New portfolios at the top

Dr Max Price | Professor Thandabantu Nhlapo | Professor Sandra Klopper | Professor Crain Soudien | Professor Danie Visser

UCT's senior executive recently finalised its portfolio allotments. Here, in an easy-to-follow format, is what the roles and responsibilities for the vice-chancellor and the four deputy vice-chancellors will look like for the foreseeable future.

Dr Max Price
Vice-chancellor

The vice-chancellor is accountable to Council for the leadership of the university as a whole, and for determining the university's strategic goals and ensuring their implementation. This includes accountability for the university's overall financial health, academic standing, transformation and social justice interventions. He has executive oversight for Council accountability, fundraising and alumni initiatives, external relations, financial oversight, risk management and ceremonial functions.

UCT Portfolio

Portfolio responsibilities relating to UCT strategic goals

Overall strategy and executive oversight, Transformation, social justice policy intervention

Additional responsibilities and executive oversight

Council accountability, fundraising & alumni initiatives, external relations, financial oversight, risk management, ceremonial functions

Departments and individual reporting lines to VC

Deputy vice-chancellors (4), Registrar, Executive Director - Finance, Executive Director - Communication & Marketing, Executive Director - Development & Alumni, Director - Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Director - Internal Audit

Committee membership ('Ch' indicates chair responsibilities)

Council Executive, VC's Transformation Advisory Committee (Ch), University Finance Committee, Risk Management Committee (Ch), University Audit Committee, University Development Committee (Ch), Alumni Association Management Committee, Remuneration Committee, Joint Investment Committee, College of Fellows (Ch), Admissions & Progression Committee, Appointments Committee, Honorary Degrees Committee, Baxter Theatre Centre Board

Committees outside UCT

Higher Education SA (HESA), HESA Exco, Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA), Association of African Universities (AAU), Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), University Foundation, Ukukhula Trust, Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), World Economic Forum (WEF), Global Universities Leaders Forum, UCT Fund: USA (Board of Trustees), UCT Fund: UK (Board of Trustees), Cape Higher Education Consortium (CHEC), Mauerberger Foundation - director

Professor Thandabantu Nhlapo
Deputy vice-chancellor

Professor Thandabantu Nhlapo is the senior deputy vice-chancellor. He acts for the vice-chancellor during periods of absence and he provides direct support to the vice-chancellor in the management and co-ordination of the university's special projects. Professor Nhlapo's main portfolio is to address the strategic goal of internationalisation, and more specifically making UCT an Afropolitan university. His portfolio includes being the Chair of the Management Committee of the Universities Science, Humanities, Law and Engineering Partnerships in Africa (USHEPiA). He has executive oversight for: human resources, properties and services, staff development, the code of conduct for third-party service providers, PASS staff, and union matters.

Portfolio responsibilities relating to UCT strategic goals

Internationalisation, Afropolitan niche

Additional responsibilities and executive oversight

Senior support and fulfilling the role of acting vice-chancellor as required, human resources, Properties & Services, staff development, code of conduct for service providers, PASS staff and union matters

Departments and individual reporting lines

Executive Director - Human Resources, Executive Director - Properties & Services, Director - International Academic Programmes Office (IAPO), Project Manager in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor

Committee membership ('Ch' indicates chair responsibilities)

University Human Resources Committee, Honorary Professors Standing Committee (Ch), EU Consultative Forum (Co-Ch), Staff Development (Ch), PASS Forum (Ch), Senior (PASS) Staff Management Advisory Group (SSMAG) (Ch), Operations Management Advisory Group (Opsmag) (Ch), Senate Nominations Committee (Ch), Employee Relations Management Committee., USHEPiA Management Committee (Ch), Internationalisation Management Advisory Group (Ch), University Development Committee

Committees outside UCT

USHEPiA Advisory Board, USHEPiA International Steering Committee (Ch), Board of the

UCT is also a founder member and donor to the Groote Schuur Community Improvement District (GSCID)

Professor Sandra Klopper
Deputy vice-chancellor

Professor Sandra Klopper's portfolio focuses on strategic issues, including teaching and learning, institutional size and shape, physical and academic planning, and graduate attributes.

Portfolio responsibilities relating to UCT strategic goals

Teaching and learning and graduate attributes, institutional size and shape

Professor Klopper's portfolio includes executive oversight for:

Teaching and Learning, including graduate attributes, planning, space planning and physical infrastructure, Information & Communication Technology Services, UCT Libraries

Departments and individual reporting lines

Executive Director - Information Communication Technology Services, Executive Director - UCT Libraries, Director - Institutional Planning Department, Executive Director - Properties and Services (There is a dotted line to Professor Klopper for space planning and timetabling, classroom facilities)

Committee membership ('Ch' indicates chair responsibilities)

University Building & Development Committee, Space Allocation Committee (Ch), Teaching Awards Sub-Committee (Ch), Distinguished Teachers' Award Sub-Committee (Ch), Timetable Sub-Committee (Teaching and Examinations), University Finance Committee, Quality Assurance Committee (Ch), University Information and Communication Technology Committee (Ch), Academic Staff Development Committee (Ch), Adult Learning Sub-Committee (Ch), Programme Accreditation and Approval Sub-Committee (Ch), University Development Committee

Professor Crain Soudien
Deputy vice-chancellor

Professor Crain Soudien's portfolio is to support the vice-chancellor in the area of transformation and social responsiveness. His portfolio responsibilities related to the university strategic goals are transformation, and leading the university's attempt to address the major social challenges of the schools crisis; safety and violence; and poverty and inequality. He has executive oversight in the areas of social responsiveness; student affairs; the staff experience; and government and external relations.

Portfolio responsibilities relating to UCT strategic goals

Transformation, addressing the crisis in public schools, the Safety and Violence Initiative, the Poverty and Inequality Initiative, the first-year student experience

Additional responsibilities and executive oversight

Social responsiveness, student affairs, government and external relations

Departments and individual reporting lines

Executive Director - Student Affairs, Director - Transformation Services, Director - Institutional Planning Department (There is a dotted line to Professor Soudien for social responsiveness)

Committee membership ('Ch' indicates chair responsibilities)

Institutional Forum (Co-Ch), Admissions Committee (Ch), Admissions Policy Review Task Team (Ch), University Transformation Committee, Residences Committee (Ch), Sports Council, Undergraduate Studies Funding Committee (Ch), University Social Responsiveness Committee (Ch), University Student Affairs Committee (Ch), College of Wardens, Undergraduate Student Funding Committee (Ch), SHAWCO Board (Ch), Children's Institute Board, University Development Committee

Committees outside UCT

Cape Higher Education Consortium - Director, Independent Examinations Board (Ch), Maths and Science Education Project Board (Ch)

Professor Danie Visser
Deputy vice-chancellor

Professor Danie Visser's portfolio is to advance research and graduate studies, and to oversee the academic affairs of the faculties.

Portfolio responsibilities relating to UCT strategic goals

Research: profile, impact and engagement, advancing postgraduate studies, climate change and sustainable development initiative

Additional responsibilities and executive oversight

Faculty affairs, academic staff and policy matters (UCT Academics' Union negotiations)

Departments and individual reporting lines

Deans (7), Director of GSB, Director Research Office, Director Research Contracts & Intellectual Property Services, Director Postgraduate Funding Office

Committee membership ('Ch' indicates chair responsibilities)

University Research Committee (Ch), Postgraduate Studies Funding Committee (Ch), Doctoral Degrees Board (Ch), Deans Forum (Ch), Consultative Forum on Academic Staff Matters (Ch), Board for Graduate Studies (Ch), Joint Staff (clinical) Advisory Committee (Co-Ch), Ad hom promotions (all faculties), College of Fellows, College of Fellows Young Researcher Award Committee (Ch), University Development Committee, URC Committee on Research Reviews (Ch), IIDMM Management Board (Ch), Boards of Centres of Excellence:

1. UCT/NRF/DST CoE in Catalysis (Ch)
2. UCT/NRF/DST CoE in Birds as Keys to Biodiversity Conservation (Ch), Research Development Awards Committee (Ch), Academic Freedom Committee, University ICT Committee, Vera Davie Study & Research Bursary (Ch)

Committees outside UCT

CAPRISA Advisory Board, Children's Institute Advisory Board, UCT/CSIR Steering Committee, Iziko Museums Advisory Committee (Co-Ch), UCT Press Editorial Board