On 29 April a lot of energy was released on campus when the University Council accepted the Stellenbosch University Institutional Intent and Strategy: 2013-2018.
This intent and strategy contains a management vision for 2030, along with a mission statement and a statement of values aimed at positioning Stellenbosch University as an institution that can take its rightful place as a 21st-century university. The relevant documents, including the summary of the University's business plan, are available from the departmental chairpersons or from the Dean’s Office.
The core of the message that the University wishes to convey is that it wants to be more inclusive, more innovative and more future oriented, with a greater emphasis on the process of transformation with which we have already been busy for quite some time. It entails much more than only meeting certain diversity targets. Transformation includes the renewal of our course contents, greater emphasis on the relevance of our research and an increase in our impact in society.
This means that we have to do our work properly and with excellence – as we have always done.
However, what is being emphasised differently in the strategic planning and intentions of the University is the language of instruction, the composition of our student corps and the accessibility of our institution.
The new direction as far as language of instruction is concerned is accessibility in the language of your choice: Afrikaans or English. The aim that has been set is to gradually, and in consultation with the Faculties and Departments, establish a 100% offering in English and at least an 80% offering in Afrikaans. The plan is to ensure this through parallel medium instruction in large classes that in any case need to be divided into two or more groups for pedagogical reasons, and educational interpreting into English or Afrikaans in small classes.
However, the advantages and disadvantages of this plan, its reconcilability with the Faculty’s long and outspoken commitment to multilingualism and the extent to which departments are willing and able to carry out this plan are issues that still need to be discussed in finer detail within the ranks of the faculty.
For this reason a special Dean's Dialogue was held on Friday 31 to which all staff and student representatives of the Faculty were invited. A few of our colleagues introduced the conversation where after the floor was opened.
The aim was not to try and bring about some form of consensus, but rather to express critical and creative points of view that we can take further in the Faculty's strategic thinking regarding language of instruction and multilingualism.
A second special Dean's Dialogue will be held on Friday, 21 June to talk about the University’s aim of achieving a 50:50 ratio of CBI to white students at first-year enrolment by 2018. This is accompanied by the expectation that the first-year enrolment of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences already exceeds the aim with an expected ratio of 60:40.
The central question is whether we as Faculty will be able to achieve these objectives and whether all departments will be able to make a contribution in this regard. A big component of our challenge is to attract the sharpest young intellectuals to our campus. We shall have to work on achieving this in a purposeful manner.
More Dean's Dialogues in which we shall talk more about transformation are being planned for the second semester. It is essential that we obtain clarity about precisely what transformation means for us as a Faculty, what we have already achieved with the process of transformation, and what our further aims should be. These dialogues, in which students and the community of Stellenbosch and the greater Western Cape also have to be involved, will have to look at the formulation and refining of a "transformation barometer" and the compilation of a transformation plan for the Faculty.
In these conversations on transformation we shall have to take the history of the Faculty into account. The Faculty has already launched a big history project about which I shall write more in another context. We shall also have to consider how to celebrate what has already been achieved as far as transformation is concerned in an appropriate manner. An exciting few weeks and months lie ahead. I invite all of you to join in the conversations.
Johan Hattingh 22 May 2013
Quick guide to important support services
Risk and Protection Services (better known as USBD) - 021 808 2333 or website
Division for Institutional Research and Planning - 021 808 3967 or website
Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL) - 021 808 3717 or website
Division for Research Development (DRD) - 021 808 9184 or website
PROF MOUTON APPOINTED TO ASSAF COUNCIL
Congratulations to Prof Johann Mouton, Director: CREST and ADA who was recently elected to the ASSAf Council for 2012-2016. Read about it here.
For access to all Faculty documentation, please visit the Sharepoint site. If you do not have access to the Sharepoint site, please contact the Faculty Manager, Mr Pieter Janse van Rensburg at 021 808 3848 or via e-mail.
Faculty specific activities are indicated on a shared calendar on Outlook. Contact the Faculty Manager, Pieter Janse van Rensburg, at 021 808 3848 or via e-mailif you want to load an item on the calendar or if you need help to access the calendar.
Faculty Committees
The Faculty has seven committees which govern various activities of the Faculty and is headed by a chairperson.
The committees are:
Academic Offering Committee Mr Johan Oosthuizen
Chair Committee Prof Johan Hattingh
Community Interaction and Service Committee Ms Pamela Kierman
Faculty Committee Prof Johan Hattingh
Marketing and Recruitment Committee Mr Gerrie Swart
