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Preliminary opening of commuter lounge on UFS Qwaqwa Campus

05 August 2024 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Yonela Vimba

commuter lounge Qwaqwa Campus — The new commuter lounge is designed to provide off-campus students with a comfortable and conducive environment for studying, socialising, and relaxation.

The University of the Free State (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus recently celebrated a significant milestone with the preliminary opening of its new commuter lounge. This dedicated space is designed to provide off-campus students with a comfortable and conducive environment for study, socialising, and relaxation.

A diverse crowd gathered to witness the historic event, including university staff and students from the off-campus community.

In his opening remarks, Vice-Principal: Support Services, Teboho Manchu, expressed his enthusiasm for the project. He highlighted the challenges previously faced by off-campus students who lacked adequate study spaces on campus. The new commuter lounge addresses this issue by offering a welcoming environment where students can connect, collaborate, and engage in intellectual discourse.

Quintin Koetaan, Senior Director: Housing and Residence Affairs, shared insights into the journey of bringing the lounge to fruition. He emphasised the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders and expressed gratitude to Coke for its generous sponsorship through the Alumni Office. The lounge also features a laundry facility, a valuable addition for students residing off campus. “Sitting here today really gives me goosebumps, because it is a dream come true for quite a number of people. This student lounge reflects an identity of what it is to be a Kovsie. It reflects us as the university, which is underpinned by the principles of diversity and accessibility. We want to give every one of our students access to a facility they can feel proud of, a facility where intellectual engagement can happen outside of class. This is a dream in terms of Vision 130, which demands of us to create these kinds of spaces that allow for positive interaction to encourage academic success,” expounded Koetaan.

A member of the Student Representative Council (SRC), Potela Zimvo, expressed the SRC’s appreciation for the new facility. He emphasised that the commuter lounge symbolises the university's commitment to inclusivity and support for all students, regardless of their residence status. The lounge is expected to foster a strong sense of community among commuter students and provide a much-needed space for social interaction and academic engagement. “To the university and campus management, thank you for recognising this initiative and providing the necessary resources. We hope that this place will become a central hub for our commuter students and that it will establish a sense of belonging for them. We appreciate the fact that this commuter lounge is equipped with laundry facilities, which will be helpful to our commuter students amid the water and electricity crisis that the Qwaqwa community faces,” said Zimvo.

The official opening ceremony of the commuter lounge is scheduled for later in the year, when it will be officially opened by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Free State, Prof Francis Petersen. However, the university has decided to make the facility available to students immediately to allow them to benefit from the amenities.

This new commuter lounge is a testament to the university's dedication to creating an inclusive and supportive campus environment for all students. It is a space where students can thrive academically and socially, contributing to their overall university experience.

News Archive

State of our campuses: UFS extends vacation as from 28 September until 7 October 2016

2016-09-28

In solidarity with the call for free education for the poor and missing middle, a discussion was held with the University Management Committee this morning, in consultation with the student leadership, and after careful assessment of operational matters on all three campuses of the University of the Free State (UFS), we agreed upon the following:

1.    All classes, tests, and assignments will be suspended until Friday 7 October 2016. This means that the university will close on Wednesday 28 September 2016 for an extended vacation until 7 October 2016. The academic programme will resume on Monday 10 October 2016.

2.    This will allow the entire university time to demonstrate solidarity, in collaboration with student leadership, academic and support staff, and the broader community in support of free higher education for the poor and missing middle.

3.    The administration of the university will continue on Thursday 29
September 2016, and staff will have access to their offices to plan the additional academic support for students, to consider the re-scheduling of the academic calendar, to engage with the Department of Higher Education and Training in relation to the students’ demands, and to continue with support services during the extended vacation.

4.    The university management and student leadership will also, over the next three days, engage in discussions to provide for a platform that is conducive to continued collaboration between students and the university leadership.

5.    The suspension of tests, classes, and assignments will also allow time for a social compact and code of ethics for protests to be agreed upon and signed between student leadership and the university management.

In respect of the Qwaqwa Campus, some protesting students yesterday intimidated others and forcibly removed staff, as well as security personnel. Today, university property was burnt. In view of our commitment to the safety of staff, students, and university property at the campus, it was necessary to evacuate the campus – including residences – with immediate effect. However, residential students are allowed to remain on campus until midday tomorrow (28 September 2016).

The university leadership again wants to emphasise its support for a national policy of free education for the poor and missing middle and stresses its support for peaceful protests on matters that are of concern to our students.

We further understand the frustration of many students and their parents/guardians at the closure of the campuses and the impact it has on academic staff, staff in the Support Services, our security personnel, teaching, learning, projects, assignments, lectures, tests, fieldwork, and the academic calendar in general, and commit to do all in our power to ensure the delivery of quality education to all our students under difficult circumstances.

Released by:
Lacea Loader (Director: Communication and Brand Management)
Telephone: +27 51 401 2584 | +27 83 645 2454
Email: news@ufs.ac.za | loaderl@ufs.ac.za
Fax: +27 51 444 6393

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