Well-known Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) director MJ Brooks has been awarded the 2020 Chancellor's Award for his “extraordinary" contribution to the Faculty in the category professional services.

The prestigious award recognises Stellenbosch University (SU) staff whose careers attest to sustained excellence in research, innovation, learning and teaching, social impact and professional services. 

Brooks received the honour for his dedication, commitment, creativity and leadership over the past two decades which have ensured that the Faculty is thriving and widely recognised as a national market-leader. 

He has been in the employ of SU for 21 years. He was originally appointed at the Faculty of Engineering's Dean's Office in 1999 and was soon promoted to faculty officer. His broad experience of university management made him a suitable candidate to be appointed as one of SU's first faculty managers in 2002, with his appointment at the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. In 2011, Brooks was promoted to director in the Faculty, mainly because of his strategic leadership and responsibilities. 

During his tenure, the Faculty has grown significantly in terms of students, staff and resources. Student intake has increased by 51% over this period, with the postgraduate component doubling. The number of staff has doubled from 188 to 377. 

He has ensured that this growth strategy has been implemented in a sustainable manner and has made many individual contributions to the success of the strategy, including:

• Putting an internal faculty budget model in place to ensure resources are distributed to incentivise and cultivate further growth;
• Successfully implementing several new academic programmes through strategic seed funding, financial modelling and operational plans;
• Implementing a bursary scheme called Project Zero for undergraduate students; and
• Launching several strategic research projects to grow the research profile of the Faculty.
  

Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences Dean, Prof Ingrid Woolard, said Brooks is well-known across the University as the “go-to" person when one needs to find an innovative and well-crafted solution.

“Mr Brooks has an exceptionally successful leadership style in which he seeks consensus while quickly guiding the team towards reaching a good outcome. He thinks strategically, plans with a long-term outlook, manages data in a manner which can only be described as wizardry, delegates effectively and, quite simply, gets things done," she said.

True to himself, Brooks preferred to praise the people and the University which have served him so well over the years.

“I can honestly say that after 20 years at the same institution, I have never experienced a dull moment. Stellenbosch University is an innovative and highly complex environment, which is always changing. There's always a new crisis looming.

“However, the people at SU have always made me feel part of the team and they are the main reason I have been able to face extreme challenges. This award, therefore, is not only for me but for all my colleagues, departmental heads, directors of schools and the highly competent deans I was privileged to be guided and inspired by over the years.

“Lastly, I want to thank my lovely wife Shirley and our two daughters, Amy and Lynn-Mari. It may sound like a cliché, but you need somebody at home to make you believe in yourself – for them I am truly grateful."

Brooks will receive his award at the graduation ceremony on 16 December.

• ​Photo (supplied):  Mr MJ Brooks (2nd from right) with three former faculty deans with whom he worked. F.l.t.r. are Professors Stan Du Plessis, now SU's Chief Operating Officer; Johann de Villiers and Estian Calitz, both retired but still involved with the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.