​​ABOUT THE DIVISION STUDENT AFFAIRS

Led by the Senior Director, Dr Choice Makhehta, the Division for Student Affairs (DSAf) at Stellenbosch University (SU) comprises three centres which together synergise to facilitate an ecosystem of support, development and engagement. We function to accelerate student and institutional success and contribute to the institutional and national socioeconomic transformation agenda.

  1. The Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD) has dynamic, student-centred psychological development and support services available to our students. Carefully selected specialists such as psychologists, a psychiatrists, a social worker and a reading specialist are involved to meet the needs of the university community.

  2. The Centre for Student Leadership, Experiential Education and Citizenship (CSLEEC) comprises of the Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development, formal student governance structures and the coordination of the Co-Curriculum transcript. Click here for more information.

  3. The Centre for Student Communities (CSC) aims to give our students a holistic living and learning experience within their residences and clusters. The social dimension of community life in residence and the cluster is also harnessed to support the University’s academic mission. Click here for more information.

The DSAf strives to:

  1. Create an inclusive and supportive culture at SU which aims to equip students with graduate attributes aligned to SU's vision;

  2. Provide systemic-holistic support and development to students;

  3. Promote coherent cooperation among all the SU role players;

  4. Advance the goals of SU and students; and

  5. Develop the living and learning environment in such a way that it is conducive to the development of successful graduates.

The DSAf is committed to excellence, systemic-holistic support and development based on well-founded research to be partners with the academic community and to play a crucial role in the following areas:

  1. Psychological services, which include development, academic and career counselling, preventative and therapeutic dimensions and support for students with special learning needs and other disabilities, support for students with social welfare needs, the coordination and facilitation of peer-assisted academic and psychosocial support and development (with the aid of, among others, mentoring and tutoring programmes) to especially, but not exclusively, provide the best possible chance of achieving success to new first-year and high-risk students, and to provide opportunities to all students for further growth and development;

  2. The support of students regarding student leadership development, general student wellness, welcoming of new students and optimal integration of first-generation students

  3. The coordination of all listening, learning and living activities of students in co-curricular context with a particular focus on the integration of the PSO students (day-students) and the residential students and ResEd (residential education – including multicultural training opportunities also involving PSO students)

  4. The support of students governance structures (including the Student Representative Council, Societies Council, Academic Affairs Council, etc.), policy formulation in terms of student affairs and cooperation in the provision of an optimal co-curricular experience to our University.