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UFS CUADS staff members set to lead USAf task team on implementation of disability policy framework

15 June 2023 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Lunga Luthuli

Martie and Charity — Martie Miranda, Deputy Director of CUADS, and Charity Morrison, CUADS Disability Support Manager, have been nominated to lead a Universities South Africa Transformation Managers Forum (USAf TMF) task team to review universal access and disabilities support in the public higher education sector.

Two staff members from the UFS Centre for Universal Access and Disability Support (CUADS) have been nominated to lead a Universities South Africa Transformation Managers Forum (USAf TMF) task team to review universal access and disabilities support in the public higher education sector.

Martie Miranda, Deputy Director of CUADS, and Charity Morrison, CUADS Disability Support Manager, were nominated after a TMF Transformation Strategy Group meeting held in March 2023, at which an assessment of the implementation of the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Strategic Policy Framework on Disability for the Post-school Education and Training System in the public higher education sector was adopted as a group priority. The task team will be run in collaboration with the Higher and Further Education Disability Services Association (HEDSA).

Their nomination to lead the task team is an expression of “the UFS’s commitment to instilling values of care and social justice where staff and students have a sense of belonging”, said Miranda.

Miranda, who currently serves as HEDSA Chairperson, says, “The focus for the task team is to unpack the Strategic Policy Framework’s expectations, and identify the themes and deliverables expected of the higher education institutions (HEIs).”

Supported by Morrison, she will lead a team of volunteers from the TMF and co-opted stakeholders in HEIs in developing a survey questionnaire to examine the status of implementation of the Strategic Policy Framework. The team will submit a report and recommendations to the TMF in November 2023.

“I am looking forward to tapping into everyone’s expertise, and for the University of the Free State to participate in the survey, which will assist in reflecting on where the institution is on inclusivity and disability transformation,” Miranda says.

Leading transformation and an inclusive agenda

Depending on the findings and recommendations, the task team might be required to monitor and evaluate progress going forward.

“Serving on the task team gives us the opportunity to see what is happening on the ground, and to make recommendations that will enhance the inclusion of people with disabilities,” Morrison says. “The recommendations will assist with changing the culture of institutions and create a better student experience and well-being in the pursuit of truths and practices that grant human dignity to everybody, per the university’s Vision 130.”

Miranda added that participating in the task team will create larger benefits for the UFS. “This will also help in co-creating an inclusive environment where CUADS would seamlessly and holistically be integrated into every part of the UFS. It is an opportunity to gain exposure to experiences and practices of other HEIs and identify possible solutions for the UFS to achieve its strategic goal in advancing a transformational institutional culture demonstrating its values.”

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New SRC: Records of support and a victory for women

2014-09-04

Ms Mosa Leteane and Ms Louzanne Coetzee
Photo: Johan Roux

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While campuses across South Africa regularly report falling voter turnout in campus elections of student representatives, the University of the Free State, in its recently completed SRC elections, registered record levels of support across our campuses with a total voter turnout of 44%. At the Bloemfontein Campus 34,4% of students voted (5052 votes) and 53,3% (1583 votes) at the Qwaqwa Campus.

Also, for the first time under the new SRC constitution, students elected a woman to lead the student body – Ms Mosa Leteane was elected as President. Another first was the election of a blind woman to the SRC – Ms Louzanne Coetzee. She will be responsible for student accessibility of our Bloemfontein SRC. This marks a victory for women in student governance.

Mr Tulasizwe Sithole was elected as the President of the SRC at our Qwaqwa Campus.

The election of Ms Leteane as President underscores the progress achieved for gender equality with near half of her SRC consisting of women (48%).

These successes are all the more significant, since this is the 4th year of elections under newly adopted SRC constitutions that allow for broader participation of diverse student constituencies in student governance.

This means that the crucial 3-year mark to test a new approach and method in governance and elections was not only successfully reached, but also in its 4th year shows the constitution as one that sustains its impact to deepen democracy and citizenship among our 30,000-strong student body.

“The results of the SRC elections across campuses show that our students are not only ready to lead our campus communities on issues relating to justice, freedom and democracy beyond our societal legacies of race and gender, but do so also for the student movement nationally. We’re immensely proud of our students, who show courage and resilience to choose leaders not for expediency, but for significance, and to lead not for some, but for all”, the Dean of Student Affairs, Rudi Buys, said.

The Qwaqwa SRC was installed on 2 September 2014, while the Bloemfontein SRC will be installed on 5 September. The Central SRC will be established on 14 September by joint sitting of the two SRCs.

The SRC members 2014/15 at the Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa Campuses are as follows:

Bloemfontein Elective portfolios:
President: Ms Mosa Leteane
Vice Pres: Mr Waldo Staude
Secretary: Ms Dineo Motaung
Treasurer: Ms Maphenye Maditsi
Arts & Culture: Mr Stefan van der Westhuizen
Accessibility & Student Support: Ms Louzanne Coetzee
First Generation Students: Ms Mpho Khati
Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Lethabo Maebana
Legal & Constitutional Affairs: Mr Lindokuhle Ntuli
Sport: Ms Dominique de Gouveia
Student development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Victor Ngubeni
Transformation: Mr Tumelo Rapitsi

Bloemfontein Ex officio Portfolios
Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Student Council: Mr Piet Thibane
Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Student Council: Mr Jonathan Ruwanika
Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Campus Residences Student Council: Ms Melissa Taljaard
City student Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Student Council: Ms Kerry-Beth Berry
Post graduate Affairs & Ex officio: Post Graduate Student Council: Ms Masabata Mokgesi
International Affairs & Ex officio: International Student Council: Mr Makate Maieane
Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Student Media Council: Mr Samuel Phuti
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Mr Johan du Plessis
RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Mr Manfred Titus

Qwaqwa Elective portfolios:
President General: Mr Thulasizwe Sithole
Deputy President: Ms Zethu Mhlongo
Secretary General: Mr Vukani Ntuli
Treasurer General: Mr Langelihle Mbense
Media & Publicity: Ms Nongcebo Qwabe
Politics & Transformation: Ms Nkosiphile Zwane

Qwaqwa Ex officio Portfolios
Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Mr Ndumiso Memela
Academic Affairs: Mr Simon Mofekeng
Arts & Cultural Affairs: Ms Samkelo Mtshali
Off-Campus Students: Mr Khanyisani Mbatha
RAG, Community Service & Dialogue: Mr Njabulo Mabaso
Religious Affairs: Mr Mfundo Nxumalo
Residence & Catering Affairs: Ms Ntombifuthi Radebe
Sports Council: Mr Luvuno

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