration of students with disabilities. A lot of work has been done to accommodate students with disabilities across all categories of disability, including study courses, accessibility to buildings, accessibility of learning materials, residences, sporting activities, computer facilities, interpreting services for deaf, hard of hearing, and deafened students, as well as the provision of a specialised exam and test venue for alternative test and exam procedures.

CUADS now forms part of the dynamic student support environment of the Department of Student Affairs, and although the last decade has not been without a lot of growing pains and buy-in from different stakeholders, the centre has aimed to ensure that the University of the Free State (UFS) becomes an accessible higher education institution of choice for students with disabilities. While the primary focus of the support services offered by CUADS is to promote equity for students with disabilities in order to reach academic success, a holistic approach to student participation and success is followed to ensure a humanising experience.

Universal Access

CUADS’ involvement with the UFS Integrated Transformation Plan through the Universal Access Work Stream has assisted in integrating disability and universal access matters, which have contributed thus far to the approval of Disability Sport as part of the Integrated Sport Strategy, Disability and Universal Access advocacy as part of the Advocacy, Awareness and Analysis Strategy, including universal access considerations in the UFS Estates Technical Manual for infrastructure, and the Policy on Universal Access and Disability Support for students with disabilities.

Timeline

2001: Establishment of Unit for Students with Disabilities (USD) within Student Counselling and Development

First blind student graduated at the UFS (having been at the UFS without the support service)

2005: First deaf student (Sign Language user) registered, with Sign Language interpreting services provided

2008: Unit became an independent department within Student Affairs

2009: First full-time Sign Language interpreter appointed

2011: Ten-year celebration, embarking on integration of support to students with disabilities

Celebrating a ramp at the front door of the Callie Human Hall as a graduation venue

2012: Alternative exam arrangements integrated with Exam Division

2013: Sign Language interpretation integrated with Interpreting Services

2014: Accessible transport services established between South Campus and Bloemfontein Campus with First Car sponsorship

2015: Name change to Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) and adopting universal access as approach to include students with disabilities

2016: Documenting 40 graduates with disabilities in one year for the first time, which repeated itself in the following years

2017: Became part of the UFS transformation agenda through the UFS Integrated Transformation Plan

Mental health challenges added as a category of students with disabilities supported by CUADS
Formalised orientation and mobility training for students with visual impairments to enable independent movement around our three campuses

2018: Establishment of CUADS offices on South Campus and Qwaqwa Campus, with CUADS coordinators appointed

First Biennial CUADS Formal Function held

2019: Commenced with tactile paving project on Bloemfontein Campus

2020: Disability Sport integrated into ITP Sport Strategy

Disability and Universal Access advocacy integrated with ITP Advocacy, Awareness and Analysis Strategy

2021: Policy on Universal Access and Disability Support for students with disabilities approved by Council

Universal access considerations within the UFS Estates Technical Manual for infrastructure.

News Archive

UFS implements access control measures on our Bloemfontein Campus

2014-11-21

Photo: Hannes Pieterse

Online Application form: non personnel

Map with access gates on the Bloemfontein Campus

Accessing the Bloemfontein Campus from 3 November 2014

Access control during major events on the Bloemfontein Campus

Q&A

The University of the Free State (UFS) has been tightening security measures on its Bloemfontein Campus for quite some time now. Purposefully, we have consolidated several safety measures to keep our students, staff and visitors – the heartbeat of our university – protected.

Our most significant step in this endeavour is now in the process of implementation. All five entrance gates to the campus are being equipped with strict access control.

The first phase of the process was implemented beginning of August 2014. Gates 2 (Badenhorst Street) and 4 (Furstenburg Street) were equipped with card readers. Only persons with valid access cards can enter and leave through these gates. Existing staff and student cards are equipped to be read by the short-distance card readers at the gates in order to activate the booms.

At this stage, staff and students are swiping their cards against the card readers at Gates 2 and 4 or holding it not further than 20 mm from the reader for the boom to open. Card holders now physically stop in front of the boom in order to get access to the campus.

The duel-frequency card:

The dual-frequency cards available at the Card Division on the Thakaneng Bridge are currently out of stock. New cards will be delivered on Friday 14 November 2014.

The special offer of R30 per access card has been extended to the end of November 2014. To qualify for this offer, staff and students may pay the R30 for a dual-frequency card at the bank or cashiers on the Thakaneng Bridge no later than 28 November. The cost of dual-frequency cards will increase to R60 per card from 1 December 2014.

Please note that only people with vehicles need to apply for dual-frequency cards.

Students and staff will, however, still be able to gain access to the Bloemfontein Campus with their current cards (in the case of staff and students who haven’t purchased dual-frequency cards yet). As is currently the practice at the gates in Furstenburg and Badenhorst Streets, you will have to stop when you reach the boom, swipe your card past the card reader, the boom will open and you will be able to drive through.

Staff and students using their dual-frequency cards should:

-       Reduce speed
-       Hold the card in a vertical position at the driver’s side window, in the direction of the long-distance reader (see photo)

It is therefore not necessary to stop in front of the boom. On holding your card upright, in line with the card reader, the gate will open automatically and you will be able to drive through (keep your card outside your window; the card reader cannot operate through tinted windows).

Please note that this arrangement only applies to incoming lanes. On leaving the campus, the card has to be swiped. This is due to the number-plate recognition technology installed at exits for additional security.

If the long-distance reader does not work, the dual-frequency card can still be used at a tag reader.

Applying for your new card:

Electronic fund transfers: Absa Bank: 1 570 8500 71, Ref: 1 413 07670 0198, OR pay the R30 at the UFS Cashiers, Thakaneng Bridge. Please note that the price of the cards will increase to R60 from 1 November 2014.

Take your existing personnel or student card, together with proof of payment, to the UFS Card Division, Bloemfontein Campus, Thakaneng Bridge, to have your photo taken and your new dual-frequency card issued.

Permission to access specific UFS buildings or facilities linked to your existing card, will be automatically linked to the new card.

The new card is marked ‘dual’ on the back in the right, bottom corner.

The UFS Cashiers will provide assistance between 09:00 and 14:30, and the UFS Card Division between 09:00 and 15:00.

Implementation of full access control

Full access control will be implemented on the UFS’s Bloemfontein Campus from 3 November 2014. This means that access control will be implemented at all gates on the Bloemfontein Campus.

Who is using which gate? See Q&A for more information.

Gate 3 (Wynand Mouton Drive) is earmarked for use by official card holders. These include students, staff and persons doing business on campus. Parents dropping and fetching their children for sports, as well as service providers of the UFS, such as architects, may apply for valid cards. These persons will have to provide proof that they have business on campus (complete online application form and sign declaration).

All visitors to the campus will be referred to the Visitor’s Centre at Gate 5 (DF Malherbe Drive). This include, among others, parents, family and friends of students, as well as conference delegates. It is estimated that the Visitor’s Centre will be completed at the end of November (note that the gate at DF Malherbe Drive will be operational by 3 November 2014). Visitors will sign in at the Visitor’s Centre and, depending on the business they have on campus, they will only be allowed on campus for a certain period of time.

•    Lane 1 at Gate 5 will be used by visitors and service providers to enter the campus. Only card holders will be able to use lane 2.
•    Buses and trucks can also enter the campus through Gate 5.

The construction at the Main Gate at Nelson Mandela Drive is to build one extra lane for incoming traffic. The project is estimated to be completed at the end of October 2014.

•    For outgoing traffic, lane 1 (furthest from the guardhouse) and lane 2 will only be used by card holders and lane 3 (closest to the booth) will be used by service providers.
•    For incoming traffic, lanes 2 and 3 were set aside for use by only service providers. Lanes 1 and 4 will be used by only card holders.

Pedestrians

All gates for motorists will also be equipped with a pedestrian thoroughfare on completion of the project. Persons using these pedestrian gates also need to use their cards to get access to the campus.

Pedestrians who are visitors, but aren’t in possession of a valid access card, should please go to the Visitor’s Centre at the gate in DF Malherbe Drive where they will be helped.

More information

For more information on access control at the UFS, please watch our videos and read the Q&A or e-mail your enquiries to accesscontrol@ufs.ac.za.

Issued by: Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Tel: +27(0)51 401 2584 | +27(0)83 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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