UCT annual staff awards and other updates

02 December 2020 | Campus Announcement

Dear colleagues and students

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

1. Honouring staff at UCT Annual Awards

Just over 300 University of Cape Town (UCT) will be honoured during the virtual UCT Annual Awards ceremony scheduled to be broadcast online this evening, 2 December 2020. Now in their third year, the awards recognise and acknowledge outstanding achievements of UCT’s extraordinary staff members. The categories in which staff are honoured are the ad hominem promotions, Alan Pifer Award, Distinguished Teacher Awards, Long Service Awards and the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards.

Read VC Desk: Honouring staff at UCT Annual Awards.

2. Virtual graduation celebrations

In one of the most bittersweet moments for the university, UCT will celebrate the 2020 graduations virtually this month as communicated recently. UCT would normally have celebrated students’ achievements in a regular graduation ceremony, but due to the prevailing COVID-19 circumstances, special virtual graduation ceremonies have had to be arranged.

For the March 2020 cohort of graduates, the graduation celebratory event is scheduled for Monday, 14 December. The graduation celebration for the December 2020 cohort of graduands will be broadcast on Tuesday, 15 December. Both will commence at 18:00 and will be broadcast online via the UCT website and social media platforms.

UCT recognises that students and their families would have preferred the regular on-campus graduation ceremony. The university reiterates that the health and safety of students, their family and staff members will continue to be a priority and is the overriding reason for deciding on the alternative of a virtual event.

3. UCT’s COVID-19 cases update

As at 1 December 2020, UCT has 122 reported cases of COVID-19 among non-health sciences staff members, with 102 recoveries. The number of students who have tested positive for the virus is 62, which includes 16 Faculty of Health Sciences students on clinical platforms.

The university has, regrettably, recorded a notable increase in new cases reported in the last seven days. New staff cases, for instance, are three times more than the previous figure in the preceding seven-day reporting period. The nine new staff cases recorded this week are the highest weekly tally since the reporting period ending 4 August 2020. The university continues to urge members of the UCT community to adhere strictly to all COVID-19 protocols, with the virus spreading rapidly particularly in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape.

The university has lost nine staff members and one student to the virus.

Visit the web page paying tribute to the late members of the UCT community.

4. SWS peer counsellors’ campaign: Overcoming procrastination

It’s been a long year. Most of you are exhausted from the circumstances that you’ve had to adapt to and it’s natural to have increased levels of procrastination as you try to process the stress you are under. The Student Wellness Service’s peer counsellors have some quick tips on how you can manage procrastination as you study for your final exams.

Follow the UCT Student Wellness Peer Counselling Service on Instagram for more tips, information and resources while being connected to a community that understands how you are feeling and can offer you professional and empathetic support. If you feel that you need to speak to someone, please book a session or call the SWS UCT Careline 0800 242 526.

5. Finance commercial development questionnaire

The Commercial Development unit within the UCT Finance Department is in the process of reviewing its strategy. As part of this process, the unit is running a survey among members of the UCT community. The survey asks participants about their key needs and barriers in relation to six broad commercial business pillars on the UCT campus, namely, food and beverage consumption, payment methods, information and advertising, accommodation, travel, and health services. The survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Upon completion, a participant’s email address will be entered into a draw to stand a chance to win one of the 20 vouchers worth R500.

Complete the survey.

6. Appointment of Executive Director: Student Affairs

A new Executive Director: Department of Student Affairs will join UCT with effect from 1 February 2021. Mr Pura Mgolombane joins UCT from the University of the Free State, where he holds the position of Dean: Student Affairs. He will take over from Dr Moonira Khan, who will retire at the end of the year. Mr Grant Willis will serve as acting Executive Director for the month of January 2021.