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Incident on the Bloemfontein Campus related to off-campus emergency accommodation on 8 February 2022

09 February 2022 | Story Lacea Loader

The University of the Free State UFS) is aware of media reports on 8 and 9 February 2022 about challenges that students are facing related to off-campus accommodation and in particular an incident that took place on the Bloemfontein Campus in the early hours of 8 February 2022 when a group of students arrived late evening at Protection Services and requested emergency accommodation.

It is untrue that the university did not provide emergency accommodation to the group of students, and we wish to confirm that accommodation was indeed offered in two on-campus residences. However, the offer to provide such accommodation was not taken up by the Bloemfontein Campus Student Representative Council (CSRC) on behalf of the group. During Tuesday morning, university staff managed to obtain accommodation for the group in an off-campus emergency accommodation facility, to which they were taken by shuttle.

Several measures are in place to ensure the successful management of the accommodation process in consultation with and in agreement with various stakeholders. When the need arises, the university arranges emergency off-campus accommodation for students on all three campuses. Where a student cannot afford to pay for emergency accommodation, the university has measures in place, which include the provision of daily transport in the form of a shuttle service to the emergency accommodation and back to the campus – specifically during the registration period.

In addition, an Emergency Accommodation Committee, on which the CSRC sits, meets weekly. The CSRC is part of the committee’s decisions to accommodate the needs of students related to emergency accommodation.

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"Learning more about ourselves, our group and the world at large..."

2011-09-28

For the latest news from our students abroad, you can follow us on twitter and join us on facebook.

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A group of 98 first-year students from our university departed from the Bloemfontein Campus’s International Offices to the OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday 22 September 2011. From there, they will be flying to New York, USA, via Dubai. Shortly after their arrival in New York, they will be welcomed by Dr Anthony Marx, the president of the NYPL.

The programme, a first in South Africa, kicked off in 2010 with 71 students visiting the USA.

The programme gives students intense exposure to the academic, social, cultural and residential lives of students abroad. A total of 150 UFS students are now part of the programme. The rest of the group of 2011 will leave for universities in Europe and Asia in January 2012.

Facebook and twitter comments from our students (unedited):

Thabiso Mike Letselebe (27/09/2011)
"having fun flyin to cleveland"

Eddie Bob DeWet (27/09/2011)
"‎...The city that NEVER sleeps NYC- no jokes!!!"

Marco D. Smit (27/09/2011)
"The group travelling to Minnesota University... We are having a great time, learning more about ourselves, our group and the world at large. Thank you for the grate opportunity!"

Vusi Mesatywa (27/09/2011)
"by Sherilyn Roelofse - Apart from the amazing beauty of the JMU campus (Harrisonburg, Virginia), I am taking in so much! It is amazing to see how everything functions here. I am astounded by the way the food system of the university works - it's so organised! I also love how there is always something happening on campus. For example, tonight we attended a session hosted by the Harrisonburg Fire Department and we had to move through a smoke filled room. drag a deadweight-dummy, and put out a fire. And yes, we have discovered that the American campus life is pretty much exactly what it looks like on movies! ;)"

Cecile Boshoff (26/09/2011)
"Appalacian State University is the best place ever!!!! We are all in love with this place!"

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