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Beste Kollegas en Studente

Baie welkom terug vir die nuwe akademiese jaar. Ek vertrou dat die welverdiende blaaskans die geleentheid gebied het om goed uit te rus en dat dit julle met nuwe krag en ywer gevul het vir die uitdagings van 2012. Ons het as 'n span belangrike doelwitte behaal in die jaar wat verby is en daar lê opwindende tye vir ons voor om die uitnemende werk van ons Universiteit tot nuwe hoogtes te voer in die komende maande.

Vanjaar beloof om 'n jaar vol uitdagings te wees. Te midde van belangrike strategiese take (soos die implementering van die Institusionele Plan 2012 tot 2016 en die hersiening van ons finansiële model en die meegaande begrotingsbeplanning) het Bestuur die noodsaaklikheid geïdentifiseer om deeglik te besin oor die samestelling van al die top-bestuursportefeuljes. Om ons planne te kan uitvoer en mikpunte te bereik, is daar eenstemmigheid by Bestuur dat 'n beduidende herorganisering van die portefeuljes se verantwoordelikhede nodig is, en dat die prosesse hiervoor so gou doenlik moet begin. Die Bestuur het die voorsitter en onder-voorsitter van die Raad dan ook hieroor in kennis gestel.

Ek het julle laat verlede jaar ingelig dat prof Arnold van Zyl aangestel is as Rektor van die Chemnitz Tegniese Universiteit in Duitsland, en dat prof Magda Fourie-Malherbe aangedui het dat sy nie vir 'n tweede termyn as Viserektor (Onderrig) beskikbaar sal wees nie. Hulle vertrek bring natuurlik vir die Universiteit belangrike uitdagings in terme van die voortgesette funksionele en operasionele doeltreffendheid van die totale universiteitsfunksie, maar bied terselfdertyd 'n unieke geleentheid om in die lig van die vermelde situasie al die top-bestuursportefeuljes opnuut te bekyk en die herorganisering vinniger te laat realiseer.

Om hieraan effek te gee, het proff Van Zyl en Fourie-Malherbe, voortvloeiend uit verskeie konsultasiegesprekke en in die lig van hul aangeduide loopbaankeuses, besluit om hul pligte vroeër neer te lê. Prof Van Zyl is vrygestel van die uitvoer van sy amptelike pligte tydens sy kennisgewingsperiode (1 Januarie tot 31 Maart 2012) en prof Fourie-Malherbe het gekies om haar pligte op 15 Februarie 2012 neer te lê om haar ook in staat te stel om haar navorsingsgeleentheid reeds vroeër gedurende die restant van haar termyn tot einde September vanjaar te benut. Albei behou hul personeelvoordele vir die balans van hulle kontrakte.

Ek het in die afgelope dae hierdie saak verder met die Bestuurspan bespreek en die insette van die dekane, die voorsitter van die Studenteraad en die voorsitter van die Menslike Hulpbronnekomitee bekom en sal vervolgens die Menslike Hulpbronnekomitee van die Raad hieroor inlig.

Ek wil proff Van Zyl en Fourie-Malherbe bedank vir die gees waarin die gesprekke van die afgelope tyd plaasgevind het, maar belangriker nog, vir die skitterende werk wat hulle gedurende hul dienstermyne aan die US gelewer het. Die akademiese en navorsingsuksesse wat ons in die afgelope jare bereik het, kan grootliks toegeskryf word aan die leidende rolle wat hulle op hul onderskeie terreine gespeel het. Ons beste wense vergesel prof Van Zyl in sy rol as nuwe rektor van die Chemnitz Tegniese Universiteit, en vir prof Fourie-Malherbe in die voortsetting van haar loopbaan in hoëronderwysstudies aan die Fakulteit Opvoedkunde van ons Universiteit.

Nogmaals baie welkom terug en mag hierdie jaar vir ons ongekende hoogtes inhou.
   
 
   
 

Dear Colleagues and Students

Welcome back for new academic year. I trust that the well-earned break offered you the opportunity to rest and that you have gathered strength and enthusiasm for the challenges of 2012. As a team we reached important goals during 2011 and exciting times lay ahead to take our University's excellent work to even greater heights in coming months.

This year holds many challenges. Amidst important strategic tasks (such as the implementation of the Institutional Plan 2012 to 2016 and the revision of our financial model, as well as the related budget planning) Management identified the neccesity to reflect on the composition of all the top management porfolios. Management agrees on the necessity of a significant reorganising of the responsiblities of each portfolio and that the process should start as soon as possible, if we are to execute our plans and reach our goals. Management has informed the chairperson and deputy chairperson of Council accordingly.

Towards the end of last year I informed you that Prof Arnold van Zyl had been appointed as the Rector of the Chemnitz Technical University in Germany, and that Prof Magda Fourie-Malherbe had indicated that she would not be available for a second term as Vice-Rector (Teaching). Obviously their departure would bring important challenges in terms of continued functional and operational efficiency of the total university function, but at the same time it offers a unique opportunity in the light of the intention mentioned above, to reconsider the top management portfolios and to speed up the reorganising process.

After numerous consultations and in light of their respective career choices, Prof Van Zyl and Prof Fourie-Malherbe both deciced to end their terms of office earlier to facilitate the internal processes. Prof Van Zyl has been released from any official duties during his notice period (1 January to 31 March 2012) and Prof Fourie-Malherbe has chosen to end her term on 15 February 2012 to enable her to start her research opportunity earlier, during the remaining months of her term until September this year. Both retain their staff benefits for the remainder of their contracts.

Over the past few days I discussed the matter further with the Management team and input was also asked from the deans, the chairperson of the Students' Representative Council and the chairperson of the Human Resources Committee. I shall subsequently inform the Human Resources Committee of Council of these developments.

I would like to extend my gratitude to Prof Van Zyl and Prof Fourie-Malherbe for the spirit in which the recent discussions took place, but more importantly, for their brilliant work during their terms of office at Stellenbosch University. The academic and research successes of recent years, can to a a large extent be attributed to the leading role each of them played in their respective portfolios. Our best wishes accompany Prof Van Zyl in his new position as new rector at the Chemnitz Technical University, and Prof Fourie-Malherbe on continuing her career in higher education studies in the Faculty of Education at our University.

Once again, a warm welcome and may this year hold unprecedented heights for our institution.