Campus announcements
Student debt appeals and other updates
01 February 2023Dear colleagues and students
The University of Cape Town (UCT) continues to assist academically deserving students in financial need within the parameters set by the university’s policies. Read about this and other recent developments on campus.
1. Student debt appeals for 2022 and financial assistance for 2023
The following important information was shared last month regarding financial assistance and student debt appeals:
- UCT undergraduate appeals will close on Friday, 3 February 2023, and no late appeal applications will be accepted. Students can expect an outcome to their appeals by Friday, 10 February 2023. It is therefore important to submit a detailed appeal with supporting documents as soon as possible so that the appeal outcome can be communicated early.
- Postgraduate appeals close on Tuesday, 28 February, and no late appeal applications will be accepted.
- Read the detailed VC Desk: Student debt appeals for 2022 and financial aid for 2023.
- See the infographics on financial appeals and assistance for 2022/2023.
2. First-Year Campus Onboarding
The UCT First-Year Campus Onboarding service closed on Monday, 30 January 2023.
First-year students should note the following arrangements regarding the collection of student cards and laptops:
- Students who have not yet collected their student cards can do so at the Leslie Social Sciences Building on upper campus until 28 February 2023. Students must present themselves in person and bring along a form of ID.
- Students who have opted for the UCT Laptop Programme and have not yet collected their laptops can do so at the Sports Centre on upper campus until 3 February 2023. Thereafter, students will need to go to ICTS on Main in Mowbray to sign for and collect their laptops.
A reminder that faculty-based orientation and registration programmes are currently under way. Please check with your faculty office for the necessary details if you have not yet received such communication.
3. TB Davie Memorial Lecture – call for nominations extended
Staff and students are notified of the extension to nominate speakers for the 2023 TB Davie Memorial Lecture. Hosted by the Academic Freedom Committee, the lecture is an opportunity to affirm and clarify the values of academic freedom in a contemporary context, and to stimulate debate.
Nominations, which should not exceed three pages, should include a brief curriculum vitae of the nominated speaker.
Please submit nominations to Dee Benjamin by no later than Wednesday, 22 February 2023.
4. Preparing for first-year teaching on Amathuba
First-year students will begin their higher education journey using UCT’s new digital learning platform, Amathuba, powered by Brightspace. The Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT) hosted training sessions for both teaching staff and course administrative staff to familiarise them with the new digital platform and to assist teaching staff to refine the course sites that were migrated from Vula to Amathuba or to build new courses on Amathuba.
CILT is also offering walk-in consultations at the CILT offices until Friday, 17 February 2023 to teaching staff who are building new Amathuba sites. CILT is located on upper campus in the PD Hahn Building, on Level 7.
Tutors supporting courses on Amathuba will be able to sign-up for training via the CILT webinars page from Tuesday, 7 February 2023.
5. Farewell to Miriam Hoosain, ED: HR
UCT bid a fond farewell to Executive Director: Human Resources (ED: HR) Ms Miriam Hoosain who took early retirement. Her last day of service was 31 January 2023. She made an invaluable contribution to the HR function with remarkable achievements since 2011, when she assumed her position. UCT is indebted to her for her total commitment and for carrying out her mandate in the HR function for the benefit of the university’s academic, administrative and research function.
6. Academic and PASS staff salary increments for 2023
The UCT executive has signed-off 2023 salary increments for both the academic, and professional, administrative support and service (PASS) staff. The Academic Union (AU) and the university signed an agreement for a 6% salary increment on Friday, 27 January 2023, concluding negotiations over salaries and other related aspects for UCT’s academic staff members.
In 2022, all PASS staff unions were notified of UCT’s wish to form a single bargaining union for staff in pay classes 2 to 12. This move will not bring an end to long standing relationships with PASS unions. The only change is the university’s wish to engage with one bargaining forum as opposed to multiple unions – UCT has a single bargaining forum for all academic staff matters. The executive will implement a discretionary 6% increase for PASS staff.
The salary increases for both academic and PASS staff will be implemented in the February 2023 pay run, backdated to January 2023.
7. UCT executive and SRC reach agreement
The university executive reached an agreement with the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) over some of the urgent issues raised. As a result, all university activities continue without any disruptions. The executive wishes to express gratitude to the members of the UCT leadership involved in the engagements, as well as the SRC members for engaging in a fruitful manner which resulted in a resolution being reached.
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