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11 February 2022 | Story Lacea Loader

 

The University of the Free State (UFS) takes note that the application by Free State for Choice (FS4C) for an interim interdict against the university’s COVID-19 Regulations and Required Vaccination Policy was struck off the roll in the Free State High Court in Bloemfontein today, due to FS4C’s inability to prove that the application should be heard as an urgent matter.

 
Although the university management respects the outcome and decision of the court, the UFS was never of the view that the implementation of the policy should be set aside.
 
The university confirms the stipulations in the policy, that – as from 14 February 2022 – staff, students, and visitors will either be required to be vaccinated, to upload a negative SARS (COVID-19) PCR test (not older than a week) on its campus access system if they are not vaccinated, or to have an approved deferral or an approved exemption, in order to access campus.
 

The university management remains of the view that the implementation of the policy is consistent with its prerogative and obligation to maintain a safe working and learning environment for its staff, students, and visitors.

COVID-19 Regulations and Required Vaccination Policy 


Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Marketing)
Telephone: +27 51 401 3422
Email: news@ufs.ac.za

News Archive

Darwin lecture focuses on the genetic foundation of evolution
2009-05-22

 
The Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State (UFS) recently made their contribution to the story of life and survival by presenting two lectures on The genetic foundation of evolution. Prof. Johan Spies, Head of the Department of Genetics at the UFS discussed the variation that was created by mutations and how this variation was enhanced by re-combination. He also pointed out that these methods contributed relatively little to the gene pool of a species and that the expansion of the gene pool primarily took place by means of chromosome evolution. The latter also contributed to the creation of isolation mechanisms to prevent hybridism. He further emphasised the multitude of deviations of mendelian heredity, which contributed to more variation within a species.

Prof. Paul Grobler, Associate Professor from this department, next pointed out how natural selection played a role to form new species. He used various examples to indicate how the process took its course, for example, lactose intolerance. He also reported out that the man on the street mostly believed that Darwin with his theory of the survival of the fittest meant that the physically strongest species would survive. It was more a case of the one that could reproduce the fastest and the most, that would survive, he stated.

Present at the occasion were, from left front: Ms Letecia Jonker, student, Prof. Grobler, Ms Paula Spies, lecturer at the Department of Genetics and Ms Zurika Odendaal, junior lecturer at the Department of Genetics; back: Prof. Spies.
Photo: Stephen Collett

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