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Student Affairs Celebrates Arts Week: 22-29 October 2021

21 October 2021 | Story Xolisa Mnukwa

The University of the Free State (UFS) Arts and Culture office invites all Kovsie students to enjoy the soothing sounds of music and poetry performed by students from all three UFS campuses during the Student Affairs Arts Week from 22 to 29 October 2021.

For a full Arts Week experience, visit https://www.ufs.ac.za/studentlifeartsweek where a new video will be activated daily for an exciting week-long festival.

Together with the Arts Week, a COVID-19 Vaccination Drive will take place physically on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus and on virtual platforms. The drive will host medical experts to discuss and address the concerns that students have about vaccination.

Click here for more information on the Student Affairs Vaccination Drive.

The university is developing a COVID-19 Regulations and Mandatory Vaccination Policy to ensure a safe environment for all UFS staff and students upon their physical return to campus in 2022.

All students are therefore encouraged to make the responsible choice to keep themselves and others safe by educating themselves through the vaccination drive.

The Student Affairs Arts Week comes after the Campus Principal of the UFS South Campus and team leader of Institutional Health and Wellness for staff and students, Dr Maria Madiope, expressed concern about how COVID-19 cursed humanity. She previously stated that both student and staff morale has been challenged and affected immensely, and she encouraged the Arts and Culture office to use the arts to boost morale and give hope.

Mr Temba Hlasho, UFS Executive Director of Student Affairs, also expressed concern about the level of student engagement and how music and song, particularly choral music, are well known for its therapeutic and healing abilities for people when tackling various life challenges.

The Bloemfontein Choir is set to pay tribute to all students, staff, family, and UFS loved ones who have been lost since the beginning of the pandemic.

May the music and poetry give you hope for the approaching final year-end exams and the festive season.

For more information on Arts Week, contact Lucy Sehloho at sehloholp@ufs.ac.za

News Archive

Prof Jonathan Jansen steps down as UFS Vice-Chancellor and Rector

2016-05-16

Statement by Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS (pdf)

Statement by Judge Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson: UFS Council

Prof Jonathan Jansen will step down as Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS) on 31 August 2016.

He will take up an invitation as a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University in the USA in September 2016. The fellowship, which was awarded to him earlier this year, is an opportunity for him to further advance his career as an internationally renowned academic in education. Prof Jansen’s departure is a great loss for the university, but the Council accepts his decision to step down and pursue his academic career as well as other opportunities.

The Council is grateful for the vision and the inspirational leadership that Prof Jansen provided during his tenure at the UFS. He has led the university through difficult and complex times – from after the Reitz incident up until the recent student protest actions. He brought stability and respect for the university – nationally as well as internationally.

The Council appreciates Prof Jansen’s drive to further the academic performance and transformation of the UFS. To this end he was instrumental in the improvement of student success and graduation rates, the increase in the percentage of academic staff with doctoral qualifications, the increase in research outputs, the growth in staff diversity, and the growth in third-stream income.

Furthermore, Prof Jansen played a significant part in developing the UFS as a place where the embrace of diversity and the integration of the university provide a backdrop for academic excellence. Under his leadership, the UFS made great strides in fulfilling its social responsibility to serve the community. He was the right leader at the right time for the university.

On behalf of the Council and the entire university community, I thank him for his contributions as a capable, energetic and dedicated leader and wish him the best for his future.

Prof Jansen was appointed as Vice-Chancellor and Rector on 1 July 2009 and his term of office was extended for another five years by the Council on 1 July 2014.

In the event that the position is not filled by the end of August 2016, Prof Nicky Morgan, current Vice-Rector: Operations at the UFS, will act as Vice-Chancellor and Rector. The Council will shortly start the process to appoint a successor through a national and international search.

Released by: Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Tel: +27(0)51 401 3422/2707 or +27(0)83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27(0)51 444 6393

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