UCT_Cares system and other updates

Dear students and colleagues

This campus announcement aims to inform the UCT community about recent developments on campus.

1. UCT_Cares – central point for info and services

The UCT Call Centre and Referral System (UCT_Cares), developed by the university’s Academic Advising Project in April 2020, provides the campus community with a central point of contact for the information and services they need. UCT_Cares helps students and the greater UCT community to navigate and connect to the many nodes of support already existing within the university.

The service has already received and dealt with over 100 queries - many of these from across faculties and levels of study and spanning a range of topics, including struggles with connectivity and financial aid. The UCT_Cares service can be used by anyone from the university community who does not know who to contact regarding UCT-related questions and issues they may have. Queries can be sent to uctcares@uct.ac.za.

• Read more about UCT_Cares.

2. Return of researchers and postgraduates to campus

Following the recent update by Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng on UCT developing a framework for returning to campus, the Return to Research Task Team has decided on a set of principles and steps for the process of returning researchers and postgraduates to campus. The overarching principle is that UCT will keep numbers as low as possible, particularly through July and August 2020. Every staff member and postgraduate returning to campus will need a formal letter of invitation and a permit for travel.

Researchers and postgraduates are scheduled to return in two tranches, subject to change according to national or provincial circumstances. The first group aligns with Phase 2 of UCT’s return to campus and is likely to start at the beginning of July. The second group aligns with Phase 3 of UCT’s return to campus (after August 2020).

• Read the full DVC Desk: Return of researchers, postdoctoral fellows and postgraduates to campus.

3. Securely managing MS Teams platform

The Microsoft Teams collaboration platform has played a significant role in helping UCT to continue operations during the ongoing national lockdown. One of its key features is that it facilitates online meetings using audio and/or video. Over the past few months, numerous queries have arisen about how to securely manage meeting recordings and confidential documentation. To answer these and other questions, ICTS has compiled articles covering Teams meeting recordings as well as FAQs. Please read these articles to familiarise yourself with the platform’s features and settings so that you can manage your content effectively.

The ICTS training team also runs Teams information sessions, including custom sessions for individual groups or departments. Please contact icts-training@uct.ac.za for more information on this. Alternatively, you can take several online courses to learn more about the platform. For a detailed overview, along with information on how to get started, please read: Collaborate with Microsoft Teams.

4. ICTS scheduled maintenance on 21 June

Please note that ICTS will conduct extended scheduled maintenance on Sunday, 21 June 2020 from 08:00-17:00. Unless advised to the contrary, do not expect any ICT services to be available for the duration of the maintenance slot.

Please remember to consult the Scheduled ICTS Maintenance slots for 2020 before planning any teaching, conferences, meetings, or any activities that require ICT services. 

For more information, see the article on why ICTS schedules regular monthly maintenance slots.

Communication and Marketing Department

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements