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Agreement between UFS rectorate and Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) on 16 March 2021

16 March 2021 | Story Lacea Loader

UPDATE: 16 March 2021 at 20:37

During a meeting between members of the Rectorate and representatives of the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) on 15 and 16 March 2021, the following was agreed upon:

1. SUSPENSION OF THE ACADEMIC PROGRAMME

All academic activities have been suspended on all UFS campuses from 17 to 22 March 2021. No online/face-to-face lectures/tests/assignments will take place until 23 March 2021, and the full academic programme will resume on this date.

This decision will allow the university management an opportunity to address outstanding matters regarding the admission of senior undergraduate students.

2. FACE-TO-FACE REGISTRATION

Any senior undergraduate and first-year student who is unable to register successfully online, can do so on the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses from 17 to 19 March 2021.

► Registration stations:

Bloemfontein Campus:

- Examination Centre (EXR)

Qwaqwa Campus:

- Faculty of Education: Mandela Hall
- Faculty of the Humanities: E0013 + 14
- Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences: E009 + 10 – EMS
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences: Fulufhelo Gazelle

► Operating times on both campuses:

17 March 2021: 13:00-15:00
18 and 19 March 2021: 8:00-15:00

The following must be noted:

Senior undergraduate students must be in possession of a valid student card (previous year) and will be allowed to enter the campuses without an access permit in order to register.

First-year students must be in possession of a firm offer from the UFS in order to register – no campus access permit is needed.

3. NUMBER OF STUDENTS ON CAMPUSES

The university management is aware of the challenges that some students are experiencing with the continuation of their studies off campus in terms of, for instance, access to campus facilities and connectivity.

It is, however, important to take note that the institution is obliged to adhere to national regulations linked to Level 1 of the national lockdown, also taking into account the university’s teaching and learning approach, as well as the capacity to adhere to physical distancing protocols.

The university management will continue with the return of students to the campuses in a responsible way, as the safety, health, and well-being of students and staff remain the key priorities.

With this in mind, the university will reconsider its blended learning arrangements for 2021 to allow more students to return to campus within the parameters of the national lockdown regulations. These arrangements will be communicated to students soon.

4. ACADEMICALLY ELIGIBLE STUDENTS

The university will compile a list of students who have outstanding debt and who are still awaiting funding confirmation from NSFAS. Confirmation will be provided before midnight on 16 March 2021 if these students can register provisionally without payment of the first amount.

5. MEAL ALLOWANCES

The payment of meal allowances for NSFAS students will be implemented by the end of March 2021. It should be noted that NSFAS is only expected to transfer funds in April, but the UFS will lay out the funds for food allowances in the meantime.

6. ACADEMIC EXCLUSION

During the meetings on 15 and 16 March 2021, the ISRC tabled the matter regarding students who are academically excluded for the 2021 academic year. This matter is being addressed by the university management and engagement in this regard will continue.

7. VICTIMISATION OF STUDENTS BY PRIVATE SECURITY

During the meetings on 15 and 16 March 2021, the ISRC tabled the matter regarding students being victimised, harassed, and assaulted by private security.

The ISRC will submit more information, after which the allegations will be investigated.

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

News Archive

SRC visits the US as part of Global Leadership Preparation Programme

2012-06-07

The Student Representative Councils (SRC) of the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses will be travelling to the United States from 10-24 June 2012 on an intensive leadership development programme.

The Global Leadership Preparation Programme, initiated by the Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof. Jonathan Jansen, has been designed to ensure that South Africa’s next generation of leaders understand their unique place in a global context, the interconnectedness of global and local society and various possibilities for change.

The group of 36 students will be visiting Washington DC, Boston and New York.

“As a university we recognise that students who lead on campus must be prepared to also lead the country, which requires amongst others greater understanding of the impact and influence of global developments (social, economic, political) on nation states and campuses. This includes knowledge to deepen democratic participation and real representation – issues we know that often are contested in important student governance structures such as SRCs,” says Mr Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs.

The group will be studying among others the impact, influence and limits of the United Nations in global leadership; the impact of transnational companies on economic policies of African countries; the impact of American universities on African leadership; the impact of international philanthropy on African development and the impact of American public institutions on learning among the disadvantaged: lessons for South Africa.

The programme complements and strengthens other leadership preparation programmes of the UFS, such as the Leadership for Change Programme and the Gateway College Programme – an intensive orientation programme for all undergraduate students. It will give students a competitive advantage in leadership over more local programmes and initiatives that seldom look beyond the campus, or even beyond the country, in preparing the next generation of leadership.

“We value this initiative by the university leadership to give us the opportunity to explore and spread our wings and gather as much knowledge as we can get to raise the bar in terms of student governance and leadership. The university is amongst the few in the country that sees the need to strengthen and develop its student leadership by exposing it and allowing it to understand its role in a global context. This is a chance that we take seriously and we intend to use it to the betterment of the institution,” says Bongani Ngcanga, President of the Central SRC.

“While we welcomed the initiative taken by the university to design this programme, the SRC questioned and debated heavily on the merits and real contribution of such a programme. Only on approval of the academic and development profile of the programme did we accept its merits and now are excited about the value thereof. This opportunity goes beyond the term of the SRC and will develop and equip us for the great positions we will hold in the future. I am looking forward to meeting influential lobbyists, profound academics and strong politicians,” says Richard Chemaly, SRC President of the Bloemfontein Campus.

Upon their return, the SRCs will set a new benchmark for future councils, raising the bar to that of internationally acclaimed student leadership. One of the objectives of the programme is to produce written, reflective statements about the learning that resulted from the trip and to start dialogues in order to improve student governance and governance as a whole. Workshops will also be presented for aspirant student leaders on leadership lessons learnt from an international perspective.

Members of the SRCs are covering part in the cost of the programme and generous contributions have also been received from outside the university.

Media Release
07 June 2012
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication
Tel: +27(0)51 401 2584
Cell: +27(0)83 645 2454
E-mail: news@ufs.ac.za

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