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UFS Council approves name changes of five residences on the Bloemfontein Campus

01 December 2022 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo iFLAIR Photography

During its meeting on 25 November 2022, the Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) unanimously approved the name changes of five residences on the Bloemfontein Campus.

The UFS Institutional Transformation Plan (ITP) states that a transformed university in South Africa will be one that strives for social justice in everything it does. It will be an institution where its diverse people feel a sense of common purpose and where the symbols and spaces, systems and daily practices all reflect a commitment to openness and engagement.

“It is in this context that the names and symbols of all 36 residences on the Bloemfontein Campus have been reviewed to ensure that the institutional culture and spaces contribute to an inclusive sense of belonging. The process was started in 2021 through the university’s Naming Committee,” said Prof Francis Petersen, UFS Rector and Vice-Chancellor.

Subsequently, a process was launched for the review and adjustment of the names of several residences on campus. The recommended name changes express the university’s commitment to courageously grapple with its shared past, present, and future. They are informed by the (2020) Naming and Renaming Policy, which “recognises that the names bestowed on its assets must sustain a harmonious balance between descriptive functions, the university’s origins, the rich history and heritage of the UFS, and the constitutionally democratic society it is designed to serve”.

As such, the following name changes were approved by the UFS Council:

“The renaming process of the five residences included a variety of activities, all of which focused on building and implementing an engagement and consultation process with the various stakeholders and role player communities,” said Prof Petersen.

During the renaming process, an important approach of the Naming Committee was to balance the social justice and multilingual agenda of the UFS. Therefore, the languages used in the renaming process reflect not only some of the languages spoken at the UFS (i.e., English, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and isiZulu), but also languages such as isiXhosa, Kiswahili and the use of a name that draws on the national motto in ways that recognise the Khoisan heritage of the Free State and South Africa.

“The renaming process is an important milestone for the UFS as it symbolises and celebrates the courage and vision of the university community for its commitment to transformation and for participating in a process which aims at producing a names and symbols environment in which all can experience belonging,” said Prof Petersen.

During the Council meeting, the Naming Committee was thanked for the work done and for the balanced approach to the process of renaming the residences.

News Archive

Travel 120 million light years this July holiday

2014-07-07

The first digital planetarium in sub-Saharan Africa – situated on Naval Hill, right here in Bloemfontein – opened on 1 November 2013. The University of the Free State (UFS) is managing this facility.

In view of the July holiday, special family programmes will be hosted on Friday night, 11 July 2014. The programme includes the following shows:

Nanocam
Nanocam (you shrink down to the size of an insect and fly through the eye of a needle) is a microscopic joyride into the five kingdoms of living organisms. The show offers a compelling, educational and funny approach to life that has never been seen like this before.

Fragile Planet
Fragile Planet offers a journey of 120 million light years to rediscover our home. The audience experiences an astronaut’s view of the earth, highlighting earth’s unique regions.

The pre-produced programmes are all in English, but the live presentation and tour through the universe will be alternately in Afrikaans or English.

Tariffs
Adults: R50
Learners, students and pensioners: R30

Buy tickets at
- The planetarium before shows;
- Computicket (at all Checkers, Shoprite, House and Home and Checkers Hyper shops);
Computicket’s enquiry centre (08619158000), or
- Online at www.online.computicket.com (look for ‘planetarium’), for mobile devices go to www.computicket.mobi (look for ‘planetarium’).

For any enquiries, you are welcome to contact Yolandie Loots at FickY@ufs.ac.za or on +27(0)51 401 9751.

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