IRTC update and other updates

Dear students and colleagues

This campus announcement aims to inform members of the University of Cape Town community about:

1. IRTC update

The Institutional Reconciliation and Transformation Commission (IRTC) has completed its work and will hand over its report to the IRTC Steering Committee on Monday, 18 March 2019. This report will signal the completion of the work of the IRTC. After receiving the report, the IRTC Steering Committee will study it and then make recommendations to Council for its consideration at its meeting scheduled for 30 March 2019.

The ITRC’s terms of reference included, among others, looking into what is referred to as the “Shackville protests” of February 2016, including any related and subsequent protest actions; inviting submissions from all constituencies on the clemencies granted and making recommendations on converting clemencies into amnesty (or the continuation of clemency); and making recommendations on how to deal with the outstanding cases in the spirit of restorative justice.

The Commission thanks the UCT campus community for all the contributions and inputs made during the course of its work.

2. SWS appointments

The Department of Student Affairs (DSA) Student Wellness Service (SWS) introduced an online booking system with effect from 1 March 2019. This service, available on the SWS website and on the UCT app, is intended to ensure greater access to the various services and enable students to book appointments at a time that is convenient for them. The online system can also be used to cancel or reschedule bookings. Should an appointment be cancelled by a student, or by SWS staff due to unforeseen circumstances, these are the available options:

• The student will receive an email informing them of the cancellation. The email will also contain an explanation as to why the booking has been cancelled.
• The student may start a new booking by searching for a different date, time or location.
• Should the student wish to be seen on the same day by a psychiatric nurse without booking, they can simply go to the SWS Clinic in Mowbray or the Upper Campus Clinic in the Steve Biko Building for a consultation. This service is also available at Hiddingh campus from Mondays to Wednesdays only. Students can also click on the information button to see the days on which the service is available at each site.
• Should it not be convenient for a student to be seen at SWS on the same day and they opt for booking an appointment on a different day, counselling can also be accessed by contacting the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) UCT Student Careline on 0800 24 25 26 or by sending a text to 31393 for a counsellor to call back. This service is available 24 hours a day and can be accessed at any time.

For any queries regarding the online booking system, please contact Ingrid Smith at Ingrid.Smith@uct.ac.za or 021 650 1020 / 4819.

• Read about how to maintain well-being at university.

3. Absa Cape Epic road closure alert

The Absa Cape Epic cycle race’s rider registration and prologue stage will affect UCT from 15 to 17 March 2019. Madiba East (Rugby Road) will be closed from 18:00 on Friday, 15 March, to 18:00 on Sunday, 17 March. Registration will take place on upper campus at the Sports Centre on Saturday, 16 March. Parking areas that will be affected on the weekend include P1, P3, P4 and P5 on upper campus and P2 (near the tunnel) on middle campus. All other parking areas will be open. Access to upper campus on Sunday, 17 March, will be via the north entrance, which will be controlled by traffic and security personnel.

All UCT staff and students with a UCT parking disk or staff card will have access to other parking areas on upper campus.

4. ICTS scheduled maintenance slot

There will be an Information and Communication Technology Services (ICTS) scheduled maintenance slot on Sunday, 17 March from 09:00 to 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 2019 before planning any teaching, conferences, meetings etc that require ICT services.

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

5. DVC Desk: UCT Teaching Innovation Grant

Individual academics, teams or departments are invited to apply for the UCT Teaching Innovation Grant which funds initiatives aimed at making teaching at UCT more effective. This grant is available to support individuals or teams who are engaged in developing departmental, programme or faculty level innovations to curricula or courses aimed at improving student learning, including through the design of digital materials for blended or online learning as well as open educational resources. Grants of up to R20 000 are available to support such projects.

Please email Cindy Gilbert at Cindy.Gilbert@uct.ac.za with your intention to submit by 26 April 2019.

• Read the VC Desk on the UCT Teaching Innovation Grant.

6. Stella Clark Teachers’ Award (SCTA) nominations

UCT students are invited to nominate a teacher who is currently teaching in a secondary school and who, in their opinion, deserves recognition for years of dedicated teaching to students from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.

• The successful teacher will receive a monetary award of R5 000 and will be expected to give a talk at an awards ceremony.
• The school will receive R2 500 towards educational resources.
• The UCT student who nominates the successful teacher will receive R2 000.

Download the application form, complete it and submit nominations to Kathy Erasmus, CHED, Huri ǂoaxa (Hoerikwaggo) Building, North Lane, Upper Campus or Kathy.Erasmus@.uct.ac.za

Communication and Marketing Department

Read previous communications:

• From the UCT Executive
• Campus Announcements