Campus announcements
Engagements on mandatory vaccination and other updates
13 October 2021 | Campus AnnouncementDear colleagues and students
The University of Cape Town (UCT) executive has scheduled engagement sessions with staff and students this week to share its position on the proposed COVID-19 vaccination policy for the institution. Read more about this and other recent developments on campus.
1. Engagements on mandatory vaccination
The UCT executive has scheduled engagement sessions with staff and students to share its position on supporting a policy requiring mandatory vaccination for the institution. The executive will give context to its stance, engage and receive input.
The executive will, after taking into consideration the views of staff and students, form a final position on the matter that will then be tabled at Council at its meeting on Saturday, 16 October. As part of starting this process, two initial information sessions have been set up to include the university community in this important discussion.
The staff session was held on Wednesday, 13 October, while the engagement with students is scheduled for Thursday, 14 October, from 10:15 to 11:45.
2. Ivan Toms Building and SWS temporarily closed
Students and staff are advised that the Ivan Toms precinct is closed from 11 October to 25 October 2021 due to urgent construction work.
Limited medical services are provided at the Steve Biko Clinic on upper campus from 09:00 to 15:30 on weekdays. To access these services, students will be required to follow all the COVID-19 measures, complete the Health Check on the UCT COVID-19 app and make a booking online.
Medical bookings must be made online. Students can also call the triage line on 021 650 5620 or the after-hours line on 021 650 1271 to make bookings.
Counselling services are available and can be booked online.
Students can have immediate access to a counsellor through the SWS ICAS App.
Please note that the code for students is UCT001.
The SWS’s 24-hour telephonic counselling services are also available during weekends and after hours:
- UCT Careline: call 0800 24 25 26 or text 31393
- Higher Health Counselling: 0800 36 36 36
- ER24 UCT collaboration line: 010 205 3010.
With regards to pharmacy services, collection of repeat medication must be booked online.
Please refer to alternative resources for additional services:
- UCT Campus Protection Services: Woolsack Road, Rosebank; 021 650 2222
- Groote Schuur Hospital: Main Road, Observatory; 021 404 5208 (C22–C23)
- Kingsbury Hospital ER: Wilderness Road, Claremont; 021 670 4333
- Rondebosch Medical Centre: Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch; 021 685 8706
- Vincent Pallotti Hospital: Alexandra Road, Pinelands: 021 506 5001
- Kenilworth Clinic: 32 Main Road, Kenilworth; 021 763 4500, 087 098 0452
SWS apologises for any inconvenience caused during the period. Any further queries can be forwarded to the SWS practice manager on sws.practicemanager@uct.ac.za or 061 077 1408.
3. Cape Epic roads closure
The annual Cape Epic cycle race will be held on the UCT campus on 16 and 17 October 2021. No spectators are permitted on campus.
The campus community is alerted that some roads and Jammie Shuttle stops will be temporarily closed during the period.
Madiba East (Rugby Road) and South Entrance will be closed to traffic from 17:00 on Friday, 15 October, until 17:00 on Sunday, 17 October.
On Sunday, 17 October (race day), there will be intermittent traffic stops.
North Entrance will be open to students and staff the entire weekend. The Jammie Shuttle buses will run as per the weekend schedule. However, South stop will not be operational.
4. Nominations for the Social Responsiveness Award
The UCT Social Responsiveness Award recognises university staff members who demonstrate the ability of social engagement to enhance the teaching and learning, and research processes.
Applications and nominations are open and encouraged for the 2021 Social Responsiveness Awards. Recipients will be announced in December and will be celebrated as part of the April 2022 graduation ceremonies.
Recipients can be academic, or professional, administrative support and service (PASS) departments, and can be individuals or groups. All staff and students are eligible to apply or be nominated.
Nominations and applications for the award should be submitted to Sonwabo Ngcelwane sonwabo.ngcelwane@uct.ac.za no later than Friday, 12 November 2021.
5. Announcing the 2021 UCT Open Textbook Award winner
The 2021 UCT Open Textbook Award recipient is Associate Professor Maria Keet for her ground-breaking resource, An Introduction to Ontology Engineering. Associate Professor Keet has produced the first textbook of its kind globally in this subfield. Tailored to the South African student context, it addresses issues related to localisation, multilingualism, disability access and technical innovation.
6. Reminder: Vice-chancellor appointed first-ever Bristol Illustrious Visiting Professor
The official launch of the inaugural Bristol Illustrious Visiting Professorship featuring UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng will take place on Wednesday, 20 October at 13:00. The UCT campus community is invited to attend the auspicious virtual event.
The year-long inaugural appointment is an initiative of the University of Bristol (UoB) and brings eminent global research leaders to UoB to engage with the university’s academic community and executive leadership. The appointment and subsequent partnership aim to identify, facilitate and develop opportunities for collaborative research, strategic partnerships and mutual learning. Professor Phakeng is the first academic selected to participate in this initiative.
- Register for the launch event.
- Read the news story: VC Phakeng joins inaugural Bristol Illustrious Visiting Professorship event.
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