Stellenbosch University
Welcome to Stellenbosch University
Communication from Council (meeting of 26 March 2018)
Author: Corporate Communication / Korporatiewe Kommunikasie
Published: 28/03/2018

The first scheduled meeting of the Council of Stellenbosch University (SU) this year (on 26 March 2018) was a truly historic occasion given that the University was formally established out of Victoria College 100 years ago. Council members are proud to share this milestone with the rest of the University community – knowing that SU has acknowledged its role in the injustices of the past and committed itself to redress and development.

At this week's meeting, Council noted the numerous achievements at SU, but also the challenges facing our institution – all in the context of developments in the rest of the higher education sector both nationally and internationally. We therefore welcome the opportunity to help draft a new vision and strategy for SU, which must ensure our institution's sustainability going forward.

Matters approved by Council this week include the 2017 financial results, STIAS co-funding, as well as a new policy on disability access. More details follow below.

On behalf of Council, I wish you well for the rest of the year. In commemorating the University's Centenary, let us look back on our journey thus far, but also look ahead to the road our institution still needs to travel.

Kind regards

George Steyn
Chairperson: SU Council

[Pictured above are, from left, Council Chair Mr George Steyn, SRC Chair Mr Lwando Nkamisa, and SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers (photo: Stefan Els)]

Record number of qualifications in 2017

In his report to Council (click here for full report), Prof Wim de Villiers, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, pointed out that SU again conferred record numbers of qualifications for the 2017 academic year – a total of 9 032, including 1 620 master's and 305 doctoral degrees. The fact that respectively 43,5% and 41% of the latter two categories went to black, coloured and Indian students demonstrates that SU is a national asset that significantly contributes to development in the country.

Enrolments according to socio-economic group

Last year, Council approved a revised Admissions Policy for SU in line with our aim to broaden access to the institution. A new dimension – socio-economic disadvantage – was added, which is for the first time reflected in the 2018 intake statistics. (Click here for full report.)

Student financial aid

Council noted the Rector's report that although the higher education sector generally welcomed the state's announcement that “fully subsidised free higher education and training for poor and working-class South Africans" would be phased in, its sustainable funding and implications for the funding and autonomy of institutions in the sector were cause for concern.

Clearly, many students still require financial assistance. Council supports SU's programme of student bursary aid and is grateful towards donors for their contributions in this regard.

First-year residence placement

Following the official registration period, the diversity profile of first-years in SU residences on Stellenbosch and Tygerberg campus combined has nearly reached a 50:50 ratio. We are therefore making progress in terms of broadening access to SU student housing.

2017 financial results

Council approved SU's 2017 financial results at the recommendation of its Executive Committee (EC[C]). Two surpluses have been distributed as follows:

  • A R20,684 million surplus on the 2017 main budget has been allocated in full to the University's contingency reserve. The objective is to provide for unforeseen expenses in 2018, primarily in light of the water crisis due to the drought in the Western Cape, to ensure that the University's academic programme can continue uninterrupted. The surplus was achieved thanks to savings on municipal services and SU overheads, among others.
  • A R7,185 million surplus on the 2017 housing budget has been allocated in full to the housing reserves for ongoing repairs and new facilities. The surplus is the result of construction projects that were not completed in the financial year.

Joint funding for STIAS

At the recommendation of its EC(C), Council resolved to award another five years' funding to the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS), matching the joint funding of this institute by two Swedish foundations – the Knut & Alice Wallenberg (KAW) and the Marianne & Marcus Wallenberg (MMW) Foundation.

Council also confirmed its intention to again renew its joint funding for STIAS for another five years in 2023, provided that the Wallenberg funding is also renewed at that stage and that SU is satisfied with the STIAS programme over the preceding five years.

These resolutions follow on a similar resolution taken for the first time in 2012. STIAS has meanwhile been informed that the two foundations had indeed renewed their funding allocation for another five years with effect from 2018, for reconsideration in 2023. Council expressed its appreciation in this regard.

Disability Access Policy

Council approved the University's revised Disability Access Policy, with minor amendments proposed by the Institutional Forum and Council's Social and Business Ethics Committee. Senate has also recommended approval of the Policy.

The policy outlines the principles and provisions that should guide SU in its pursuit of becoming a universally accessible institution for staff, visitors and students with disabilities. This implies efforts to include persons with disabilities, inter alia by making physical spaces accessible and making information available in an accessible format.

The last policy revision was in 2011, and the revised version will take effect on 1 April this year. The policy will be reviewed every five years, or earlier if needed. The joint “owners" of the policy are the vice-rectors for Learning and Teaching as well as Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel. The updated policy must be made available on SU's website, www.sun.ac.za, as soon as possible.

Dean: Education

Council noted management's decision to appoint Prof Johan Malan to take over from Prof Yusef Waghid as acting dean of the Faculty of Education on 1 April 2018. Prof Waghid, who has occupied this position for the past few months, is no longer available due to research leave.

Prof Nico Koopman, Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel, reported that Education was undergoing a process of renewal, and that Prof Malan had the required expertise to take over the reins. He has been acting as dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) for over a year. Prof Ronel du Preez, Vice-Dean: Learning and Teaching, will now act in this capacity until Prof Ingrid Woolard from the University of Cape Town joins SU as new EMS dean as of 1 May.

New vision and strategic framework

Prof Hester Klopper, Vice-Rector: Strategy and Internationalisation, reported on progress with the drafting of SU's new Vision 2040 and Strategic Framework 2019–2024. The institution's current Institutional Intent and Strategy expires this year, while the University will also be entering its second century of existence.

Planning commenced in 2016 already, five task teams worked on specific aspects, and both the Institutional Planning Forum and Executive Managers' Meeting twice provided extensive inputs. Staff and students were consulted through surveys, and Council previously discussed aspects such as the proposed vision, mission and values of the University.

At its meeting this week, Council noted the following six proposed key strategies for SU (each with its own aims and objectives):

  • Offering an optimal student experience
  • That learning and teaching should be collaborative
  • Research for impact
  • Expanding valuable partnerships
  • Being an employer of choice
  • Building a flourishing SU

Council members will now have an opportunity to provide further written inputs. At the same time, University-wide consultation will continue. The Institutional Forum, faculty boards and Senate will inter alia be consulted before final proposals will be submitted to Council for its approval in June.

Statute

Council was informed of progress with the review of the Statute of the University, which commenced in 2016. To date, the process has included consultation with experts and interest groups. Formal consultations – both within SU's decision-making structures and through a process of public participation – will commence shortly.

Water crisis

Council noted the steps taken by SU to deal with the water crisis due to the drought in the Western Cape. The University is committed to the uninterrupted continuation of the academic programme and is following a multifaceted strategy for this purpose:

  • Existing infrastructure is being upgraded to save and reuse water.
  • Additional sources are being unlocked by way of boreholes and filtration plants.
  • SU is collaborating with the relevant authorities, particularly local municipalities, at all levels.
  • Staff and students are engaged in water-saving efforts through communication drives.

Transformation

At its meeting in June, Council will specifically focus on transformation at SU. A request to this effect was tabled at the previous Council meeting (in November 2017), and an agenda framework for such a discussion was considered at this week's meeting. It primarily entails the search for ways to promote, deepen and accelerate transformation at SU. This can occur within the existing framework of SU's Transformation Plan, which centres on three key areas, namely people, places and programmes.

Implementation of SU's Language Policy

The Language Committee of Council reported  that implementation of SU's Language Policy is going well. Council noted faculties' feedback on the execution of their language implementation plans. The reports generally illustrate that systems and processes have been put in place to monitor the implementation of the Language Policy and address challenges. This past semester, the ombud of the University again received no formal complaints about language matters.

Excellence in research, innovation and postgraduate studies

At this Council meeting, it was the turn of Prof Eugene Cloete, Vice-Rector: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies (RIPS), to table a comprehensive annual report on his portfolio (click here for the full report, and here for the PowerPoint version).

Council expressed great appreciation for the excellent achievements in the respective focus areas of this responsibility centre, which help position SU as a leading higher education institution. Highlights include the following:

  • The number of postdoctoral fellows at SU has more than doubled over the past five years – from 168 in 2012 to 352 in 2017. They contribute to the University's high research output and constitute the core of a next generation of academics.
  • Research chairs at SU have increased from 23 in 2013 to the current 43 with the addition of another two during 2017.
  • The number of SU researchers holding a National Research Foundation rating increased from 306 in 2012 to 432 last year. The fact that this represents nearly half of the University's full-time academic staff complement attests to the institution's research depth.
  • SU remains the most research-productive institution in the country with 3,11 weighted research outputs per full-time academic staff members (publications as well as postgraduates) and a per-capita research publication output of 1,58 (2016 figures announced by the Department of Higher Education and Training in 2017).
  • SU's research outputs excel in terms of quality also. The institution boasts the country's highest number of research citations per publication.
  • With regard to postgraduate student funding and support, SU administered bursaries to the value of R234 million in 2017 (of which R30 million came from the institution's own budget).
  • The University remains the national leader in terms of its number of published patent applications (108 over the period 2009–2017), which indicates that the institution is creating new products and services that contribute to economic and social upliftment in the country. In addition, this is being done efficiently – with a larger output and at a lower cost than at American universities.

Centenary

Council congratulated Prof Hester Klopper, Vice-Rector: Strategy and Internationalisation, on the University's Centenary project, which she is leading.

Council noted with appreciation the prudent approach of primarily utilising existing events on SU's calendar for the Centenary commemorations, with only a few additional Centenary-specific activities.

For more information on the Centenary, please visit www.sun.ac.za/100 – not only for the latest updates on news and events, but also for fascinating contributions under “Matie Voices". This section tells the stories of members of SU's multicultural community of students, staff, alumni and other stakeholders, who range from world-renowned researchers to captains of industry.

Council members

The Students' Representative Council (SRC) nominated two members to serve on Council in 2018: Messrs Lwando Nkamisa, SRC chair, and Euwen Etson, chair of the Academic Affairs Council.

The deputy chair of Council, Prof PW van der Walt, attended his last meeting. His term is expiring and he has reached the statutory age limit. He has served as a donor-elected Council member since 2 April 2010 and as deputy chair since 7 May 2012. The term of Prof Wannie Carstens is also expiring and he is not up for re-election. Council thanked retiring members for their dedicated service.

Next meeting

The next Council meeting is scheduled for 18 June 2018.