February 2008 - 1 Amptelike nuusblad van die personeel van die UV / Official newsletter of the staff of the UFS / Phatlalatso ya Semmuso ya ba Basebetsi ba Yunivesithi ya Freistata

1

During the official opening of theUFS, Prof. Frederick Fourie,Rector and Vice-Chancellor,

identified the “five things we must getright” to reposition the university as auniversity that is successfully managingexcellence and diversity.

According to Prof. Fourie, the stra-tegic academic clusters – initiated in2006 – are a very important initiativewhich is aimed at making the universitya world leader in six broad areas.These clusters are not just researchbased, but will include postgraduateprogrammes and filter down to under-graduate learning programmes andcurricula.

“We applaud the outstanding per-formance in terms of research andentrepreneurial academic activities indepartments and areas that are not partof an approved cluster at the momentand will continue to support them. Oneor more of these activities may becomethe kernel of a new strategic cluster inthe future,” said Prof. Fourie.

As a second project he identifiedthe establishment of a new teachingand learning model to address currentsuccess rates. This includes bothundergraduate and postgraduate pro-grammes. “Quality in teaching andlearning is very important because itaffects the lives of thousands ofstudents directly,” he said. Finding newincome streams to enable higher levels

UFS to focus on 5 mega-projects

of financial sustainability is the thirdproject, especially in view of dwindlinggovernment subsidies and limits onstudent numbers. This is necessary tofund sustained higher levels ofinvestment in the quality of academicactivities and in the necessary capacityand facilities.

Prof. Fourie said the fourth projectregarding institutional culture is an on-

going effort to create a sense of be-longing for all staff and studentsthrough the adoption of an InstitutionalCharter for the university.

“The draft Charter describes theoutlines and constitutive principles of auniversity we want to be after transfor-mation and after the necessary redressphase. The principles are intended toprovide an incubating environment with-

Mega-projects... continues on p2

The Human Rights Commission presented the first of a series of workshops on Human Rights Awarenessto cultivate a culture of human rights at the UFS. This first workshop was attended by the residence heads.These workshops form part of the Residence Diversity Implementation Committee's (RDIC) mandate.Attending the workshop were, from the left: Dr Choice Makhetha, Deputy Dean: Student Affairs, Mr HeinBadenhorst, new Residence Head, Ms Masego Petlhu, Human Rights Commission, Ms Elsie Rupping,Residence Head, and Adv. Mothusi Lepheane, Human Rights Commission.

2

Management receivesjubilee items

By ’n afskeid wat deur die UV-bestuur vir mnr. Arie van der Bijl gereël is, was, van links: mnr. Van der Bijl,en sy vrou, Johanna, en prof. Frederick Fourie, Rektor en Visekanselier van die UV.

in which the redress phase oftransformation can be completedand, within which a high-quality,normalised, nonracial and non-sexist UFS can be established inthe intermediate and long term.

The fifth project is the Transfor-mation Plan, launched in 2007.“We simply must pursue this plandiligently, given our commitment tocomprehensive and deep transfor-mation, and to best practice trans-formation. All universities will haveto face up to the challenge oftransformation and the UFS canbreak new ground, as it did in thepast by managing transformationinnovatively and creating a campuswhere all can find their rightfulplace,” said Prof. Fourie.

In addition to the five mega-pro-jects, the Executive Managementalso identified a project to contin-uously support and strengthen thegeneral research culture and re-search programmes of faculties aswell as a project to build the profileof the university and to develop apositive image in terms of the na-tional media and national mindset.

Prof. Fourie concluded: “Byfocusing our energies on these fivemega-projects, we will be able tostay focused on what is reallyimportant in our strategic plan – onwhat will really make a differencein the future life of this university.”

Mnr. Arie van der Bijl, Direkteur:Begroting, is vanaf 1 Januarie2008 met verlof en sal dan na

40 jaar diens aan die UV aftree. Hy wasvir 25 jaar hoof van die Departement Fi-nansies.

Volgens prof. Frederick Fourie,Rektor en Visekanselier van die UV, ismnr. Van der Bijl nie net ’n deskundigein finansies nie, maar ook bekend virsy akkuraatheid met die opstel vanbegrotings en sy rol in die oorskake-ling na nuwe stelsels, soos in diegeval van PeopleSoft.

Pilaarbouer tree af na 40 jaar

Die Begrotingsdepartement sal nouonder die beheer van die Direkteur: Fi-nansies val en die werk wat deur mnr.Van der Bijl gedoen is, sal nou deur me.Cecile Joubert (x3066) en mnr. Pieter duPlessis (x2950) behartig word. Alle ver-wante navrae kan aan hulle gerig word.

Mnr. Van der Bijl is steeds die hoof-beampte van die UV se Pensioenfondsasook die Voorsorgfonds. Lede kanhom kontak by x3634, arie.rd@ufs.ac.zaof persoonlik besoek in kamer 306/305op die derde vloer van die George duToit-administrasiegebou.

Mega-projects... continued from p2

The Qwaqwa Campus cele-brated 25 years of existencein 2007. As part of the cele-

brations members of managementwere given a jubilee blanket andgolf shirt as a token of apprecia-tion for the support and guidancethat the campus received since itsincorporation in 2003. Prof. Willievan Zyl, representative of theCampus Principal on the jubileeproject, handed these items toProf. Frederick Fourie, Rector andVice-Chancellor.

Die Sentrum vir Boedelbeplanningsreg in die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid het 'n borgskap van R50 000 perjaar van BoE Trust Bpk. ontvang om sy werksaamhede uit te bou, veral met betrekking tot navorsing envoortgesette opleiding oor praktykgerigte aspekte van boedelbeplanning. Hier is, van links: prof. ElizabethSnyman-Van Deventer, Hoof van die Sentrum vir Boedelbeplanningsreg, prof. Johan Henning, Dekaan vandie Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid, mnr. Louis van Vuuren en mnr. Franklin Dikgale, albei van BoE Trust Bpk.

Boedelbeplanning kry borgskap

3

The UFS has appointed three topclass musicians for the OdeionString Quartet. The quartet, which

was formed in 1991, is the only residentquartet at a South African university.

Ms Denise Sutton was appointed asfirst violinist and leader of the stringquartet, Ms Jeanne-Louise Moolman asviola player, and Ms Sharon de Kock assecond violinist.

Three former members of the quar-tet have retired or left Bloemfontein. MrMichael Haller, longtime cellist of thequartet, will also be retiring at the endof 2008. The Odeion String Quartet willliterary be brand new. Opportunitiesnow exist for learners and students tobe taught by excellent new lecturers.The new players will also strengthenthe Free State Symphony Orchestra toa large extent.

Prof. Frederick Fourie, Rector andVice-Chancellor of the UFS and chair-person of the String Quartet’s manage-ment committee, said: “The OdeionString Quartet, a cultural flagship of theUFS, symbolises our commitment tothe arts. It also plays an important stra-tegic role in the development of sym-phony orchestra music and classicalmusic training in the Free State.”

Top class musicians appointed for Odeion String Quartet

formances for our audiences and stu-dents,” said Sutton.

The first official performance of the“new” Odeion String Quartet will be inMay this year in Bloemfontein. Mem-bers of the quartet will perform in theSpanish Music Festival in March 2008.In May 2008 the quartet will participatein Zimbabwe in the Bulawayo Festival.

Most string quartets abroad are af-filiated with a higher education institu-tion, which enables a higher level ofplaying as there is more time for prepa-ration and to study the repertoire. “Weappreciate the university’s confidence inus and for the opportunity to explorethe intricacies of ensemble playing. Wehope that we can produce inspiring per-

The three new members of the Odeion String Quartet are, from the left: Ms Jeanne-Louise Moolman, violaplayer, Ms Denise Sutton, leader and first violinist, and Ms Sharon de Kock, second violinist.

4

The UFS is affected by load shed-ding in various ways. The Exe-cutive Committee of the Execu-

tive Management (Exco) believes that itis important to ensure that the univer-sity continues to function in spite ofpower interruptions and therefore anumber of measures were approved.

Equipment (generators) is being in-stalled and operational arrangementswill be made to minimise disruptions intimes of load shedding.

Although it is unaffordable to gene-rate power for the whole campus tomeet everyone’s electricity needs, Excogave its approval for the installation ofemergency power equipment in all thelarge lecture-hall complexes includingthe Examination Centre, the FlippieGroenewoud Building, Stabilis, Genminand the Agriculture Building. Genera-tors with 20-30% more capacity thanrequired for the current demand arebeing ordered. The expected construc-tion time is 16 weeks, except for theFlippie Groenewoud Building where it is6 weeks.

Exco also approved that facultiesand support services that want topurchase UPSs (uninterruptible powersupplies) to combat the detrimentaleffect of unexpected power interrup-tions on computer equipment, can (asat present) purchase them from ownfunds via Computer Services. Small,loose-standing generators can also bepurchased from own funds via PhysicalResources and installed under theirsupervision. Laptop computers can,where necessary, be purchased fromown budgets.

Staff is requested not to install theirown power generators under any cir-cumstances. It can be very dangerouswhen these are linked to a building’selectrical system.

Problems and possible solutionsregarding load shedding in computerrooms, during evening lectures, andpractical classes were discussed. Prof.Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector: Acade-mic Operations, said: “As part of thecontingency planning of the UFS, analternative module and venue timetablehas been compiled so that classes that

How we manage load shedding

cannot take place during evenings as aresult of load shedding can be accom-modated on alternative time slots or inalternative halls.”

Managing the possible impact of po-wer interruptions on teaching and learn-ing is a priority. According to Prof.Driekie Hay, Vice-Rector: AcademicPlanning, we must not compromise thequality of teaching and learning at theUFS. “Lecturers will have to fall back onpresentation methods not linked toelectricity, without neglecting innovativetechnology-linked presentation methods(posting PowerPoint presentations andother supplementary learning materialson the web).

“In the case of full-time undergra-duate courses, no lectures should becancelled beforehand. If a power inter-ruption occurs in a venue, lecturers andstudents must wait for at least ten mi-nutes before the lecture is cancelled. Ifnatural lighting and ventilation make itpossible to continue with the lecture, itshould be done.

“No student must be able to use thepower interruptions and non-presenta-tion/cancellation of lectures as an argu-ment for having failed modules, for pooracademic performance or to negotiatefor a change in examination schedul-ing,” she said.

Security systems and the safety ofstaff and students will also receive spe-cific attention – this includes the resi-dences.

The situation on the Vista andQwaqwa Campuses is also receivingattention. The same guidelines thatapply to the Main Campus also apply tothe Vista Campus. The situation isbeing monitored and will be managedaccording to need. Solutions werefound for most of the electricity relatedproblems on the Qwaqwa Campus.

Exco emphasised that the universitywill have to manage despite load shed-ding, even after the emergency powersystems have been installed. Exco alsorequested that every division must de-vise operating procedures to deal withload shedding without jeopardising thequality of core functions. For this pur-pose load shedding schedules fromCentlec are available on the UFS web-site. All UFS communication on loadshedding as well as links to relevantsources are also available on this webpage.

Staff who wish to receive updateson the power situation via SMS, duringperiods of load shedding, are reques-ted to update their cellphone numberson the staff intranet (staff intranet,service desk under services, updatemy details) or contact Ms JeanetteWessels at 051 401 2804 orwesselsj.rd@ufs.ac.za

If there are any practical solutions todeal with the load shedding (such asalternative ways of working) you areinvited to send an e-mail to:lightsout@ufs.ac.za

5

Apostgraduate student at theUFS was honoured when he re-ceived the first prize for his pre-

sentation in the Biochemistry and In-dustrial Mycology session of the AsianMycology Congress (AMC) held inMalaysia.

The winning presentation fromDesmond Ncango (24), Ph.D. studentfrom the Department of Microbial, Bio-chemical and Food Biotechnology,focused on the inhibitory effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) such as aspirin on fungi. Thissuggests that commonly used aspirinmay be used as a cheap antifungal tocombat yeast infections. Desmond alsoexposed novel lubricants that are usedby yeasts for water-propelled move-ment. This may find application in nano-technology in the lubrication of nano-robots.

“The meticulous preparation andpresentation style also contributed tothe success,” said Prof. Lodewyk Kock,head of the Lipid Biotechnology Group

Student receives international award

Desmond Ncango.

After months of hard work bythe Central Employment EquityCommittee, the UFS’s Employ-

ment Equity Plan was approved inNovember 2007.

Within the plan an important con-cept, that of sufficient diversity, wasapproved and is utilised. A designa-ted group (e.g. black males or whitefemales) is seen as being sufficientlyrepresented when it has a twentypercent or higher representation with-in a UFS staff category. The twentypercent representation per group isviewed as the five-year target.

This implies that the appointmentof persons from groups that exceed20% representation does not qualifyfor employment-equity target setting.This does not mean that white wo-men and black men (and white men)may not be appointed in the catego-ries where their representation ex-

Employment Equity Plan approvedceeds 20%. It does mean, however,that their appointment is not counted inattaining the targets, and that the em-phasis should be shifted to those cate-gories that are still underrepresented,e.g. black women.

For the designated groups as awhole, it was approved that numericaltargets be set at a minimum of 50% re-presentation in each UFS staff cate-gory. These targets of 50% also are tobe attained within the next five years.

This is one of the most crucial areasof concern, a key element of the Trans-formation Plan becase the UFS firmlybelives that diversity among our staff isan asset that will assist us in our questfor excellence. Approximately R18 mil-lion has been set asise in the past 5years for this important strategic priorityto allow faculties and departments to ap-point persons from designated groups.Every opportunity to employ senior black

and female managers has been uti-lised (DVCs, deans, deputy deans,directors, deputy directors).

He said: “While some of the tar-gets have already been attained, andmany are indeed attainable in fiveyears, it might be difficult to attainthese targets in e.g. the senior aca-demic ranks. Management is lookingat different ways to achieve the nu-merical goals.

“Much more focus is to be placedon ‘growing our own timber’ andmentoring. Two new projects for‘growing our own timber’ and a Work-place Learning Internship initiative forthe support services were approved.There is also a project in the pipelinefor the development of leadershipamong promising black academicand support staff to equip them forsenior and high-level managementpositions.”

at the department and main promoter ofDesmond’s Ph.D. studies.

“I cannot really explain the feelingwhen my presentation was selected asthe best as it was presented in a verydifficult category and many senior re-searchers and professors also partici-pated. I plan to use all the knowledgeand skills I have learnt from Prof. Kock,who is my role model, especially to thebenefit of disadvantaged communitiesin South Africa. I want to follow an aca-demic career at a tertiary institutionwhen I have completed my Ph.D. stu-dies,” said Desmond.

Desmond went to school inBotshabelo, Bloemfontein and comple-ted his Grade 12 in 2000 with a distinc-tion in Mathematics. He enrolled for aB.Sc. degree at the UFS, majoring inMicrobiology and Physiology. After ob-taining this qualification, he joined thepostgraduate research group of Prof.Kock. He completed his M.Sc. degreewith distinction last year and was privi-leged to have this research published in

and on the cover of the CanadianJournal of Microbiology, a journal ac-credited by the Institute for ScientificInformation (ISI).

6

Koidu Holdings SA in Koidu, SierraLeone, started with a communitydevelopment project as part of a

resettlement programme to motivateresettled people to become self-suf-ficient producers of small-scale gardensand to promote entrepreneurship.

Koidu Holdings specially requestedthe Centre for Agricultural Managementat the UFS to present their Food GardenManagement course to three of theiremployees.

According to Ms Dora du Plessis,co-presenter of the workshop: “Smallplots of land (100 × 50 m2), havealready been earmarked and allocatedfor this purpose in the resettlementarea in Sierra Leone, and a boreholehas been sunk for watering the cropsduring the dry season. Ultimately a pro-per watering project will be developedto supply drinking water to resettlementhomes and the agriculture project.”

Dietetics students from the universityalso attended the course. Dietetics stu-dents are trained to develop their creati-vity and entrepreneurial skills, enablingthem to start a private practice in com-munity/clinical nutrition, or act as a con-sultant for food services. The studentswho are involved at the Botshabelo Dis-trict Hospital requested the centre to helpthem start a food garden at the hospital.

Centre contributes to development in Sierra Leone

Engaged in hands-on training are, from the left: Mr L.J. Malete, Botshabelo District Hospital, Mr PhilipSorboeh, Koidu Holdings, Sierra Leone, Mr Billy Mphano, Botshabelo District Hospital, and Mr Eric Bindi,Sierra Leone.

Die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid het verlede jaar diemeeste skynhofoorwinnings in die bykans honderd-

jarige bestaan van dié fakulteit behaal. Elke span-leier van die onderskeie skynhofkompetisies het ’nverslag saamgestel wat tydens ’n skemerkelkont-

haal deur prof. Johan Henning, Dekaan van dieFakulteit Regsgeleerdheid, aan appélregter JoosHefer oorhandig is. Die skynhofleiers/koördineer-

ders van die vier kompetisies is, van links: prof.Elizabeth Snyman-Van Deventer, leier/koördineer-der van die Willem C. Vis Internasionale Kommer-

siële Arbitrasie-skynhofkompetisie wat in Wene,Oostenryk aangebied is, dr. Neels Swanepoel,

leier/koördineerder van die Skynhofkompetisie vandie UV-Regskliniek vir senior studente wat by die

UV se Vista-kampus aangebied is, prof. JohanHenning, Dekaan van die Fakulteit Regsgeleerd-heid, adv. Mariëtte Reyneke, leier/koördineerder

van die Kovsie Eerstejaar-skynhofkompetisie wat indie Appèlhof aangebied is, en me. Thapi

Matsaneng, leier/koördineerder van die 16de AllAfrica Menseregte-skynhofkompetisie wat in

Senegal aangebied is.

Fakulteit vier uitsonderlike prestasies

7

“The finances of the UFS re-main fundamentally soundand a higher than expected

surplus of about R26 million wasachieved in the 2007 budget,” saidProf. Frederick Fourie, Rector andVice-Chancellor, at the last Councilmeeting of 2007.

In support of the drive to reposi-tion the UFS nationally as a univer-sity that is successfully integratingexcellence and diversity, R5 millionwill be made available from thesurplus for this purpose.

The Council also approved thefollowing allocations for 2008 for thekey strategic pillars of a good prac-tice budget for the university:• Information sources: R21,1 million • IT infrastructure: R3,5 million • Replacing expensive equipment:

R7,05 million • Research: R18,1 million • Capital expenditure: R28,2

million• Maintenance of capital assets:

R18,2 million• Reserves: R6,3 million • Personal computers for the

computer laboratory: R3,5 million For the Qwaqwa Campus R2,5

million has been set aside for theseissues.

In terms of strategic priorities R8million was allocated for the acade-mic clusters and R6 million for em-ployment equity.

According to Prof. Fourie, fundshave been reserved for the develop-ment of the academic clusters, aswell as the continuation and acce-leration of the transformation pro-gramme of the UFS.

“We also managed to revise theconditions of employment of con-tract appointments and align it withthe latest labour practices. Thephasing in of the fringe benefits ofthis specific group of staff memberswill commence in 2008,” said Prof.Fourie.

The projected income for 2008will be R849 million, while the pro-jected expenditure, excluding trans-fers, will be R694 million.

UFS finances arefundamentally sound

Eerste Nasionale Bank (ENB) hetdie ENB Varsitybeker-kompetisie,waar Suid-Afrika se top-universi-

teite teen mekaar gaan meeding, aan dieUV geloods. Volgens mnr. FrancoisPienaar, vorige Springbok-kaptein en ’ndirekteur van die Varsitybeker, is tersiêrerugby ’n belangrike platform vir die ont-wikkeling van Suid-Afrikaanse Rugby.

Die Varsitybeker-konsep bestaan uitagt spanne wat op Maandae teen me-kaar sal meeding, gevolg deur tweehalfeindstryde en ’n eindstryd. Dielaaste wedstryd sal op 7 April gespeelword. ’n ENB Varsitybeker-feestoernooi

word ook vir die Paasnaweek in April inGeorge beplan waar al agt spanne elkdrie ligawedstryde sal speel.

Prof. Frederick Fourie, Rektor enVisekanselier aan die UV, sê: “Ons isreg hiervoor. In ’n era van semi-profes-sionele sport kan sport tot nog ’n hoërvlak opgelig word. Dit is waaroor ditgaan – professionalisering.”

’n Koshuis van die kampioenspanse universiteit sal ook die geleentheidkry om in George te speel. Dit sal danvir die eerste keer in die Suid-Afri-kaanse rugbygeskiedenis bekend wordwie die beste koshuisrugby speel.

Varsitybeker-kompetisie geloods by UV

By die loodsing van die Varsitybeker-kompetisie was, van links: prof. Frederick Fourie, Rektor enVisekanselier, mnr. James Letuka: Direkteur: KovsieSport, mnr. Francois Pienaar, voormaligeSpringbokkaptein en direkteur van die ENB Varsitybeker, en mnr. De Wet Ras, KovsieSport.

Prof. Johan Willemse, Depart-mental Chairperson of the De-partment of Agricultural Econo-

mics, has been appointed as an inde-pendent non-executive director on theboards of the Absa Group and AbsaBank from 1 January 2008. He be-longs to the South African AgriculturalWriters Association, is a regular colum-nist for various agricultural periodicals,and has been a presenter and pro-gramme advisor on national televisionin respect of agricultural matters.

Prof. Willemse also studied at theUniversity of Illinois with a Cochrane

Fellowship bursary in 2003. He hashis own agriculture consulting busin-ess and has won numerous nationalagricultural awards and achievements.

He was a member of the Ministe-rial Task Group that evaluated the1992 drought aid to farmers and wasappointed by the Minister of Agricul-ture and Land Affairs in 1997 to ad-vise on the implementation of theMarketing of Agricultural ProductsAct.

Prof. Willemse is a specialist onagricultural marketing, strategy andpolicy formulation.

Prof. Willemse serves on Absa boards

8

Jool ’n groot sukses

Printed marketing materials produ-ced by UFS Marketing were cho-sen as the best in the external

marketing: marketing material and bro-chures category at the Unitech congressin Durban. The materials were designedby Chrysalis Advertising and Publishing.

Marketing wins first prize

The proud staff from UFS Marketing are, from the left: Ms Martie Nortje, Ms Elizabeth Mohammed, MsSulet van Heerden, and Mr Philmon Bitso.

Unitech is an umbrella body formarketing and communications profes-sionals in higher education in SouthAfrica. UFS Marketing competedagainst other tertiary institutions thattook part in the excellence awards toclaim this prestigious honour.

The implementation of the per-formance management pro-cess commenced in 2006,

with the Rector and the ExecutiveCommittee of the Executive man-agement (Exco), and was cascadedto the level of directors/deans anddepartmental heads/assistant-direc-tors during 2007. Forty four indivi-dual and 28 group sessions wereheld during 2007 and the perfor-mance plans of people who atten-ded the sessions were completed.

Dr Renalde Huysamen, Head:Performance Management and StaffDevelopment in the Centre for High-er Education Studies and Develop-ment, said: “We realise that perfor-mance management is a complexprocess to implement, therefore theTechnical Committee made a deci-sion not to include other levels ofstaff in the performance manage-ment process for 2008. It is impor-tant that staff members who atten-ded sessions in 2007 first feel com-fortable with the system before it isrolled out to other levels.”

To assist staff with the imple-mentation of performance manage-ment, Dr Huysamen will deliver aone-hour session aimed at explain-ing the implementation of the WorkEnvironment Diagnoses instrument.On-going training on receiving andproviding feedback will be conduct-ed by an external provider, to em-power line managers to carry outthe performance appraisal task atthe end of 2008.

Staff members from the Facultyof Law, who attended this training in2007, felt that it is an absolute ne-cessity. Prof. Voet du Plessis, Headof the Department of MercantileLaw, said: “Practice is needed toensure that people know how togive and receive feedback.”

Training will commence in 2008to certify that departmental headsare comfortable with the Performan-ce Management IT system.

Prof. Niel Viljoen, Chief Director:Operations, and Prof. Driekie Hay,Vice-Rector: Academic Planning, re-quests that staff attend the men-tioned sessions for 2008.

Dr Huysamen shedlight on performance

Photo: Armand Swanepoel

Die wenvlot wat deur Huis Karee, Huis Marjolein en Huis Vergeet my Nie vir die Jool gebou is. Volgensme. Karen Scheepers, Bestuurder: Kovsiejool, het koshuise vanjaar, ondanks die minder tyd wat hullegehad het vir vlotbou, hulself oortref en het die standaard van die vlotte verhoog. Die kroningsbal vanKovsies se joolkoningin was ook ’n groot sukses. Chéni Prinsloo is as koningin gekroon en Marcia vanTonder en Line Morrison onderskeidelik as eerste en tweede prinses.

Foto: Gerhardus Bosch

9

Dr Zacheus Matebesi, SeniorLecturer in the Department ofSociology, presented findings

on the study of conflict in South Africancities: An analysis of service deliveryrelated protests, to the Portfolio Com-mittee on Provincial and Local Govern-ment in the National Assembly in CapeTown. The study, which analyses thereasons for the wave of protests in

CDS presents research findings to portfolio committee

Prof. Driekie Hay.

Koppie koffie met...

Positief, passievol en vol vrae. Ditis hoe jy prof. Driekie Hay, nuweViserektor: Akademiese Beplan-

ning, kan opsom. Haar passie om ander te leer borrel

sommer oor. “Van kleins af het ek ’naanvoeling en passie gehad om almalom my te help leer, veral akademies.My pa was baie keer vies, want as hyby die huis kom is daar ’n klompkinders om die eetkamertafel aan wieek die werk wat hulle nie verstaan nie,verduidelik. Ek geniet dit ook baie asmense en veral studente vrae vra. Ditwas nog altyd belangrik vir my omander te help om hul potensiaal tebereik,” sê sy.

Prof. Hay het in die Grabouw-distrikgrootgeword. Op Grabouw het symatriek geskryf in ’n skool met 126kinders. Later verwerf sy haarB.A.graad en Onderwysdiploma aan dieUniversiteit van Stellenbosch.

Haar eerste pos is as Xhosa-onder-wyseres in Bellville in Kaapstad. Laterwerk sy by die Kagisanong Onderwys-kollege in Bloemfontein, waar haar be-langstelling in hoër onderwys geprikkelword. Sy was ook betrokke in die aka-demie by die FET Kollege in Bethlehemen later Vista Universiteit in Welkom.

1994 was nie net vir Suid-Afrika ’nnuwe begin nie. Prof. Hay besluit ommeer ernstig op hoër onderwys tefokus. In 1998 begin sy by die Buro virAkademiese Ondersteuning in dieSentrum vir Hoëronderwysstudies en-ontwikkeling waar sy werk tot Maart2004 toe sy oorstap na die Sentrale

‘Mense moet kan sê ek hethulle harte aangeraak’

Universiteit vir Tegnologie in die posvan Dekaan: Akademiese Ontwikkeling.

Nie eers ’n volle kwartaal terug bydie UV, en prof. Hay merk op dat syregtig beïndruk is met dit wat met dieuniversiteit gebeur het in die tyd toe syweg was. “Daar is baie vlakke van ver-nuwing, veral die instandhouding vanfasiliteite op kampus, die benaderingten opsigte van studente-ondersteun-ing, die bestuur van finansies en ookdie paradigmaskuiwe ten opsigte vantransformasie en diversiteit. Hier is ook’n positiewe energie om die UV, watnavorsing betref, goed te posisioneer.Die mate van entoesiasme en toege-wydheid is ook groter as voorheen.Almal het een visie, om die universiteituit te bou tot werklike uitmuntendheid.Ek ervaar iets van vooruitgang.

“Ek is ook trots om met Kovsiesgeassosieer te word omdat dit ’n instan-

sie is wat erns gemaak het om op ’ngeorganiseerde wyse drie tale/kulture teakkommodeer. Dit het my veral opgevalmet die verwelkoming van die eerste-jaarstudente,” sê sy.

Prof. Hay het ook drome vir die UVoor die volgende twee jaar. “Dit sal baievir die UV beteken as meer van sy pro-gramme en kwalifikasies studente senommer-een-keuse kan wees. Dit isreeds sigbaar dat studente van die Sui-der-Afrikaanse Ontwikkelingsgemeen-skap (SAOG) asook ander oorseselande by die UV studeer omdat hulleglo hulle die beste kwalifikasie in ’nsekere veld aan dié universiteit kanverwerf. Ons het egter nog te min voor-beelde van sulke kwalifikasies, maar ekglo dat die kluster-inisiatief ’n verskil opdie gebied sal maak,” sê sy.

Prof. Hay, ’n “mens mens”, raak op-gewonde oor die klein dingetjies in dielewe soos om iemand se hart aan teraak. Sy verstom haar ook oor ’n mooisonsondergang, haar honde se humor,en haar huisie op Nieu-Bethesda. “Mygesin is ook natuurlik vir my belangrik.Ek het twee dogters, Hannerie (eerste-jaar op universiteit), en Martinette(graad 9) asook ’n seun, Handré(matriek),” sê sy.

Boeke fassineer prof. Hay. “Tanslees ek bestuurs- en leierskapboekesoos Stephen Covey se EverydayGreatness. Ek het nog altyd geglo dat’n goeie leier iemand is wat ’n omge-wing skep waar mense kan gedy enopgewonde kan wees oor die werk wathulle doen,” sê sy.

municipalities around the country, wasconducted by the Centre for Develop-ment Support (CDS) in 2006 and 2007.

Dr Matebesi said: “The CDS wasencouraged to engage with the SouthAfrican Local Government Association(SALGA), the South African HumanRights Commission and the PublicProtector with the view to having jointinitiatives.”

10

Five mega-projects to help reposi-tion the UFS in the next five yearsas one of South Africa’s leading

universities was the focus at this year’sofficial opening. Prof. Frederick Fourie,Rector and Vice-Chancellor, gave abrief report-back on 2007.

One of the major projects of 2006/7was the Quality Assurance Audit. Theaudit panel of the Higher EducationQuality Committee indicated that therewere no serious quality risks or qualitygaps in the core business of the uni-versity.

The university itself identified seve-ral quality-related challenges in thedocumentation that was prepared forthe panel and many quality-improve-ment projects have gone ahead suchas the launch of the Department ofStudent Development and Success.“We hope that the impact of this newdepartment and its programmes onstudent success rates will becomevisible soon and be sustained into thefuture,” said Prof Fourie.

Prof. Fourie also reported onanother major project, the Strategic

2007 in retrospect a good year

Cluster Initiative. The content and focusof the six academic clusters have beenfinalised and all but one were formallyapproved by Senate in 2007. So faracademics from 27 departments andten centres are involved in the clusterproject.

He said: “Although we faced thechallenge of getting academics to worktogether in multi-disciplinary teams, itwas a fascinating journey of discoveryof common ground, and seeing col-leagues being surprised at how muchmutual enrichment there could be be-tween their different areas of expertise.

Prof. Fourie also highlighted pro-gress with the draft Institutional Charter.“An analysis of discussions among aca-demic staff, support services and stu-dents on all three campuses by thePlanning Unit about the Institutional

Charter proved that although there area wide range of views on aspects of thecharter, the ideas and basic principlesof the charter have already started toinfluence thinking and policy-making atthe UFS.

“In terms of the TransformationPlan, most of the projects areproceeding well,” reported Prof. Fourie.The integration of student residences isalso proceeding smoothly. However,Prof. Fourie did acknowledge that thediversity target for white male studentswho should be living in formerly blackmale residences has been very difficultto attain.

A big step forward for the UFS wasthe approval of the Employment EquityPlan in November 2007.

In the sport arena the UFS not onlycontinued to have many successes in2007 but a number of initiatives wereput in the pipeline to ensure the realisa-tion of the Sport CommercialisationDivision, and the Centre for Exerciseand Sport Science Services.

Lastly Prof. Fourie reported on thefacilities on campus. “Managementtakes seriously the need to create anenabling physical environment for staffand students to perform at their bestand the upgrading of and developmentof new facilities and parking in 2007such as the Chemistry Building, the PCLaboratory and the Exam Centre areproof of this,” he said.

Staff listen attentively to the opening lecture.

11

Dilemong tse hlano tse tlang yuni-vesithi e tla tsepamisa maikutlodiprojekeng tse hlano tse kgolo

ho beha setsha sena sa thuto mae-mong a hodimo ntlheng tse kang bo-leng le tshebetso, ha mmoho le mena-hanong ya setjhaba, dikgwebo, dit-sheng tsa mona hae le tsa matjhabatsa thuto e phahameng, le ho borad-ipolotiki.

Nakong ya pulo ya semmuso yaUFS, Prof. Frederick Fourie, e leng mo-rektoro ebile e le motlatsa motjhansela-ra, o hlwaile dintho tse hlano tse tlame-hileng ho lokiswa e leng:• Ho kenywa tshebetsong ka katleho

ha Strategic Academic Clusters tse-pamisong ya tsebo thutong le diphu-putsong UFS.

• Ntshetsopele le ho kenywa tshebe-tsong ha mekgwa e metjha ya horuta le ho ithuta.

• Ho batla mehlodi e metjha ya tjhe-lete e le ho fokotsa ho tshepela hothuso ya mmuso le ditefello tsa dit-huto.

• Ho theha moetlo o motjha bakengsa yunivesithi ka ho phethela Insti-tutional Charter.

• Diphethoho tse ntseng di tswelapelemahlakoreng ohle a UFS.

Diprojeke tse hlano tsa bohlokwa di tla tlisa phapang bokamosong ba UFS

Ho ya ka Prof. Fourie, StrategicClusters – tse thakgotsweng ka 2006 –ke morero wa bohlokwa haholo oo sep-heo sa ona e leng ho beha yunivesithiena sehlohlolong lefatsheng makalenga tsheletseng. Di Clusters tsena ha diya tsepamiswa diphuputsong feela, em-pa di kenyeletsa dithuto tse phahameng(postgraduate) ho fihlela ho tse tlase(undergraduate), ha mmoho le tsela yadithuto.

Prof. Fourie o boletse hore ba baba-tsa tshebetso e kgabane diphuputsongle dintlheng tsa dithuto tsa kgwebo ma-fapheng le makaleng ao eseng karoloya di Clusters tsena tse hlwailweng mo-thating ona, mme a re ba tla tswelapeleho di tshehetsa. O itse tse ding tsa din-tlha tsena di ka nna tsa fetoha di Stra-tegic Clusters tse ntjha nakong e tlang.

Jwaloka projeke ya bobedi o hlwaileho thehwa ha mokgwa o motjha wa horuta le ho ithuta ho hlabolla sekgahla sajwale sa katleho. Projeke ena e kenye-letsa dithuto tse tlase le tse hodimo. Oboletse hore boleng ba ho ruta le hoithuta bo bohlokwa haholo hobane boama maphelo a dikete-kete tsa baithutika ho otloloha.

Mehlodi e metjha ya tjhelete ho etsahore yunivesithi e ikemele, ke projekeya boraro, haholo-holo nakong ena eo

thuso ya mmuso ya ditjhelete e nye-hlang le ditekanyetso tsa palo ya bai-thuti. Mehlodi ena e bohlokwa bakengsa ho tsetela ho boleng ba thuto le di-sebedisweng tse hlokahalang.

Prof. Fourie o boletse hore projekeya bone e mabapi le moetlo wa yuni-vesithi ke teko e ntseng e tswelapeleho etsa hore basebetsi le baithuti baikutlwe ba amohelehile yunivesithing kaho ananelwa ha Institutional Charter.

O itse Charter e hlalosa melawanae mabapi le seo yunivesithi ena e tla-mehileng ho ba sona kamora diphe-thoho. Sepheo sa melawana ena ke hotheha maemo a matle bakeng sa hophethelwa ha mokgahlelo wa diphe-thoho, o tla etsa yunivesithi ena ya bo-leng bo hodimo, e hlokang kgethollo yammala le ya bong nakong e tlang.

O itse ntle le sena mafapha kapamakala a UFS a ka thefulwa ke semo-rabe le dikgohlano tsa sepolotiki. O bo-letse hore sena ha se seo yunivesithikapa naha ena e se batlang.

Projeke ya bohlano ke leano la di-phethoho le thakgotsweng ka selemosa 2007. Prof. Fourie o re ho tlamehilehore morero ona o latelwe ka matlajwalokaha e le maikemisetso a yuni-vesithi ho tlisa diphethoho. O re diyuni-vesithi tsohle di tla tlameha ho tobanale phepetso ya diphethoho mme UFS eka itlhoma pele ntlheng ena jwalokahae ile ya etsa nakong e fetileng ka holaola diphethoho ka bokgabane le hotheha khampase moo bohle ba amo-helehileng.

Ntle le diprojeke tsena tse hlano tsabohlokwa, bolaodi ba UFS bo boetseba hlwaya projeke e tla tswelapele hotshehetsa le ho matlafatsa diphuputsole dithuto tsa diphuputso tsa makala, hammoho le projeke ya ho aha lebitso leletle le ho ntshetsapele serithi sa yuni-vesithi mekgatlong ya ditaba le meho-polong ya setjhaba.

Prof. Fourie o phethetse ka hore, kaho tsepamisa maikutlo diprojekeng tse-na tse hlano ba tla kgona ho dula ba lemotjheng wa seo e leng sa bohlokwamorerong ona – se tla tlisa phapangbokamosong ba yunivesithi ena.

Balaodi ba ntshana se inong pele mokete wa pulo o qala.

12

gaan vir ons dreun! So terloops vir prof.Magda op Stellenbosch gesien en inhaar mooi toespraak spog sy met me-de-Kovsies wat sy die aand daar tus-sen die hogere wynlandige gaste op-merk. Dis Kovsietrots wat dik in onsmense hier en in dié van oud-kollegasloop. Nou gedra vir julle mooi die jaar,presteer en leef in harmonie soos netKovsies kan. Dan rapporteer Bultjieweer teen die einde van die jaar oorjulle so oulik was. Lees intussen ver-lede jaar se jaarverslae en tik julleselfmet trots op die skouer.

Lastly, welcome to newly appointedacademic and support staff. You’ll findthat Kovsies is ’n lekka plek to work.Maar soos Blou Willem Theron daaijare op Varsity gesê het: “Ek studeernie Geskiedenis nie, my ou maat. Ekmaak geskiedenis!” Sterkte en maak julmerk!

13

5Minute

Was toe so! Terug van die va-kansie. Groen swembad, siekhond en dooie gras. Gelukkig

kom die reën, hond herstel vinnig enswembad word gered met die laastegeld vir Januarie – die langste, langstemaand. No. Bultjie didn’t bungee thisholiday as promised. Those guys areridiculous! R550 for a quasi suicidejump down the bridge? That gave mean adrenalin rush that far exceeded thepossibilities of a jump. So I ratherjoined the White Deaths in the ocean.At least you can see those sharkscoming!

And then it all started again. Regi-stration, rag, first-year madness all overcampus and postgraduates driving youwild with “please-can-I-finally-hand-in”looks in their eyes. Kry die studiehand-leidings gedruk. Skryf die navorsings-en jaarverslae, beplan studieterreine virnagraadse mense en herskeduleer alleklasse en aktiwiteite, sonder om metander klasse te bots volgens die roosterwat Eishcom voorsien wat (soms) insiklusse werk wat slegs Statistiek ver-staan! So everything is quite normalagain!

Ag wat, maar ons kla nie! Kla maak’n mens net moeg. ’n Kollega sê mosdaar is twee soorte mense. Die eerstegroep begin hulle sinne met “Nee. Jysien, die probleem is dit.” Die andergroep begin met “Ja. Dit is waar wat jysê. Daar mag dalk ’n paar komplikasieswees waarna ons betyds moet kyk.”Nou reken die kollega as iemand met ’n“nee” begin, dan weet jy hier is ’nnegatiewe mens en jy hol! Met ’n “ja”aan die begin van die sin, bly jy staanen jy kan saamwerk met die mens. Solaat ons maar die jaar aanpak met ’n“ja.” Dit sluit nou alles in van dieCheetahs tot by General Electric seprobleem met Awol Electric.

I wonder why students from all overthe world come to Kovsies to do theAdvanced Diploma and Master’s De-gree in Disaster Management? Does itsay something? All I know is that Prof.Jo van As can only do his research in

the swamps up north; as that’s the onlyplace he can find the goggamatotter-tjies irritating the small fish. Anyway, allI know is that Kovsies is an interestingplace to do workshops. The Office ofDiversity tackles things that most otherinstitutions tend to ignore. Their diver-sity sensitisation workshop for first-en-tering first-year students and seniors issuch an example. Keep up the goodwork JC, Billyboy, Tibe, Joe and Shirley.I hope a visit to experience harmony innature was part of the plan.

Bultjie discovered two wonderfulplaces of interest last year. The BoydenObservatory and the game trips inWoodland Hills just out of town. I’veseen 22 species in one hour excludingMammie and the kids. Thanks Sweis –a Kovsie student guide – for the expe-rience! Wellness Committee take note!Take us all there one Friday night andyou’ve done your job for the year.

Geluk aan prof. Driekie wat weerterug is. Wees gewaarsku kollegas! Sy Bultjie

Moenie moan nie, maak geskiedenis!

Business cycle shows reduction in volatility

Better monetary policy andimprovements in the financialsector that place less liquidity

constraints on individuals is one ofthe main reasons for the reductionin the volatility of the South Africaneconomy. The improvement in ac-cess to the financial sector also en-ables individuals to manage theirdebt better.

These are some of the findingsin an analysis on the volatility of theSouth African business cycle doneby Prof. Philippe Burger, Depart-mental Chairperson of the UFS’sDepartment of Economics.

Prof. Burger delivered his inau-gural lecture on the topic “The upsand downs of the South AfricanEconomy: Rough seas or smoothsailing?”Prof. Philippe Burger.

14

The Programme in Language Practice presented two lectures. Prof. Luc van Doorslaer from the LessiusHogeschool in Antwerpen, Belgium, presented a lecture: “Translation and the media: A not so obviousresearch combination”, and Prof. Terrence Wiley from the Arizona State University in the United States ofAmerica, spoke on: “Language rights in the USA: The role of the community in language preservation”.Here are, from the left: Proff. Doorslaer, Jackie Naudé, Departmental Chairperson of the Department ofAfroasiatic Studies, Sign Language and Language Practice, Wiley, and Theo du Plessis, Head of the Unitfor Language Management.

Programme in Language Practicepresents lectures

The Department of Public Sec-tor Management (UFS) andthe School of Government Ma-

nagement at the Central Universityof Technology (CUT) will be hostingtwo national conferences in a jointeffort in Bloemfontein this year.

From 28-29 October 2008 theinstitutions will host the annual con-ference of the Association of South-ern African Departments of PublicAdministration and Management(ASSADPAM), and from 30-31 Oc-tober 2008 the annual conferencefor South African Association ofPublic Administration and Man-agement (SAAPAM) will be hosted.

UFS and CUT work together

Students in the AdvancedDiploma and Master's degreein Disaster Management

visited the UFS for their first contactsession. The course, presented bythe Disaster Management Trainingand Education Centre for Africa(DiMTEC), is over two years andattracts a large number of foreignstudents.

Foreign students studydisaster management

Die Fakulteit Geestesweten-skappe het aan 130 akade-miese personeellede wat

gedurende 2007 aan die fakulteit sepersoneelontwikkelingsgeleenthededeelgeneem het, erkenning verleen.Sertifikate is aan almal oorhandig.

Personeelontwikkeling kry erkenning

Agt-en-dertig studente van regoordie land, Lesotho en Namibië het’n kontaksessie vir die Magister-

program in Regeerkunde en PolitiekeTransformasie, wat deur die UV aange-

Van die gaste wat die voordrag bygewoon het, was van links: dr. Choice Makhetha, me. Lineo Molise,Adjunkminister van die Departement Binnelandse Sake, Lesotho, prof. Gerhardt de Klerk, Dekaan van dieFakulteit Geesteswetenskappe, me. Mpeo Mahase-Moiloa, Minister van Justisie, Menseregte, KorrektieweDienste, en Grondwetlike Sake in Lesotho, en dr. Tania Coetzee, Programdirekteur van die Program virRegeerkunde en Politieke Transformasie.

Dr Makhetha open Regeerkunde

Prof. H.O. de Waal, conserva-tion expert and associate pro-fessor in the Department of

Animal and Wildlife and GrasslandSciences, was honoured by theFree State Department of Tourism,Environment and Economic Affairsfor his contribution to the conser-vation of the province’s bio-diversity.

Prof. De Waal honoured fornature conservation

bied word, bygewoon. Die openingsvoor-drag is deur dr. Choice Makhetha, Ad-junkdekaan van Studentesake, gelewermet die tema: “Is constitutional democra-cy strengthening in South Africa?”

15

The Research Institute for Educa-tion Planning (RIEP) trainedGrade 12 Science teachers in

preparation for the implementation ofthe National Curriculum Statement forPhysical Sciences this year. ThePhysical Sciences subject advisors ofthe Northern Cape Department of Edu-cation attended a three-day workshop

RIEP trains subject advisors

At the training session were, from the left, front: Dr Matie Hoffman, Department of Physics, Ms Ria leGrange, Ms Granny Moatshe, and Mr Chris de Wet, subject advisors from the Department of Education inthe Northern Cape; back: Mr Cobus van Breda, RIEP, Ms Sharon Paulse, Ms Providence Kilelo, and MrRiekie Willemse, subject advisors from the Department of Education in the Northern Cape.

The office of Mr Teboho Manchu,Deputy Director Student Affairs onthe Qwaqwa Campus, initiated a

gala event to recognise individuals thatdemonstrated excellence in spheres of

Qwaqwa honours quality in student life

Mr Paulos Mohosho, Chief Magistrate: Phuthaditjhaba, and Dr Elias Malete, Campus Principal, during thepresentation of the awards.

student life such as leadership, culture,sports, exemplary behaviour and pre-servation of residences. Bursaries werealso awarded to students with outstan-ding academic performance.

Distinguished members from thelocal community, the business sectorand the majority of students attendedthe occasion. Also present were DrEzekiel Moraka, Vice-Rector: StudentAffairs, Dr Choice Makhetha, DeputyDean: Student Affairs, and Mr JamesLetuka, Director: KovsieSport.

Mr Manchu said: “Through thisfunction we seek to redefine thedivision of student affairs as one ofthe fundamental pillars of academicsuccess, total graduate throughput,institutional stability, and memorablestudent life.”

During the function the newlyelected SRC was inaugurated by MrPaulos Mohosho, Chief Magistrate,with Dr Moraka handing official SRCblazers to each of the SRC membersafterwards. Several SRC membersreceived academic awards for leadingby example.

on campus where the new Grade 12subject content was discussed.

Lecturers from the Departmentsof Chemistry and Physics were invol-ved in the training sessions. Similartraining sessions for a hundred Phy-sical Sciences teachers in the Nor-thern Cape will take place in Kim-berley and Springbok.

Vyf lede van die UV het aan ’ninternasionale colloquiumaan die Universiteit van Ant-

werpen rondom die tema Meerta-ligheid en uitsluiting – perspektieweop taal en samelewing deelgeneem.Die colloquium is ’n opvolg op 'ninternasionale simposium wat aandie UV gehou is.

Volgens prof. Theo Du Plessis,Direkteur: Eenheid vir Taalbestuur,is die handelinge van hierdie simpo-sium tydens die colloquium in boek-vorm bekendgestel as deel van dieEenheid vir Taalbestuur se publika-siereeks, Studies in Language Poli-cy in South Africa.

Prof. Du Plessis sê: “Die collo-quium het bygedra tot ’n beter be-grip van die dinamiek binne meer-talige gemeenskappe.”

Die colloquium is ook deur me.Susan Lombaard, prof. JohanLubbe en mnr. Roelof Geyserbygewoon.

“Ter uitlewing van die tema,meertaligheid en uitsluiting, is lesingsin Afrikaans, Engels en Nederlandsaangebied,” sê prof. Du Plessis.

Taalbestuur praat by colloquium

16

At the lecture were, from the left: Dr Gregory Alexander, Department of Psychology in Education; Dr PricillaSettee, Saskatchewan University, and Mr Micheal Van Wyk, Department of Curriculum Studies.

Prof. Josephine Allen, Associate Professor ofPolicy Analysis and Management in the College ofHuman Ecology at Cornell University in the UnitedStates, and holder of a Fulbright Scholarship, willspend her sabbatical at the UFS and the Universityof Fort Hare. She will establish a research networkof academics for discussing research, policy andstrategies in the areas of gender equality,environmental sustainability, and HIV and Aids. Shewill mainly work in the Faculty of the Humanitiesand with the Centre for Health Systems Researchand Development. At a contact session with herwere, from the left: Prof. Engela Pretorius, Vice-Dean: Faculty of the Humanities, Dr Aldo Stroebel,Head: Internationalisation, and Prof. Allen.

Fulbright scholar on sabbatical at UFS

Indigenous peoples from various coun-tries are concerned that non-indige-nous people want to exercise control

over indigenous plants and knowledge,according to Dr Priscilla Settee, an Asso-ciate Professor in the Department ofNative Studies at the University of Sas-katchewan in Canada, and a member ofthe Cumberland House Cree Nation, thelargest tribal group in that country.

Delivering a lecture at the UFS, DrSettee said these attempts to claim thepatenting rights to plants have createdtremendous tensions within communi-ties, which also endangers biodiversity.

“Science gives the capacity to de-stroy all life on earth and indigenous

Respect indigenous knowledge, says academic

peoples can no longer co-exist with thecurrent neo-liberal model of develop-ment and knowledge production basedon imperialist and racist thought. Myown response to this situation is to re-spect indigenous peoples’ knowledgeand rights to the land. Ultimately, for meit is about indigenous rights to self-de-termination,” she said.

Dr Settee stressed that the manyspecies of plants and other resourceshave value to Indigenous communitiesbecause of their intrinsic worth to thecommunity and the belief that biodiver-sity is common property.

“The privatisation of plant know-ledge is a serious matter for people

who rely on their backyards for curesand foods and who turn to healers whomay give their knowledge as gifts,” sheargued.

She used arguments from DrVandan Shiva, activist for indigenousknowledge and protection of biodiver-sity from India. He coined the term Bio-piracy in opposition to the methodsused in biotechnology, ethnobotany andthe “Green Revolution”. She said, ac-cording to Dr Shiva, an economic sys-tem that reduces all value to marketprices and all human activity to com-mercial transactions is the root of biodi-versity exploitation.

She said this causes a seriousclash of values between cultures thatsubscribe to this economic system andcultures whose world view are basedon non-monetary values.

“Biodiversity is yet another westernlegal concept not founded on the re-spect for the rights of indigenouspeoples but rather serves, through eth-nobotany, to economically empowerpharmaceutical companies and multi-national corporations dealing in theseproducts,” she explained.

Dr Settee said the discourse regar-ding development has to change. Shesuggested that universities establishformal linkages between indigenousand local communities (civil society)and the academy; and produce acritical mass of indigenous scholars,among other things.

17

’nDroom van dr. Natie Luyt,Dekaan: Studentesake, is ver-wesenlik toe ’n kuierplek waar

studente met geleenthede soos jool enintervarsity kan kuier, voltooi en aanstudente oorhandig is.

Die Joolplek maak voorsiening virtien vlotbou-areas, elk met sy kragpunte(tans tydelik) en skeepsvraghouer (ooktydelik). Daar is ook twaalf buitekraneen vyf hoëmasligte op die perseel. Intotaal is 650m2 van dié area geplavei.

Die totale onderdakarea beslaan1 100 m², wat ’n oop stoep, kombuise,

Studente kry plek om te jool

By die oorhandiging van die Joolplek vir studente was, van links: prof. Frederick Fourie, Rektor enVisekanselier, mnr. Natie Botes van die bouaannemers Ströhfeldt Sikeye Joint Ventures, me. Edma Pelzer,Direkteur: Fisiese Hulpbronne en Spesiale Projekte, dr. Natie Luyt, Dekaan: Studentesake, en JoliceNeniëls, vierdejaar-LL.B-student.

kroeg en verhoog met kunstenaars-kleedkamers asook badkamers virmans en dames en gestremde personeinsluit. Die perseel, wat ook 520m sehout- en baksteenbankies insluit, kan1 200 mense akkommodeer.

Die totale projekkoste van dié fasili-teit het R6,3 miljoen beloop, waarvanAbsa net meer as vyftig persent byge-dra het.

Dr Luyt sê: “Ek het nog altyd ’n skuurgesoek waar studente tydens jool en in-tervarsity kan kuier. Ons het ’n eerste-klas, Eerstewêreldfasiliteit gekry,” sê hy.

Recently there has been a bigdemand for organic vegeta-bles; however it is not easy for

a small vegetable farmer to obtainorganic certification. According to MrCharl Pienaar from Goodbugs in thePaarl, the Low External Inputs Sus-tainable Agriculture (LEISA) philo-sophy is the answer.

The Centre for Agricultural Man-agement and Mr Pienaar presented ashort course on vermiculture at theMangaung-University CommunityPartnership Project (MUCPP) inMangaung.

According to Mr Pienaar vermi-compost made by the little red wormEisenia fetida, also called red wrig-glers or compost worms, is not aswell-known in South Africa as inother countries. “As people are usingmore natural products, vermicomposthas become all the more important,”he said.

With the LEISA philosophy onewill rather use materials available lo-cally and inexpensively, or even freeto do the same or better job insteadof using expensive external farminginputs such as chemical fertilisers,chemical weed killers, insecticidesand pest-control chemicals.

Mr Pienaar showed how vermi-compost made from pre-compostedabattoir manure can be made in usedbakkie and tractor tyres. It is themost practical and least expensivetype of housing for earthworms withlittle supervision needed.

“Within six months one will beable to harvest the highest grade oforganic fertiliser available,” said MsDora du Plessis of the Centre of Agri-cultural Management and co-ordina-tor of the workshop.

The worms can later be used forstarting new vermicompost projects.

The two vegetable garden pro-jects at MUCPP will be used as pilotprogrammes to make vermicompostthat will eventually lead to job crea-tion and an income for the gardeners.

More information is available at:www.ufs.ac.za/agriman or contact MsDu Plessis at 051 401 2557.

Boost for organic farming

By die eerste veiling wat vanjaar by die Lengau Landbou-ontwikkelingsentrum aangebied is, was sowat500 skape en 320 beeste te koop aangebied. Volgens dr. Léan van der Westhuizen, Senior Lektor in dieDepartement Dierkunde en Entomologie, was hierdie die eerste maandelikse veiling vir die jaar watvoortaan sal plaasvind. “Dié veilings is ’n diens wat die UV aan kommersiële sowel as opkomende boerelewer,” sê hy. By die veiling was, van links: dr. Van der Westhuizen, mnr. Tim Martin, BKBLouwid, en mnr.Wynand Boshoff, verkoper van vee op die veiling.

Landbousentrum hou eerste veiling vir die jaar

18

Die Afdeling Personeelontwikkelingby die Sentrum vir Hoëronder-wysstudies en -ontwikkeling

(SHOSO) het vyftien nuutaangesteldedosente, en negentien ondersteunings-personeel tydens ’n algemene oriënte-ringsfunksie verwelkom. Akademiesepersoneel het ook die algemene akade-miese oriëntasie-werkswinkel bygewoon.

Volgens dr. Renalde Huysamen,Hoof: Prestasiebestuur en Personeel-ontwikkeling in SHOSO, is die doel omhulle toe te rus met kennis oor die uni-versiteit sodat hulle hul volle potensiaalkan bereik.

Die nuwe dosente is deur prof.Frederick Fourie, Rektor en Visekanse-lier, verwelkom waarna prof. DriekieHay, Viserektor: Akademiese Beplan-ning, hulle oor die verwagtinge en eisewat aan hoër onderwys gestel word,ingelig het. Prof. Niel Viljoen, Hoof-direkteur: Bedryf, het personeel daaropgewys dat goeie kliëntediens die hoek-steen vorm waarop die sukses van dieUV gebou word.

Die program, wat oor twee daegestrek het, het ook sprekers ingesluitwat onder meer gepraat het oor perso-

Nuwe personeel verwelkom

neelontwikkeling, prestasiebestuur,hantering van diversiteit in die klas-kamer en die ontwikkeling en imple-mentering van Samelewingsdiensleeraan die UV.

By die werkswinkel was, van links: mnr. Wilhelm Hoffman, Departement Landbouweerkunde, me. Marietjiedu Plessis van SHOSO en koördineerder van die werkswinkel, mnr. Henry Jordaan, DepartementLandbou-ekonomie, mnr. Dumisani Nxumalo, Departement Handelsreg, en me. Azette Swanepoel in dieDepartement Arbeidsterapie.

Terugvoering oor die sessie waspositief en een van die deelnemers,Pulane Malefane, het opgemerk “I amglad that I am now a proud member ofthe UFS, a Kovsie!”

Dr Mabel Erasmus, Head of theDivision Service Learning inthe Centre for Higher Educa-

tion Studies and Development, wasinvited as keynote speaker to thethird Annual Conference on Inter-national Service Learning: AdvancingResearch and Practice that was heldat the Indiana University – PurdueUniversity Indianapolis (IUPUI).

The conference brought togethermostly practitioners, researchers,and scholars from the United States(US) to critically examine internatio-nal service learning (ISL) as a wayto engage US students in educatio-nally meaningful international serviceand learning experiences.

Dr Erasmus contributes tointernational curriculum

The organisers requested DrErasmus to give an internationalperspective on the current concep-tualisation of and research onAmerican ISL. In her address shealso focused on how reciprocity ininternational service learning couldbe advanced, through the exchangeof students and academic staff;research collaboration; and jointknowledge construction aimed atthe development of globalcitizenship.

Dr Erasmus was also invited tocontribute a chapter to a book oninternational service learning thatforms part of the IUPUI ServiceLearning Monograph series.

Samelewingsdiens in die kantoorvan die Dekaan: Geestesweten-skappe het ’n videokonferensie

aangebied om personeel wat belangstelom navorsing te doen oor samele-wingsdiensleer meer op hoogte te bringvan die basiese navorsingsmetodeswat gevolg kan word. Die sessie wasdeur prof. Bob Bringle, Direkteur: Sen-trum vir Diensleer aan die IndianaUniversity – Purdue UniversityIndianapolis in die Verenigde State vanAmerika, en sy medewerker, me. JulieHatcher, aangebied.

Personeel skakel oorsee virnavorsingsmetodes

Prof. James du Preez, Departmen-tal Chairperson of the Depart-ment of Microbial, Biochemical

and Food Biotechnology, was awardeda silver medal for exceptional originalpublished research at the bi-annualcongress of the South African Societyfor Microbiology held in Grahamstown.

Prof. du Preez receives medal

19

@Briewe • Letters

Leatitia Pienaar, StrategieseKommunikasie, skryf:

Baie dankie vir al die gebedewat die afgelope paar jaar, enveral die afgelope paar

maande, vir my opgegaan het. Ekweet nie wie almal gebid het nie,maar weet wel dat die Here diegebede verhoor het.

Julle gebede het my deur baiemoeilike tye gedra.

Dankie ook aan die UV-bestuurwat dit vir my moontlik gemaak hetom op ’n herstelpad te kom. Daar isnie altyd waardering vir wat julle virdie personeel doen nie. Ek besefweer ons sal ver moet gaan ommense soos julle daar buite te kry.

AanstellingsDr. C. Esterhuysen as SeniorLektor/Senior Spesialis in die Depar-tement Anatomiese PatologieDr. E. Coetzee as Senior Lektor/Senior Spesialis in die DepartementChemiese PatologieDr. J.M. Nel as Senior Lektor/SeniorSpesialis in die Departement InterneGeneeskundeDr. V.B. Stallenberg as Senior Lek-tor/Senior Spesialis in die Departe-ment NeurochirurgieDr. H.F. Potgieter as Senior Lektor/Senior Spesialis in die DepartementDiagnostiese RadiologieDr. S. Joubert as Senior Lektor/Senior Spesialis in die DepartementInterne GeneeskundeDr. J. van den Berg as SeniorLektor/Senior Spesialis in die Depar-tement Psigiatrie

Aanstellings en bevorderingsDr. K.E.E. Mashego as SeniorLektor/Senior Kliniese Sielkundige indie Departement PsigiatrieProf. M. Haschke as Medeprofessor indie Departement GeologieMev. J. Moolman as Senior Lektor indie Odeion-StrykkwartetMnr. P.J. Moolman as Bestuurder: Sim-fonie-Orkes in die Departement MusiekMnr. J.J. Swanepoel asAdjunkdirekteur: Hoof Rugbyafrigting byKovsieSportMe. D. Sutton as Senior Lektor in dieOdeion-Strykkwartet

BevorderingsMe. S.J. van Jaarsveld na Adjunk-direkteur in die Departement MenslikeHulpbronne.Dr. R. Botha na Senior Lektor in dieDepartement Strafreg en Genees-kundige Reg

Diversity workshops conducted

The Office of Diversity held diversity sensitisation workshops for first-year students as well as seniors. Theaim is to empower students with skills to manage diversity within the residences and in the lecture rooms.The workshops formed part of the university’s orientation programme for new students. They were run by,from the left, front: Mr Billyboy Ramahlele, Director: Office of Diversity, Ms Shirley Du Plooy, Lecturer:Anthropology, Ms Tibe Kibe, Tutorial co-ordinator, Mr Joe Serekoane, Lecturer: Anthropology; and back: MrJ.C. van der Merwe, Lecturer: Philosophy.

Dr. N.P. Swartz na Senior Lektor indie Departement Romeinse RegRegsgeskiedenis en RegsvergelykingProf. E. Van Heerden na Medepro-fessor in die Departement Mikro-biese, Biochemiese en Voedsel-biotegnologieDr. C.H. Pohl na Senior Lektor indie Departement Mikrobiese, Bio-chemiese en VoedselbiotegnologieDr. O.M. Ntwaeaborwa na SeniorLektor in die Departement FisikaMe. L. van der Merwe na SeniorLektor in die Departement Statistiek/Wiskundige StatistiekProf. J.A. van den Berg na Mede-professor in die Departement Prak-tiese TeologieProf. H.C. Janse van Rensburg naUitstaande Professor in die Sentrumvir Gesondheidsisteemnavorsing enOntwikkeling

Adresplakkerbolleursl.stg@ufs.ac.za

http://www.ufs.ac.za/publicationshttp://www.ufs.ac.za/publikasies

PublikasiebesonderhedeDumela word saamgestel deur UV: Strategiese

Kommunikasie.Redakteur: Leonie Bolleurs

Uitleg: Chrysalis Advertising & PublishingDrukwerk: CTP Book Printers

Menings wat in Dumela gelug word, weerspieëlnie noodwendig die van die redakteur, Afdeling:

Strategiese Kommunikasie, of die UV nie.

Accommodation Cape Town

Student accommodationObservatory• Ideal for large/small groups

(Sports groups/Academics)• Holiday accommodation• Five-star budget accommodation• Conveniently situated close to

UCT and all that Cape Townoffers

Rate:• From R105 per person sharing

(Bed and budget breakfast)• Meals available upon request

Phone: 021 447 9056Fax: 021 447 5192

E-mail: info@riverview.co.zaWebsite: www.riverview.co.za

Visit our website or contact usfor additional information.

Vier personeellede vandie Departement Afro-Asiatiese Studie, Gebare-taal en Taalpraktyk, is opdie bestuurskomitee vandie Linguisteverenigingvan Suider-Afrika verkies.Hulle is, van links: prof.Jackie Naudé, redakteurvan die geakkrediteerdetydskrif Southern AfricanLinguistics and AppliedLanguage Studies, me.Nikiwe Matebula,tesourier, me. LeandraEhlers, webbladredakteur,en mnr. Cobus Snyman,sekretaris.

Vier dien op bestuur van linguistevereniging

RIEP trains education staffThe Research Institute for Educa-tion Planning (RIEP) trained thirty

trainee area managers from theDepartment of Education in the

Northern Cape in the Family MathScience Programme. The training

was made possible with a sponsor-ship from Absa. Here are, from theleft, back: Mr Marlin van Heerden,

Department of Education, NorthernCape, Mr Cobus van Breda, RIEP,

Ms Zine Mogorosi, Absa, MsMandisa Lebitso, Department of

Education, Northern Cape, MsSusan Koen, Department of Edu-cation, Northern Cape; front: MsElizna Prinsloo, Project co-ordi-

nator, RIEP, and Ms LorraineBotha, Facilitator, RIEP.