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Student Affairs: Humanising lived experiences in higher education

18 March 2021 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa | Photo Sonia Small

In line with their operational mandate that seeks to humanise the lived experiences of students and implore an ethically just society within the University of the Free State (UFS) community, the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) has launched two publications – On the Red Couch: A pocket guide for staff and the Universal Access Checklist.

On the red couch: A pocket guide for staff

On the Red Couch was launched by the UFS Department of Student Counselling and Development (SCD) in support of student well-being.

The purpose of this pocket guide is to equip staff with information, guidance, and skills to support students who are experiencing mental health distress and to enthuse well-being. The guide highlights a variety of services and tips that SCD educates staff about, ranging from group counselling, career counselling, recognising a student in distress, to enlightening them on how to respond to students in emergency situations.

“What mental health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation.” – Glenn Close

Universal Access Checklist

In their mission to develop an inclusive institutional culture that provides humanising experiences essential to the academic success and engagement of students, the UFS Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) has developed the Universal Access Checklist.

This checklist is a comprehensive guide that propels academic and social spaces within the higher education environment to make online as well as face-to-face interactions and events accessible to both staff and students with disabilities.

The checklist encourages universal design in the planning of events/ gatherings/ meetings and interaction within the university by providing clear guidelines on how the UFS society can effectively embrace all of its members, including being cognisant of the categories of disabilities in its environment, ranging from visual/mobility/hearing impairments to learning difficulties to mental health challenges.

The checklist also covers subjects concerning accessible university accommodation, hosting events on various platforms, marketing material, food requirements, and preferred pronouns.

“As a university, we host all kinds of events in person and virtually. It is imperative to ensure that we create opportunities for full participation of all people in order to realise the university’s ideal of an inclusive and socially just institutional culture,” says Mosa Moerane, CUADS Liaison, Advocacy and Awareness Officer.

News Archive

Amphitheatre to energise student life on the Qwaqwa Campus

2015-06-11

The Qwaqwa Campus of the University of the Free State is one of the fastest-growing rural campuses.

Since 2010, the campus has, among other things, built two new student residences, which provide accommodation for an additional 500 students. The old disused boiler room, which was used as a storeroom, has been converted into much-needed ablution and dressing room facilities at the sports fields. The Faculty of Education now boasts a Technology, Engineering Graphics and Design Education laboratory. The project was funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

One of the student priorities is a common space in the form of an open amphitheatre in front of the library.

‘’The amphitheatre is a highly-welcomed structure on our campus as it will provide students with an informal environment to study, socialise and meet,’’ said the Campus Principal, Prof Prakash Naidoo.

‘‘We have erected this on an existing space that was already used for outdoor launches and events on the campus, and is in line with our thinking of energising student life on campus. In addition, we have complemented this with the use of solar energy, so that students can just plug in and charge their phones and laptops while they are in the amphitheatre.”

Excited students, Chibi Mosia and Tshilidzi Matshavha, in final-year Chemistry and Chemistry Honours respectively, concurred that the amphitheatre is a good project for the campus.

‘‘It is an important and distinctive feature for the campus as it adds to the growth of our beautiful campus,’’ said Mosia.

‘’It will also enhance the use of alternative energy sources to reduce the campus's carbon footprint,’’ added Matshavha.

The project is worth almost R2,5 m, and took 12 months to complete. The Department of Higher Education and Training also provided the funds for this project.

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