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TRANSCRIPT
Agenda
09:30 Opening, welcome & introduction
09:45 Presentation: Stellenbosch University Management
• Transformation Plan Prof Nico Koopman
• Student and Staff profile Prof Wim de Villiers
• Governance & Management structure Prof Wim de Villiers
• Budget Prof Leopoldt van Huyssteen
• Physical infrastructure Prof Leopoldt van Huyssteen
• Partnerships Prof Nico Koopman
Dr Therina Theron
• Research & Innovation Dr Therina Theron
• Development of a new generation of academics Dr Therina Theron
• Student academic performance Ms Christelle Feyt
• Student enrolment targets over the next 5 years Ms Christelle Feyt
• Student housing Ms Christelle Feyt
• Allocation of NSFAS loans & bursaries to students Ms Christelle Feyt
• Language implementation Dr Antoinette van der Merwe
• Concluding remarks Prof Wim de Villiers
10:45 Presentation: Stakeholders
• Institutional Forum Mr Le Roux Burrows (Chair)
• Convocation Adv Jan Heunis (President)
• Council Prof PW van der Walt (Deputy Chair)
• Students’ Representative Council Mr Axolile Qina (Chair) &
Mr Bradley Frolick (Transformation)
11:15 Break
11:30 Discussion
13:00 Closure, followed by light finger lunch
Agenda
• Build Radical Transformation
• Go to the radix: roots
• Accelerate Transformation
• Urgency; priority; results
• Vice-Rector for Transformation
• Top-level institutional priority
• Transformation Office
• Budget priority; Staffing; Physical infrastructure; Strengthen; Institutional buy-in
• Institutional Transformation Committee
• Constitute; representative; guide; direct; monitor; assess; intervention
• Institutional Forum
• Statutory responsibility for transformation
• Transformation Implementation Plan
• Making good progress
Transformation overview
Transformation Plan:
A working definition of transformation
• Transformation is an intentional, systemic, inclusive and integrative PROCESS…
• of ongoing comprehensive and profound CHANGE
• of P’s (persons, priorities, programmes, policies, plans, procedures, processes,
practices, physical surroundings, publications, performance indicators, partners,
perceptions, protest, pictures [presuppositions, prejudices])
• That AIMS at…
• ADHERENCE and COMPLIANCE to the human rights principles of inalienable
dignity, healing reconciliation, social justice, restitution and responsible freedom
• …to the principles of SU’s Institutional Intent and Strategy – inclusivity and
diversity, innovation and excellence, future focused and social impact
• And that is DRIVEN by SU’s values of empathy, servant leadership, and co-responsibility
Student profile
2016: 29 711*
*Preliminary figures for 2016, enrolment for master’s degrees still open
Total enrolment over time
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
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95
19
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19
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19
98
19
99
20
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20
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03
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09
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10
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11
20
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15
20
16
Number of students
Number of students
Total headcount: 29 711* Student profile
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Headcount by level
Total
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Occasional students
66%
31%
3%
Headcount by level
Undergraduate
Post-graduate
Occasional students
*2016 preliminary figures, enrolment for master’s degrees still open
Student profile
62%
17%
18%
3%
Headcount by race
White Black Coloured Indian
Total headcount: 29 711*
*2016 preliminary figures, enrolment for master’s degrees still open
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
20000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Student headcount by race
White Black Coloured Indian
Student profile
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Headcount by home language
Afrikaans
English
Afrikaans/English
Xhosa
Other official SA languages
42%
45%
1%
3%
5% 4%
Headcount by home language
Afrikaans English
Afr/Eng Xhosa
Other official SA Other
Total headcount: 29 711*
*2016 preliminary figures, enrolment for master’s degrees still open
Student profile
2800
3000
3200
3400
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Foreign
90%
10%
Headcount by nationality
South African Foreign
12000
13000
14000
15000
16000
17000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Female Male
54%
46%
Headcount by gender
Female Male
Total headcount: 29 711*
*2016 preliminary figures, enrolment for master’s degrees still open
Staff profile
55%
6%
38%
1%
Staff headcount by race
White Black Coloured Indian
Total permanent headcount: 3192
69%
31%
Staff headcount by function
PASS Academic
PASS: Professional, Administrative, Support and Service staff
Staff profile
78%
6%
13%3%
Academic headcount by race: 1001
White Black Coloured Indian
Total permanent headcount: 3192
44%
6%
49%
1%
PASS headcount by race: 2191
White Black Coloured Indian
PASS: Professional, Administrative, Support and Service staff
Outsourcing/insourcing
• Agreement with external workers end of Nov 2015
• Key principle = human dignity
• Working towards “viable sourcing”
• Moratorium on new outsourcing
• Once-off ex gratia payment of R2 000 to external workers affected by
the protests on SU campuses in 2015
• Subsidy to ensure parity between cost-to-company of external
workers and entry-level SU employees’ R5 000
• Possible restitution for former outsourced SU employees
• SU participates in sectoral task team (USAf)
Governance structure
SU Council
Joint Council and Senate
Committee
Honorary Degrees
Committee
Council Committees
Executive Committee
(Council)
Investment Committee
Liaison Committee:
University and Town Council
Reports directly to Council
Audit and Risk Committee
Human Resources
Committee
Remunerations Committee
Social and Business Ethics
Committee
Convocation Senate
Executive Committee
(Senate)
Senate Committees
Faculty Boards
Senate Subcommittees
Appointments Committee
Students’ Representative
Council
Institutional Forum
Top management (Rector’s Management Team)(as at 20 January 2016)
RECTOR & VICE-CHANCELLOR
Prof Wim de Villiers
RC: VICE-RECTOR
Learning & Teaching
Prof Arnold Schoonwinkel
SENIOR DIRECTOR Learning & Teaching
Enhancement
Dr Antoinette vd Merwe
SENIOR DIRECTOR Prospective
Students
Ms Christelle Feyt
SENIOR DIRECTOR Student Affairs
Dr Birgit Schreiber
DIVISION ACADEMIC
ADMINISTRATION/ REGISTRAR
Mr Johann Aspeling
SENIOR DIRECTOR Institutional Research &
Planning
Prof Ian Cloete
RC: VICE-RECTOR
Research, Innovation & Postgraduate Studies
Prof Eugene Cloete
SENIOR DIRECTOR Research Development
Dr Therina Theron
SENIOR DIRECTOR
Library & Information Services
Ms Ellen Tise
SENIOR DIRECTOR
Postgraduate &
International Office
Mr Robert Kotze
SENIOR DIRECTOR Information Technology
Mr Attie Juyn
RC: VICE-RECTOR
Transformation, Social Impact
& PersonnelProf Nico Koopman (acting)
CHIEF DIRECTOR:
Strategic Initiatives &
Human ResourcesProf Tobie de Coning
SENIOR DIRECTOR: Social Impact
Dr Antoinette Smith-Tolken (acting)
SENIOR DIRECTOR: Campus Health Service
Dr Pierre Viviers
DIRECTOR: Legal Services
Mr Gerhard Lipp
DIRECTOR: SU Museum
Mr Bongani Mgijima
TRANSFORMATION OFFICE
Ms Monica du Toit
RC: CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Prof Leopoldt van Huyssteen
CHIEF DIRECTOR: Finance
Mr Manie Lombard
CHIEF DIRECTOR
Facilities Management
Ms Nicolette van den Eijkel
CHIEF DIRECTOR
Maties Sport
Ms Ilhaam Groenewald
SENIOR DIRECTOR Innovation & Business
Development
Ms Anita Nel
DIRECTOR: Projects
Dr Barbara Pool
FACULTIES
AgriSciences
Prof Danie Brink
(acting)
Arts & Social
Sciences
Prof Johan
Hattingh
Economic &
Management
Sciences
Prof Stan du Plessis
Education
Prof Maureen
Robinson
Engineering
Prof Hansie
Knoetze
Law
Prof Sonia Human
Medicine & Health
Sciences
Prof Jimmy
Volmink
Military Science
Prof Sam Tshehla
Science
Prof Louise
Warnich
Theology
Prof Hendrik
Bosman (acting)
SENIOR DIRECTOR
Corporate Marketing
Ms Phumzile Mmope
SENIOR DIRECTOR
Development & Alumni RelationsMs Karen Bruns
Executive
Manager:
Rectorate
Dr Jerome
Slamat (acting)
Standing Members
Extended Members
RC = RESPONSIBILITY CENTRE
Divisions report to Rector & Vice-Chancellor via this
incumbent
Matrix between faculties and other RCs
Integrated budget 2016
Summarised information regarding SU 2016 integratedbudget
Increase in tuition fees 0.0%
Increase in accommodation fees 0.0%
General salary adjustment 7.0%
Remuneration as % of expenses 41.4%
State subsidy as % of total income 24.5%
Student fees as % of total income 16.2%
Surplus for the year R1 486,9m
Less: Interest & Dividends (R289,4m) + Realised profit on disposal of investments (R946,8m) (R1 236,2m)
Remaining surplus (restricted & unrestricted) R250,7m
Main budget surplus
(Mainly: Saving on utilities = R12,3m & increase on Indirect cost recovery = R16,0m) R35,3m
Restricted surplus R215,4m
Restricted funds R6 791,9m
Unrestricted funds R1 287,0m
Earmarked grants (incl, funding for Capital Renewal Plan as approved by Council 1 December
2014) R1 059,6m
Unearmarked grants R227,4m
Total shortfall (student fees = R85,3m & accommodation = R28,2m) R113,5m
Salient features of 2014 Consolidated Annual Financial Statements
BALANCE SHEET
INCOME STATEMENT
2016 Budget shortfall due to 0% increase on student fees
Constraints and challenges
Spaces for teaching, research & admin
outdated and insufficient
• Existing designs not within space norms
• Existing facilities often do not comply with health and safety
regulations
• Not compatible with new paradigms and research requirements
• New requirements for collaborative learning and study required
• ICT insufficient and outdated
• Lecture halls utilised beyond capacity
Constraints and challenges
Insufficient student accommodation
• Only 30% of students in residences
Insufficient parking
• Compliance to regulations hinders growth and densification
Competition for funding
• Funding required for maintenance backlog, refurbishments and renewal
Achievements and way forward
Upgrading & expansion of lecture hall capacity
• 3 700 additional lecture hall seats added the last 5 years
@ ± R130m
• 2015–2018 3 400 new seats & 9 852 upgraded seats
@ ± R567m
Upgrading & densifying of existing buildings
• Spaces redesigned for optimal use
• Compliance with statutory regulations
• Campus Renewal Project for maintenance backlog,
upgrading and renewal R2,3b
Achievements and way forward
New academic buildings• New building completed 2015 created additional space
for Engineering Faculty
• 3 new academic buildings planned
Collaborative learning & study spaces• New paradigm for collaborative learning spaces
• Study spaces and hubs at residences for commuting
students
• 2 hubs completed @ ± R25m each
• Included in densification, refurbishments and new
buildings
New student accommodation
• 990 new beds added in 2013/14 (DHET & PPP)
• 660 beds planned 2016 -2018
Achievements and way forward
Upgrading & expansion of ICT network
• Council ICT Project to address backlog & renewal: R218m
New parking facilities & mobility
• 400 additional parking bays added in 2013/14
• NMT infrastructure being implemented (pedestrian & cycling) in
collaboration with Stellenbosch Municipality
• Additional parking to address compliance required
Upgrading & expansion of sport facilities
• Campus Renewal Plan for upgrading and new facilities: R128m
• Collaboration with community, municipality, private companies
PartnershipsDr Therina Theron
Senior Director: Research
and Innovation
Prof Nico Koopman
Vice-Rector: Social Impact,
Transformation & Personnel
‘Quadruple Helix’ partnerships
Stellenbosch University participates in the public discourse, contributes
to public policy and executes joint projects through relationships with …
• Government
• National departments (e.g. Health, DHET, Defence, DST)
• Provincial departments (e.g. Health, Education, Economic
Development)
• Municipalities (e.g. Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, Hessequa,
Saldanha, Worcester)
• Business and Industry (e.g. business chambers, companies, employers)
• Civil Society (e.g. CBOs, FBOs, NGOs)
Research partnerships: Continental
330registered active
collaborative
projects in
38 African countries
with
513Collaborators
Postgraduate student success
TOTAL NUMBER OF MASTER’S STUDENTS
456 MASTER’S DEGREES AWARDED TO
COLOURED, BLACK AND INDIAN (CBI) CANDIDATES
CBI
Development of future academics
Postdocs (R50 million per annum)
108 international postdocs
Post-graduate bursaries to a total
value of R199 million (2015)
Young academic stars
• DHET Research Development Grant
(R3.2 million/annum)
-60 research mentorships
-~80 project awards
-Assistance to PDI staff
• 12 NRF Research Career
Advancement Awards
(R3 million /annum)
• 9 Consolidoc awards
(R1,5 million/annum)
• 5 nGap positions
• 5 Andrew W Mellon appointments
(R6 million award over 3 years)
Postgraduate student support
African Doctoral Academy
> 1 000 PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and doctoral supervisors from across
Africa have received research support and academic development since 2009
Student success: 3-year degrees
0,0%
10,0%
20,0%
30,0%
40,0%
50,0%
60,0%
70,0%
80,0%
Black Coloured Indian White Overall
Throughput rate for three-year degrees 2008 cohort
in minimum time + 2 years
National Stellenbosch
71%76%
56%
45%
51%49%
54%58%
47%
63%
Student success: 3-year degrees
National data refer to 2008 cohort (VitalStats 2013)
51% 49%
58%63%
56%53%59%
46%
75%72%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Black Coloured Indian White Overall
Throughput rate for three year degrees 2010 cohort in minimum time + 2 years
National Stellenbosch
Student success: 4-year degrees
0,0%
10,0%
20,0%
30,0%
40,0%
50,0%
60,0%
70,0%
80,0%
90,0%
Black Coloured Indian White Overall
Throughput rate for four-year degrees 2008 cohort
in minimum time + 2 years
National Stellenbosch
73%79%
63%
37%
61%56%
58%62%
50%
68%
Student success: 4-year degrees
51% 49%
58%63%
56%53% 51%
62%
74%69%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Black Coloured Indian White Overall
Throughput rate for four year degrees 2010 cohort in minimum time + 2 years
National Stellenbosch
Student enrolment targets
over the next 5 yearsMs Christelle Feyt
Senior Director: Prospective Students
Student enrolment overview
0
5 000
10 000
15 000
20 000
25 000
30 000
35 000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Actual enrolments and enrolment targets
Black, Coloured, Indian White Total
Student housing
Purpose of SU’s Policy for Placement in Residences:
• Optimisation of university experience as important contributing factor to student success and the formation of diverse communities – for both residential and day students
• Placement of most vulnerable students, whose chances of success will improve if they are in a residence
• Instrument to help ensure that diversity objectives with regards to coloured, black (African) and Indian students at undergraduate level are met
Student housing
Cluster approach: integrating residential and day students in structures that promote student success
• A number of residences and day student wards are grouped together, and also linked to faculties
• Ensures that students experience SU as caring and nurturing place
• Integrates residence and day students in private accommodation
Residential education (ResEd)
• Contributes to academic success and graduate attributes
• BeWell Mentor Programme (peer-assisted)
• Leadership development
• Multicultural education
Undergraduate bursaries & loans
32%
23%
41%
4%
2015
White Black Coloured Indian
Total amount: R367.2m
NSFAS funding spent
14%
35%
50%
1%
2015
White Black Coloured Indian
10%
41%
48%
1%
2016
White Black Coloured Indian
Total amount: R42.8m Total amount: R45.9m
Council motion, 30 November 2015
“Afrikaans as language may never be a hindrance to any student who wants to undertake undergraduate or postgraduate study at SU and does not have full command of Afrikaans. Council therefore requests Management to create the necessary mechanisms with a view to this and to monitor them
continuously. If this should mean that the English academic offering exceeds the stated target, this will have the support of Council.”
“This may not be at the cost of the agreed upon minimum target for the Afrikaans offering. Indeed, if the necessary funds can be found for it, Council
would like to consider increasing the Afrikaans undergraduate academic offering even further. Council hereby confirms that Afrikaans is regarded as a strategic asset for SU and has to be developed as a competitive advantage.”
Revision of Language Policy
• Take existing data and reports about language implementation into account
• Consider and refine the language approach
• Reformulate the November 2014 Language Policy and Plan aligned to a new language approach
• Make revisions taking the SU Council motion of 30 November 2015 into account
• Consultation with all stakeholders
• 30 days for public notice and comments
Timeline of Language Policy revision
9 February 2016
The RMT agrees that formal policy revision process should start
22 March – 22 April 2016
First draft of revised policy available for broad consultation and comment
22 April – 5 May 2016
Work group considers input received
9 - 13 May 2016
Second draft of policy to Faculty Boards for comment
25 May 2016
Submit final draft of policy to Institutional Forum for comment
3 June 2016
Submit final draft of policy to Senate for agreement
22 June 2016
Submit final draft of policy to Council for approval
Why an Institutional Forum?
The 1997 Higher Education Act drew a clear line between the Broad Transformation Forums of the early 1990s and the Institutional Forums that were to be a required part of institutional governance after 1997. Despite the rhetoric of the National Commission report and the 1997 White Paper, Institutional Forums do not have decision-making powers, and cannot override the decisions made by Senates and Councils (the key elements in the bicameral system of governance). While they can – and are expected to - have a major influence on transformation, this must be achieved through an advisory role.
Simply put, Institutional Forums are statutorily constituted standing committees of Council.
Functions and powers of the IF
An institutional forum must -(a) advise the council on issues affecting the institution, including(i) the implementation of this Act and the national policy on higher
education;(ii) race and gender equity policies;(iii) the selection of candidates for senior management positions;(iv) codes of conduct, mediation and dispute resolution procedures; (v) the fostering of an institutional culture which promotes tolerance and
respect for fundamental human rights and creates an appropriate environment for teaching, research and learning; and
(b) perform such functions as determined by the council.
Achievements in general
1. The IF has established a good working relationship with management and Council and did not intervene in the day-to-day management of the university
2. IF managed to uphold the good name and reputation of the University, Council and University management, and members did refrain from public statements that, whether intentionally of negligently, misrepresent the purport or implications of policies, decisions or programmes that Council took or instituted
3. IF receives all relevant information in good time to prepare informed advice to Council
Observations/actions to date
1. Monitor the implementation of the Act and higher education policies
2. Check that suggested new policies and revised policies are in line with the
requirements of the Act and higher education policies and advise Council
accordingly
3. Observed an increased commitment by management to accelerate an
open and transparent transformation process on campus
4. Had discussions with management about the transformation process and
support their initiatives
5. Invited Monica du Toit of the transformation office as co-opted member
to the IF
6. The IF has nominated a member to serve on the Transformation
Committee
Challenges
1. Facilitate discussions/debate on campus on transformation and racism with the purpose to give feedback to Council/Management on the views of the "unheard" voices of students and staff
2. Strive to get the IF membership more representative – possible changes to the Statute
3. Promote the fact that official IF meetings are open for observers and invite stakeholders to present their views to the IF
4. Invite the broader SU community to suggest and give inputs on issues the IF can explore/investigate/discuss with the aim to give feedback/advice to Council
1. A statutory body governed by the Statutes of SU(similar to SU Council, Senate, IF and SRC)
2. Supervisory role, represents the interests of (mainly) alumni
3. Comprises of:Rector, VR’s, full-time academic staff
Retired full-time academic staff
alumni
4. At present 90 000+ members
5. Exco of the Convocation: 5 membersPresident, Vice-Pres., Secretary, 2 additional members
Elected for 3 year term at annual meeting; representative
• Convocation elects 6 members of SU council
• Council members elected by convocation on the basis of
their policy statements serve in their own capacity & act in
the best interests of SU – not “representatives” of the
Convocation
• Do not receive instructions from Exco and do not report
to Exco or Convocation
• Term of office: 4 years (overlap); elect 3 members every 2
years
• Next election: Before 1 April 2018; election of 3 new
members ongoing at present, one vacancy to be filled in
near future
• Convocation members form important donor corps
• President appoints 2 members to IF
• President appoints a member on the selection committees for
appointment of senior management
• Convocation represents a wide spectrum of opinions;
encourages open academic debate
• Convocation decisions & adopted motions submitted to SU
Council & Senate
• “Matieland” – distributed to all members
• Annual award for life-long community service
• Exco recently consulted by other SA universities
Recap
• SU is very fortunate to have a council with capable members with the
University’s best interests at heart.
• The large majority of council strongly supports transformation at SU
• Meetings are extremely well attended and almost without exception we
take decisions with a huge majority
• We have made changes to our statute to increase diversity and these
changes accommodate five ministerial appointees
• SU management keeps council well informed.
• Council holds management accountable for implementation of decisions
Recap
• SU is steadily improving its position in international rankings
• is one of the top 1,5% ranked universities in the world
• one of the top 3 African universities
• Our research output per staff unit has been the highest in SA for the last 3
years
• Diversity amongst both students and staff is on the increase and being
measured against our institutional targets
• We are right up there with the highest pass rates for students in SA
• This year’s 266 PhD graduates (incl. 110 black) is a record number
• SU Produces an extraordinary large % of SA’s Black post graduates
• Including 500 black Masters graduates
Recap
As stated clearly in our Institutional Intent & Strategy document, we
strive for
• Academic excellence
• Increased impact in our region, country, continent and even the globe as
well as in space
• Relevant research outputs – research outputs that supports our social
interaction and impact through the application of SU’s research
and
• To continuously improve access and to create an institutional culture
that is welcoming for all
• To ensure sustainability
Recap
• Council with management strongly support
transformation at SU and most strongly condemn
all forms of racism, discrimination and harassment
on the base of race, creed or gender
• I can conclude this section of my presentation by
stating that every council member has the interests
of our university and students at heart, even though
we might differ ideologically
Recent Developments
Council took an important decision on 30 November 2015, stating, inter alia:
• That language may never be an obstacle for any student who has no command of either Afrikaans or English wishing to pursue undergraduate or postgraduate study at SU.
• Management is requested to expand the necessary mechanisms to this end, and to monitor these continuously. If this should imply that the English academic offering exceeds the set target, it will be supported by council.
• Concurrently council states that this may not be to the detriment of the agreed minimum target for the Afrikaans offering.
• Council confirms that its multilingual academic offering is considered a strategic asset of SU that should be expanded as a competitive advantage.
Unfortunately…
• The current (2014) language policy has shortcomings in accommodating
students who do not have a working knowledge of Afrikaans
• Our academics have worked hard to remedy these in the interim while the
language policy is being revised
• While enthusiastically pursuing the goal of greater language inclusivity, they
unfortunately moved outside the confines of the current policy
• Caught offside, we have been challenged in court by AfriForum
• We now have to realign our offerings with the current yearbook, but:
• We can’t move back to a less accommodating position
• It will require additional teaching to maintain the Afrikaans offering
• This will place a heavy additional load on our academics
• We are determined to be more inclusive
Concerns
• Talks about ‘Free Higher Education for All’ not being
distinguished from “Free Higher Education for the Poor’.
• Rather: ‘Affordable Higher Education for All’
• It is common knowledge that there simply isn’t enough
money in any developing country to afford free higher
education.
Concerns
• The continuous decline of government contributions to tertiary education.
• When we talk about the maintenance and necessary upgrading of our facilities and equipment, we must mention: It has been 20 years since we received financial aid for these important programs and our backlog exceeds R2,5 billion
• The fact that the inflation rate for universities is much higher than for the country in general
• The weakening RSA currency means that the purchasing of equipment and books becomes very expensive
Concerns
• A well-functioning NSFAS is critically important to help
students from poor families to study at a tertiary level.
• 0% Increase of University Fees is not sustainable
• How do we reverse out of this huge problem?
• Residences need to be self-funding and the monies need to
come from somewhere
Concerns
• Student protest
• Government must help the sector with strong political
leadership
• ‘Capping’ or setting upper limits for fees will end up not
improving access for the poor but may instead lead to
tertiary education becoming cheaper for the rich.
• Universities need to set their fees and the whole rationale is
exactly to set it as a “wealth tax” with the purpose of
helping poor students to study
Concerns
• Government intervention impacts on the autonomy of Universities in
general.
• Draft legislation
• It would be unwise to comment too much about an item we have
not yet studied.
• However, the alarm bells have been set off:
• Institutional autonomy?
• Academic freedom?
Positives
• SU consistently performs and improves in all rankings (that
is locally and internationally) but with a specific focus of
making local impact.
• We have received a clean audit for as long as we can
remember from both the Auditor General and the
Department of Higher Education and Training.
• Our financial disciplines are sound and in capable hands.
• Recent student protests points to a new discourse in higher
education in this country and this certainly unleashes new
energy and we embrace the opportunity to explore this.
The Road Ahead
If SA wants to maintain a high standard of higher
education, the % of the national budget that gets
allocated to universities’ subsidies will have to be
increased substantially.
Students’ Representative Council (SRC) 2015/2016
Axolile Qina (Chair)
Bradley Frolick (Transformation)
Jeremie Kubiek in Leadership is dead: how influence is reviving it, says that: “Great leaders learn to overcome this natural
tendency toward self-preservation. They step beyond walls to give, to serve, and to grow.”
Our vision and mission
Vision
We envision a unified campus where Inclusivity, Innovation, and being future focused
ensures student success.
Proactive and effective communication
Mission
• U-Utilize the Structure
• N-Network, Negotiate, and Communicate (Internally and Externally)
• I-Innovatively developing the Matie Identity
• T-Think critically, creatively and practically
• E- Ensure equal opportunities for all
What we have done so far? (End of last Term)
• Strategic Planning
• Vision and Mission
• Goals (short (end of 4th term), medium (end of SRC term) and long (2016 and beyond)
• New Managerial Portfolio’s (Women in Empowerment, Gender identities and sexuality, PGIO and Consciousness)
• Student Structures to send constitutions to student court.
• Supporting student initiatives (protests etc.)
• Budget and proposals for the coming year
• Committees interviews and planning for next year
• Dean of Students issue
• Governmental conferences
What have we done so far? (Term1)
• #RegisterALL Campaign
• Welcoming Programs and Workshops
• #EndRapeCulture campaign
• PGIO Welcoming
• Portfolio Workshops and events
• Student Structures responsibility regarding vision
What is still to be done…
• Improve student and management accountability and communication (Critical relationship)
• Vision and mission based on values and utilization of structure
• Developing clear portfolio’s for SRC members
• Addressing student concerns more effectively by creating platforms of dialogue (Rooiplein discussions and faculty meetings)
• Clearer understanding of the University structures and giving input to make them more effective
• Task team for Safety and filling positions of resigned members.
• Fulfilling strategic plans of portfolio’s and goals as an SRC
• Constitutional Referendum
Our Challenges
• Education regarding issues pertaining to students and Higher education
• Safety of students
• Intersectionality understanding
• Divided campus
• Effective communication
• Exclusion / Racial and sexuality sensitivity (Black/purple facing)
• Language policy and inclusivity
Portfolio description & DutiesTransformation is an important element in achieving excellence on all spheres, as such students’
opinions have to be heard and considered in the approach adopted in achieving this excellence.
This portfolio will advise on policy and decisions in the entire university structure and ensure
the democratic imperatives of social justice and substantive equality is adhered to in the context
of the project of decoloniality.
The SRC responsible for transformation will convene task teams, as the need arises, to
deliberate upon certain decisions and issues. Additionally, statements will be drafted to ensure
decoloniality is centred as the driving force of transformation portfolio.
“Decoloniality is synonymous with decolonial “thinking and doing,” (Mignolo 2011:xxiv)
and it questions or problematizes the histories of power emerging from Europe. These
histories underlie the logic of Western civilization. Decoloniality is a response to the
relation of direct, political, social and cultural domination established by Europeans
(Quijano 2007: 168). This means that decoloniality refers to analytic approaches and
socioeconomic and political practices opposed to pillars of Western civilization: coloniality
and modernity. This makes decoloniality both a political and epistemic project (Mignolo
2011: xxiv-xxiv).”
Dean of Students
• 2013 – University management removes the position of Dean of Students, against
the SRC and student structures’ stance
• 2015 – Students call for a Dean of Students due to distrust of university
management and structures
• University unilaterally appoints a Dean of Students
• SRC Chair: Transformation, reads statement at sitting of Student Parliament
announcing the students rejection of appointment
• University Management concedes and reverses appointment
• Selection and Appointment Committees set-up to advertise and appoint a new
Dean of Students in light of substantive equality (gender and race
representation)
Language Policy & Plan
• July 2005 – SASCO Maties & ANC YL March for change in language policy
• Language Policy & Plan changes
• July 2006 – Prof. Chris Brink (Rector) resigns
• March 2015 - #OpenStellenbosch launched
• Prolonged protests in support of a changed language policy
• 17 November 2015 – Rector’s Management Team release statement on implementation of
language, supporting English as lingua franca
• University Council meets and commits to both English and that the Afrikaans offering is not
diluted
• January 2016 – Law Faculty adopts English as the primary medium of instruction, with
augmented support for Afrikaans
• Law Faculty changes back to the “T-option” and many students and lecturers are upset
• Uncertainty and lack of political will to change language policy
• Court action by AfriForum Jeug
• Equality Court challenge by SU Coalition to be served based on unfair discrimination and
unconstitutionality of policy and plan
Protests
• Protests against language
• Protests against Rape Culture at Stellenbosch University
• #FeesMustFall protests; #EndOutsourcing protests; Language protests
• 2015: University obtains interdict against students for peaceful protests
and later apologises and applies for abandonment of interdict
• 2015: 150 outsourced workers dismissed by outsourced companies
• 2016: University intimidates and victimises students for protesting; serves 7
students with disciplinary proceedings for last years protests; granted
interdict against specific students revealing their student numbers and ID
number relating to this years protests
• Protests demanding end to queerphobia and attacks on LGBT+ students and
staff
Student input on proposed legislative
measures
• Students support the Private Security Industry Regulation Amendment Bill
• Presence of private security on campus is intimidating to womxn students who
suffer sexual assault
• Private security personnel are unidentifiable and the numbers pose a threat to
national security
• Students support the proposed Higher Education Amendment Bill
• Particularly clause:
• “that the council and the senate of a public higher education institution must comply with the provisions of the Use of Official Languages Act, 2012 (Act No. 12 of 2012) as part of the process to determine the language policy of the public higher education institution;”
• As well as the general spirit of the amendment:
• “to provide for the insertion of new definitions; to provide for the determination of transformation goals and oversight mechanisms for the public higher education system”
• “to provide further for the issuing of Ministerial directives;”