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UFS sets new benchmark with successful 2024/2025 CSRC elections

09 September 2024 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied

The University of the Free State (UFS) has proven its commitment to innovation and student engagement with the recent 2024/2025 Campus Student Representative Council (CSRC) elections, which were held online and featured real-time results projection across all three campuses. The elections, held from 20 to 22 August 2024, marked a significant milestone for the institution, setting a precedent in the national higher education landscape.

Dr Grey Magaiza, Chairperson of the UFS Elections Logistics Committee (ELC), provided insight into the planning process that went into making the elections a success: “Planning for an institutional CSRC election is a very demanding process,” he explained. “Multiple stakeholders have to be appraised of the project, as it has multiple implications for the institution. The voting is the last phase in a long list of actions that a capable team must support.”

One of the most notable aspects of this year’s elections was the introduction of real-time results, a first for any institution in South Africa. Despite the challenges that came with being pioneers in this area, the ELC managed to overcome them through rigorous scenario planning and extensive negotiations. “This is a huge milestone, but it did not come without its own challenges,” Dr Magaiza said. “We had to engage in multiple negotiations with numerous process owners. The debates that ensued only sharpened our ability to observe potential blind spots.”

Students embrace live voting

The transition from traditional online voting to a system with live results was met with enthusiasm by the student body. “Students have always been for online elections. The majority of students we talked to loved the live results format,” Dr Magaiza said. The decision to share the live results link with the entire student body, despite initial requests for it to be limited to party agents, was particularly well-received, further enhancing transparency and engagement.

Security and accuracy were also top priorities for the ELC, with advanced IT processes in place to ensure a seamless voting experience. Each student was provided with a unique one-time PIN (OTP) sent to both their UFS email and cellphone, and the system was designed to cater to the specific needs of each campus.

The live results projection, which updated every five minutes, not only drove massive voter turnout across all campuses but also fostered a more dynamic and engaging election atmosphere. “The turnout was massive across all three campuses, surpassing the previous year’s figures,” Dr Magaiza said.

Reflecting on the success of the elections, Dr Magaiza emphasised the importance of collaboration and preparation. He also expressed confidence that the UFS model could serve as an example for other institutions in South Africa. “Live results enhance transparency and acceptance of the election results. As UFS, we have not had a single objection with regards to the first-past-the-post election results,” he concluded.

The 2024/2025 CSRC Elections at the UFS have not only set a new standard within the university, but have also highlighted the potential for innovation in student governance across the country.

News Archive

Heidedal-based foundation and UFS host inaugural music concert

2015-12-04

ROC children rock in marimba music
Photo: Valentino Ndaba

Reach Our Community (ROC) Foundation in conjunction with the University of the Free State’s Odeion School of Music (OSM) held its first-ever music concert last month. Children who form part of the foundation’s Afterschool Care programme showed their impressive music skills to their parents and guardians in attendance.

ROC provides support to orphaned and vulnerable children from early childhood through to adolescence in the Heidedal community in Bloemfontein. The foundation strives to address the challenges resulting from factors such as poverty, unemployment, HIV/Aids, single parenting, lack of guardianship, and physical and sexual abuse. In the Afterschool Care programme, the children engage in educational, cultural, and recreational activities.

Going the extra mile

Since 2008, the UFS has successfully partnered with ROC through service learning and community engagement in which students from across all seven faculties participate. Two Music Education and Practice students from the OSM took it upon themselves to continue after their curriculum requirements were met.

Amy Viljoen- now a final-year BMus student, together with fellow student, Petre du Plessis, and their lecturer and programme coordinator, Gerda Pretorius, established the music class project in Heidedal in 2014. The students embarked on weekly trips to ROC, and would spend an hour working on the recorders and marimbas with children from ROC.

This year, Viljoen and Kara-Lynn Crankshaw, a final-year BA Music student, spent eleven months teaching the children music practice and theory, culminating in a concert that both the community and students can be proud of.

“I wanted to do something that was not only meant for educational purposes, but to give back to the community,” said Viljoen.

After having to gather extra chairs because of the influx of community members at the ROC hall, the founder, Patrick Kaars, said he had not expected such a turn-out. “It exceeded my expectations, and it was a dream come true. It meant so much to the children to be exposed to music, and to explore their own capabilities and talents.”

More children will learn how to play other instruments. Currently, the instruments used for the children’s training were purchased second-hand in order to cut costs. New music education specialists, who will join the programme in 2016, will also work with Pretorius to gather additional equipment, and compile learning material.

Kaars is also thrilled about the potential expansion to the music group, now that the concert has become an annual event. The OSM is also in the process of establishing a Centre for Music Development at ROC.

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