Universiteit van die Vrystaat/ University of the Free State

Universiteit van die Vrystaat
Jaaroorsig van die Rektor en Visekanselier
Hierdie jaaroorsig is veel meer as ’n blote weergawe van gebeure en ontwikkelings op die
kampus in 2003. Dit ontleed belangrike ontwikkelings en statistiek van die Universiteit van
die Vrystaat binne die konteks van my visie as nuwe Rektor en Visekanselier. Dit vertel die
strategiese verhaal van die UV in 2003.
University of the Free State
Annual review of the Rector and Vice-chancellor
This annual review is much more than a record of events and developments on campus during
2003. It analyses key developments and statistics within the context of my strategic
vision as new Vice-chancellor for the University of the Free State. It tells the strategic story
of the UFS in 2003.
Yunivesithi Ya Freistata
Pehelo ya selemo ya Motlatsa Mokansaliri
Pehelo ena e feta phatlalatso ya diketsahalo le ntshetsopele khampaseng ya Yunivesithi selemong
sa 2003. Sena se manolla ntshetsopele tsa bohlokwa esita le dipalopalo tsa
Yunivesithi ya Freistata ho ya ka ponelopele ya Motlatsa Mokansaliri e motjha wa
Yunivesithi ya Freistata. E pheta pale ya leano la Yunivesithi ya Freistata selemong sa 2003.
Frederick C.v.N. Fourie
Rector and Vice-chancellor

Compiled by:
Strategiese Kommunikasie/ Strategic Communications
Universiteit van die Vrystaat/ University of the Free State
+27 (0) 51 401 9111
www.uovs.ac.za

Index/Inhoud
1 Change amidst continuity 5
2 Visie kry konkreet gestalte 9
3 Equity - Shaping a new society 15
Staff equity: Attracting the best 17
4 Gehalte deur innovering in navorsing en onderrig 23
Opbloei in navorsing 23
Navorsingsinisiatiewe in fakulteite 25
Entrepreneurial initiatives on the increase 28
UV bedrywig op vakkundige kongresse 29
Quality teaching and learning a key to student growth 32
Innovation in teaching 36
Strengthening of international ties 38
5 Scholarship and community 41
UV se rol in die kunste al hoe belangriker 43
A new sport phase for UFS 43
Akademie en praktyk – die fakulteite se rol
in die breër gemeenskap 44
6 Restructuring of Higher Education 47
The Qwaqwa campus – its first year as part of the UFS 48
Vista seen as opportunity for higher education innovation 48
7 Modernisation of support systems 51
8 Gesonde bestedingspatroon fundamenteel vir
voortbestaan van ’n robuuste universiteit 55
9 Students: Some notable events 59
Kovsies maak skoonskip by Sêr-kompetisie 59
SRC elections challenged 59
10 Conclusion: Towards 2004 61
11 Members and composition of the Council 63
3

The inauguration
of the Chancellor
and Vicechancellor
on the
same day was a
historic first for
the University of
the Free State
Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and
Vice-chancellor, in front of the historic
Main Building of the UFS in
Bloemfontein which will soon house the
Rectorate and other senior
management members. The renovation
of this national memorial forms part of
the phenomenal building phase which
gathered momentum in 2003.
4

1 Change amidst
continuity
In 2003, the 100th year of the existence
of the University of the Free State as a
higher-education institution, the UFS
inaugurated both a new Chancellor, Dr
Franklin Sonn, and a new Rector and Vicechancellor,
Prof Frederick Fourie.
Many dignitaries attended the ceremony,
including former President Nelson
Mandela, the Minister of Education, Prof
Kader Asmal, Free State Premier and outgoing
Chancellor, Ms Winkie Direko,
MECs, Mr Pappie Mokoena, Executive
Mayor of Mangaung, chancellors and vicechancellors
of other universities, as well as
community and business leaders.
During the twin ceremony on 7 February
2003, the first of its kind in the history
of the institution, the two leaders
recommitted the University to excellence,
equity, innovation and enduring service to
society as a whole and the different communities
that surround the University of
the Free State in particular.
In his address Dr Sonn said that the
UFS “has commmitted itself to what NP
van Wyk Louw called the road of justice.
This University has clearly liberated itself.
It is inclusively South African. It wants to
be fully South African, but at the same
time strives to be a proud university of
Africa.”
The ceremony took place exactly a
week after another historic occasion – the
formal opening on 31 January 2003 of the
newly incorporated Qwaqwa campus of
5
the University of the Free State. It was at
the Qwaqwa opening that Prof Fourie was
given a Basotho blanket by the students,
parents and community.
In his inaugural address, titled
Continuity and change, scholarship and
community, quality and equity, the new
Vice-chancellor pointed out that, in very
dramatic fashion, this reconstitution of the
UFS signalled how much a university can
and often must change – but also how,
amidst such change, it must safeguard its
continuity of existence as a university.
Two points are critical. Firstly, in order
to serve society, the University must
always fulfil the traditional role of a university,
i.e. to be a place of critical inquiry
and scholarship, of the generation and
transfer or scientific knowledge. The greatest
contribution the UFS can make to the
Free State community is to be and continue
to be, now and in 25 years’ time, a very
good, high quality university.
Secondly, while the UFS respects its
intrinsic nature as a university, it must continually
adapt its material form and scope
to meet changing opportunities and
demands. In South Africa as a developing
society, for a very long time universities
will have to do many unconventional
things to underpin development and
shape a new society – using its foundation
of knowledge. “We embrace this community
service with enthusiasm, signalling
our commitment to make a difference.”
‘The greatest
contribution the
UFS can make,
is to be a high
quality
university – now
and in 25 years'
time.’

One of the highlights of the
inauguration was the moment
when Prof Fourie displayed the
Basotho blanket which he
received from the Qwaqwa
campus. This blanket and the
vice-chancellor's academic
gown symbolised the main
theme of the day – the joining
of the centuries-old tradition of
the university as an academic
institution and the close
involvement of the UFS in the
developing society of South
Africa and Africa.
There is no tension between these two elements.
“The interesting point is that the extraordinary ‘usefulness’
of a university in this time in our history flows from
its intrinsic nature as a place of scholarship. At the same
time it signals that the University of the Free State, like
others in South Africa, has a significant and central role to
play in shaping a new South African nation.”
Just as the inauguration ceremony had a dual purpose,
so too the University had a dual purpose: to con-
Prof Fourie with the Basotho blanket he had received from the Qwaqwa campus.
Left: The Seana Marena tribal blanket depicts the corn cob motif, representing
the wealth and prosperity of the wearer. Seana Marena means We have the
honour to swear by the Chief. Morena means chief. The fact that it symbolises
wealth comes from the early times when the blankets were imported (1920's)
and only the Chief had enough money to afford it. Today anyone may wear the
blanket (for daily use and at special events like weddings and funerals).
Information: Theresa Lütge-Smith (www.futureshock.co.za)
6

tinue its traditional role but fusing it with
its broader societal and community
responsibility.
“Therefore my vision for the University
of the Free State is to be a university of
excellence, equity and innovation – a
leader in research, teaching, community
service, adult learning, transformation,
non-racialism, non-sexism, multiculturality
and multilingualism; a contributor to
our country and our continent’s growth
and development; a truly South African
university,” Prof Fourie said.
During 2003 the unfolding of this
vision was embodied, amongst others, in a
phenomenal building phase on the main
campus, an upsurge in research activities,
the further removal of access barriers by
the approval of a broadened and equitable
language policy, unsurpassed growth in
student numbers to more than 23 000 as
7
well as the incorporation of the Qwaqwa
and Vista Bloemfontein campuses.
In general the activities of the UFS in
2003, its 100th year, reflect a year of further
maturing as a university, of growth but
also consolidation, amidst the complexities
of two campus incorporations.
Former President Nelson Mandela (middle), who received an honorary doctorate from the UFS in 2001, was one of the guests of honour
at the inauguration. Here he is with the Chancellor, Dr Franklin Sonn (left), and the Vice-chancellor, Prof Fourie. In the photograph at
the top they were joined by the Minister of Education, Prof Kader Asmal.

Best wishes from former UFS
Vice-chancellor, Prof Stef
Coetzee (left) to his successor,
Prof Frederick Fourie.
Below: Guests at the inaugural ceremony in the Callie
Human Centre listen to the Free State Symphony Orchestra
and combined UFS choirs.
8

2
Visie kry
konkreet gestalte
Die Universiteit se verbintenis tot
gehalte, ook vir sover dit dienslewering
en die skep van ’n “gebruikersvriendelike”
werk- en studie-omgewing
betref, is nêrens in 2003 treffender
gestalte gegee as in die ongekende opbloei
in bouwerk en fisiese opgradering op
die kampus nie.
Reeds in 1999 het die UV-Raad ’n
nuwe fisiese plan, die sogenaamde
Struktuurplan, vir die kampus goedgekeur.
Die plan het ’n raamwerk vir die geïntegreerde
ontwikkeling van die kampus
gebied om ’n hoë-gehalte fisiese omgewing
te skep, onder meer deur die konsolidering
van die kampus en die herposisionering
van sekere sleutelfasiliteite.
Jare lank het die UV se finansiële
posisie verhinder dat fisiese opgradering
kon plaasvind. Infrastruktuur is noodgedwonge
afgeskeep. Die dramatiese sukses
van die finansiële draaistrategie, wat in
2000 aangekondig en lank voor die verwagte
teikendatum van 2004 alle doelwitte
oortref het, het die prentjie dramaties
verander. Dit het die wiel aan die rol gesit
om die Struktuurplan konkrete vorm te gee
met me Edma Pelzer, Direkteur: Fisiese
Hupbronne en Spesiale Projekte, as belangrike
dryfkrag.
Sowat R37 miljoen is in 2003 aan kapitaalprojekte
bestee, waarvan R16 miljoen
vir akademiese doeleindes aangewend
is. Saam met besteding van R42
miljoen aan 41 projekte in 2004, wat in
November 2003 goedgekeur is, sal in
2003 en 2004 sáám sowat R77 miljoen
9
bestee word aan die modernisering van
die kampus.
’n Belangrike simbool van hierdie
nuwe groeifase en die grootste en skouspelagtigste
nuwe struktuur wat verrys het,
is die nuwe studentesentrum, Thakanengbrug
(die Sotho-woord vir plek waar jongmense
saamkom om te kuier en te leer),
wat teen sowat R21,3 miljoen opgerig en
in Oktober 2003 met ’n daglange fees
ingewy is. Die sentrum, wat in vennootskap
met ontwikkelaars opgerig is, vorm
die nuwe hart van studentelewe op die
kampus, en is ’n resultaat van die UV se
vasbeslotenheid om uitstekende diens aan
sy studente te lewer. Dit sluit ’n winkelbrug
in en herintegreer die UV-Sasol-biblioteek
met die akademiese kern. Die
kommersiële ruimtes in die sentrum word
as ’n gesamentlike onderneming deur die
UV en die private sektor bedryf.
Een van die doelwitte van die
Struktuurplan was ook om ’n voetgangervriendelike
kampus tot stand te bring. Prof
Bannie Britz, afgetrede departementshoof
van Argitektuur, is aangestel om ’n nuwe
voetgangernetwerk te ontwerp. Die resultaat
is ’n fyn beplande netwerk van voetgangerpaaie
wat nie net voetslaan vergemaklik
nie, maar die kampus ook vir
gestremdes toegankliker maak en groter
sekuriteit bied. Die roetes dra boonop
grootliks by tot die estetiese vanweë
stylvolle beligting en die aanplant van
bome, terwyl die volop sitplek dit gewilde
uitspanplekke vir studente tussen die klasdrawwery
maak. Saam met die studentesentrum
het die voetgangernetwerk die

Thakanengbrug
is
die nuwe
kuierplek van
studente
10

11
Links: Me Edma Pelzer, Direkteur: Fisiese Hulpbronne en Spesiale
Projekte, voor Thakaneng-brug, ’n belangrike simbool van die nuwe
groeifase en modernisering van die kampus. Me Pelzer was die
belangrikste dryfkrag agter dié groot projek sowel as tientalle ander
bouprojekte.
Bo: Mnr Willem Malherbe, Registrateur: Strategiese Beplanning, by
een van die talle eetplekke op die winkelbrug wat deurvloei vanaf die
lesinglokale na die UV-Sasol-biblioteek bewerkstellig.

Bouwerk en fisiese
opgradering van
die kampus het
miljoene rand
beloop en is ’n
simbool van die
UV se verbintenis
tot gehalte en
dienslewering aan
studente en
personeel.
“gevoel” van die kampus ingrypend verander,
met studente wat nou eerder tyd op
die kampus deurbring as om onmiddellik
ná klas die pad stad of koshuis toe te vat.
’n Kenmerk van fisiese beplanning die
afgelope paar jaar is dat dit strategies gerig
word deur die behoeftes van die
akademie, en daarnaas natuurlik die doelwit
van diens aan studente. Onder meer
vanweë die groei en konsolidering van
fakulteite en departemente, sowel as nuwe
navorsingsbehoeftes, is ’n omvattende
reeks projekte aangepak wat die opgradering,
heraanwending en herinrigting van
akademiese geboue en lesinglokale behels
het. In alle gevalle is ook aandag gegee
aan opgehoopte instandhoudingsbehoeftes,
brandbeveiliging en die toeganklikmaking
van geboue en geriewe vir mense
met gestremdheid.
• Omvattende konstruksiewerk aan die
Landbou- en Biologie-geboue is afgehandel
om die Departement Plantwetenskappe
te konsolideer. Ruimte is
ook ingerig om die nuwe konfokale
mikroskoop – ’n reuse-stap in die verhoging
van navorsingsgehalte in die
natuurwetenskappe – te huisves.
• Die voormalige BOK-kompleks is
omgeskep om plek in te ruim vir personeellede
van die Departement Menslike
Bewegingskunde en Kovsiesport
met die oog op die totstandkoming
van ’n sentrum vir sport- en oefenwetenskap
waar sportlui wetenskaplik bygestaan
sal word om prestasies te verbeter.
’n Gedeelte van die BOK-kompleks
is ook omskep om Kunsgeskiedenis
en Beeldende Kunste in nuwe en
ruim lokale te huisves.
• Die Menslike-Bewegingskundegebou
is omgeskep om plek te maak vir die
Departement Drama- en Toneelkunde.
Die ou gimnasium sal in 2004 in ’n
nuwe kleinteater omskep word wat die
Scaena sal vervang, wat gesloop moes
word om plek te maak vir die nuwe
studentesentrum.
12
• Die CR Swart-gebou het omvattende
vernuwing ondergaan waartydens
•
hierdie statige landmerk nie alleen ’n
drastiese verjongingskuur ondergaan
het nie, maar talle verbeterings ook
aangebring, ’n hyser vir gestremdes
geïnstalleer en nuwe kantore vir personeellede
van die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid
ingeruim is.
Huis Francken is heringerig as ’n moderne
kantoorblok vir UV-Bemarking,
terwyl UV-Bemarking se gebou heringerig
is as tuiste van die Skool vir Verpleegkunde.
• ’n Nuwe meerdoelige lesinglokaal is in
die Sielkundegebou ingerig en die Stabilislesinglokaal-kompleks
sowel as
die Genmin-Lectorium, wat saam
2 000 sitplekke verskaf en intensief gebruik
word, is opgegradeer.
Nog belangrike bouprojekte is aangepak
om senior bestuurslede se werksomgewing
te verbeter, ’n beter administratiewe
diens aan studente te lewer en lokale
wat vir onthale en openbare lesings gebruik
word, te moderniseer.
Herinrigting en restourasie van die UV
se twee pragtige historiese komplekse, die
Hoofgebou en die Reitz-eetsaalkompleks,
het albei in 2003 begin. Die herinrigting
van die eetsaal tesame met die huis daarnaas
(die tuiste van talle toesighoudende
dosente in die verlede) as ’n onthaalkompleks
het reeds ver gevorder. Die omskepping
van die Hoofgebou, ’n nasionale
gedenkwaardigheid, om onder meer die
Rektoraat en ander senior bestuurslede te
huisves, sal teen middel 2004 afgehandel
wees.
Die vestiging van ’n wetenskapsentrum
by die Boyden-sterrewag buite
Bloemfontein het fluks gevorder. Bouwerk
aan ’n ouditorium en ander geriewe is
begin en sal in 2004 amptelik geopen
word. Astrofisici van die Departement
Fisika beoog om die sterrewag weer ’n belangrike
sentrum vir hoëprofiel- sterrekundige
navorsing en wetenskaponderrig vir

leerders en onderwysers te maak. Les bes
is die eerste vloer van die George du Toitadministrasiegebou
heringerig om administratiewe
dienslewering aan studente te
verbeter.
Die afgelope klompie jare se groei in
studentegetalle het noodwendig ook voer-
Geboue kry nuwe name
Skool vir Geneeskunde – Francois Retiefgebou/Building
(Prof Retief was die
eerste dekaan van die fakulteit en
daarna rektor)
Menslike Bewegingskunde-gebou –
Scaena (Die gebou word omskep vir
die Departement Drama- en
Toneelkunde)
Biokinetika-gebou – Botho (Die naam
beteken "menslikheid". Die gebou
word omskep vir die Direkteur:
Diversiteit en Billikheid)
SA Media/Rekeningkunde-gebou – Stef
Coetzee-gebou/Building (Die gebou
huisves verskeie departemente. Prof
Coetzee het sy loopbaan aan die UV
in ’n kantoor in die gebou begin)
BAO-gebou – Benito Khotsenggebou/Building
(Prof Khotseng word
vereer vir sy pionierswerk in studentetransformasie
en as eerste swart
Raads- en Senaatslid van die UV)
Opvoedkunde-gebou – Winkie Direkogebou/Building
(Voormalige Kanselier
met sterk onderwysagtergrond)
BOK Blokke B en C – Mabaleng (Die
woord beteken "plek van sport". Die
gebou word omskep vir die
13
tuigverkeer op die kampus laat toeneem,
wat genoodsaak het dat die kampus se vervoernetwerk
dringend aandag moes kry.
Nuwe parkeerareas is ontwikkel en uitgebrei,
terwyl verbindingspaaie of veranderings
aan paaie aangebring is om
doeltreffende verkeersvloei te bevorder.
Die verskuiwings van departemente en die heraanwending van talle geboue en lokale
het genoodsaak dat baie geboue nuwe name moes kry. Deur ’n inklusiewe proses is
voorstelle vanaf studente, oudstudente en personeel verkry en oorweeg. Die Raad het
in September die volgende name goedgekeur:
Departemente Biokinetika,
Kovsiesport en CESS)
BOK Blok D – Claerhout (Deel van die
gebou word omskep vir die
Departement Beeldende Kunste.
Vader Claerhout word vereer as een
van die bekendste Vrystaatse kunstenaars)
Reitz-eetsaal (SK1), matrone-woonstelle,
alumnihuis en Huis Francken –
Eeufeeskompleks/Centenary Complex
(met Reitz-saal/Hall) (Dit word die
UV se onthaalsentrum, musea en
tuiste vir alumni en personeel. Dit
gedenk ook die eeuwording van die
UV)
UV-Bemarking-gebou – Idalia Lootsgebou/Building
(Prof Loots was die
eerste vroulike lid van die Senaat en
stigter van die Skool vir
Verpleegkunde. Die gebou is omskep
om Verpleegkunde te huisves).
Vroeg in 2004 is die gerestoureerde huis
by die Reitz-saal vernoem na prof DF
Malherbe, ’n voormalige rektor
(1929-1934), en die gebou van UV-
Bemarking na mnr Wekkie Saayman,
voormalige registrateur en daarna
ook rektor (1934-1939).

3
Equity - Shaping
a new society
The commitment to equity is the second
core notion in the UFS vision.
“For the University of the Free State
equity is not just about numbers, but in its
broader sense about the institution’s role
in promoting social justice. Given the
legacy of the past, of exclusion and denial
of opportunity, the University has confronted
these realities head-on in various
ways.” (Prof Frederick Fourie at his inauguration.)
A key issue in this context is access.
Unwarranted barriers to access should
be avoided. One of these can be the language
of instruction. On the main campus
in Bloemfontein a parallel-medium model
was introduced as early as 1993, with students
having the option of classes in
Afrikaans or English. This historic step had
a huge impact on the access of black students
to higher education, bringing about
the significant change and transformation
in the student profile of the UFS.
One of the first steps of the new Vicechancellor
was to give attention to a new
language policy. In a historic step, one of
the first in achieving the vision as spelled
out in the Rector’s inaugural address,
Council in June 2003 approved a language
policy for the University which constitutes
the UFS as a multilingual university in
both academic and administrative spheres.
Left: Mr Billyboy Ramahlele, Director:
Diversity and Equity, at DF Malherbe House in
the new Centenary Complex.
15
The policy stipulates that the main languages
of the UFS will be Afrikaans and
English and the management of proficiency
in these languages will be a strategic
priority. The parallel-medium model in
teaching is confirmed. The promotion of
Afrikaans as a scientific language is an
explicit objective of the policy. Sesotho
will also be promoted and supported as a
scientific language and as a South African
language in higher education.
The policy also extends bilingualism to
administration and management, and stipulates
the broader introduction of translation
services and simultaneous interpreting
at official meetings. One notable ele-
By establishing Afrikaans and
English as main languages on an
equitable basis, the new language
policy is an important step in
promoting fairness, diversity
and multiculturalism on
the campus.

16
Prof Magda Fourie in the renovated
DF Malherbe House. During 2003
Prof Fourie acted as Vice-rector:
Academic Planning, a post to which
she was appointed at year's end,
thereby becoming the first woman
in the UFS Rectorate.

ment is the empowerment of staff in the
two main languages as part of the normal
orientation and development of staff.
With its language policy the UFS
strives to enhance an ethos of cultural tolerance
as part of its broader management
of multiculturalism and diversity, within
the context of a university.
The policy puts the UFS in the position
to set an example at micro level about
how to make a success of institutional
multilingualism. At a colloquium about
language policies at Historically Afrikaans
Universities in July the UFS was asked to
take the lead in establishing a joint language
strategy for these universities.
To open the doors of learning further,
student growth has been actively supported
with innovative academic initiatives
and programmes. One such example is the
University’s pioneering Internet-based
learning project (run in conjunction with
logistics provider eDegree), which has
grown in popularity and offers programmes
and courses from Economic and Management
Sciences, Health Sciences and
the Faculty of Law.
To help those students who wish to
qualify as chartered accountants and who
graduated from technikons and universities
which lack accreditation from the
Public Accountants and Auditors Board
and the South African Institute of Chartered
Accountants, the Faculty of Economic
and Management Sciences has offered a
B Com Hons (Accountancy) since the beginning
of 2003 to serve as a “bridging
mechanism”. This gave 63 students the
opportunity to take another step to fulfil
their dreams.
To enable students to perform better
academically, a system of tutoring and
peer group support for first-years was
established in university residences in
2001. This has proven to be so successful
that it has been extended in 2003 to
include tutoring of second-year students
by carefully selected senior students.
17
Staff equity: Attracting
the best
The new Rector started his term in January
with vacancies in key-management positions,
among which the positions formerly
held by two vice-rectors. The appointment
of people in acting capacity in the interim
allowed the UFS sufficient time for a thorough
rethink of the optimal top-management
structure to serve the senior management
needs of the University in the next
few years.
It was decided to split the traditional
portfolio of the vice-rector: academic, into
two portfolios: academic planning and
academic operations. This was done to
meet the immense planning needs created
by the rapidly changing higher-education
policy environment, which has threatened
to overwhelm the senior management
capacity of many universities.
It also gave sufficient time for a thorough
search process to ensure that the
UFS attracted the best possible applicants
for its vacant top and senior management
posts, within the context of its employment-equity
policy and plan.
In the interest of making high-quality
appointments, an extremely thorough (and
thus somewhat protracted) process was
followed. This included an independent
assessment of the managerial profiles of
candidates by an international human
resources company and public appearances
by candidates. This resulted in the
appointments of three vice-rectors only
becoming effective from 1 January 2004.
Prof Magda Fourie, previously Director
of the Centre for Higher Education Studies
and Development (CHESD), was appointed
as Vice-rector: Academic Planning
– the first woman to be appointed to the
Rectorate.
Prof Teuns Verschoor, former Dean of
Students, was appointed Vice-rector: Academic
Operations. Dr Ezekiel Moraka,
previously Dean of Students at the Univer-

Prof Letticia Moja, the
new Dean of the Faculty
of Health Sciences, in the
Atrium of the
renovated Agriculture
Building. Prof Moja
is the first female as
well as the first
black dean at the UFS.
P19: Students relax between
classes at one of the new
pedestrian routes crisscrossing
the campus.
sity of Pretoria, became Vice-rector: Student
Affairs.
The death of the highly respected Prof
Kerneels Nel, who had been Dean of the
Faculty of Health Sciences for 11 years, led
to the historic appointment of Prof Letticia
Moja as the first female as well as the first
black dean at the UFS. She had previously
been Vice-dean of Health Sciences.
18
At Natural and Agricultural Sciences
Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, chair of the
Department of Agricultural Economics,
replaced Prof Gerrit van Wyk as Dean in
October 2003. Because of the size of the
faculty, a new position of Vice-dean was
created which has been filled by Prof Neil
Heideman, formerly Programme Co-ordinator
of Natural Sciences at Qwaqwa, from

1 January 2004. Prof Daan de Waal acted as Dean
of the Faculty before the appointment of Prof Van
Schalkwyk.
At year’s end the position of Dean of the
Faculty of Theology was still vacant, with Prof
Hermie van Zyl serving as acting Dean following
the retirement of Prof Pieter Potgieter after 13
years at the helm.
To meet growing administrative demands and
enhance administrative efficiency, the position of
registrar was also restructured.
The position of Mr Willem Malherbe, previously
Registrar: General and Strategic Planning,
was refocused as Registrar: Strategic Planning.
Prof Izak Steyn, previously head of the office of
the rector, was appointed as Registrar: General.
The UFS regards the employment of designated
groups as much more than a legal requirement,
but as steps in a steady pursuit of equity as
a way of life, of answering to justice as the highest
norm, as part of the process of ensuring quality
and of attracting the best teachers to give students
the best education.
In February management approved a block of
promotions of white and black women to reverse
most, if not all, of the cases of academic career
Top, left: Prof. Neil Heideman, Vice-dean of the
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.
Top, right: Prof Izak Steyn, newly appointed Registrar:
General on the pedestrian route in front of the
Biological Sciences building.
Prof Hermie van Zyl, acting Dean of the Faculty of
Theology in 2003, at the entrance to the refurbished
Wekkie Saayman (UFS Marketing) Building.
20

acklogs that developed in the past due to
various barriers to promotion for women.
Twelve women were promoted to the level
of professor.
The University worked hard to achieve
employment-equity goals, although not
without many difficulties in attracting (and
retaining) designated persons to a university
career in a very competitive labour market.
Management set aside an additional
R5-million to assist faculties and departments
to meet the targets of the equity
plan. Faculties made ample use of these
funds. The Faculty of Law, for instance,
appointed six new lecturers, and the
Faculty of the Humanities welcomed seven
new staff members from the designated
groups at Drama and Theatre Arts, Political
Science, Psychology, History, Sociology
and the Centre for Health Systems
Research and Development.
As a result of all these efforts black staff
members comprised 33% of the total staff
corps at year’s end (up from 28% in 2002),
and female staff stood at 55%. The aims of
increasing staff diversity and attaining
employment equity goals also were
enhanced, as intended by the Minister of
Education, by the incorporation of the
Qwaqwa campus. At senior-management
level 19% were black (up from 13%), at
middle-management level blacks comprised
13% (formerly 8%) and women
32% (formerly 27%). Among the lecturers
women were in the majority with 52%,
while black numbers more than doubled
and stood at 24% (up from 11% in 2002).
Diversiteitsprogramme kweek begrip
Die Universiteit se Kantoor vir Diversiteit en Billikheid fasiliteer, koördineer en bestuur programme wat daarop
gemik is om by te dra tot ’n positiewe werks- en akademiese atmosfeer. Ongeveer 300 personeellede en 620 studente
het in 2003 opleidingswerkswinkels oor diversiteitsbewusmaking bygewoon. Hierdie werkswinkels help
die lede van die universiteitsgemeenskap om diversiteit binne die instelling te verstaan en te waardeer.
Die manier waarop die UV diversiteit bestuur, dra by tot die groei in studente, meen mnr Billyboy Ramahlele,
Direkteur: Diversiteit en Billikheid. "Die UV word beskou as ’n stabiele universiteit waar geen akademiese
ontwrigting die afgelope vyf jaar plaasgevind het nie."
21
Home-grown black academics
Because South Africa's history has restricted the opportunity
of blacks and women to pursue academic careers
at higher-education institutions, the UFS initiated the
Graduate Mentoring Project, also known as Grow your
own timber, in 2001 with funds from the Andrew W
Mellon Foundation in the US.
One of its goals is to prepare the next generation of
academic staff for the UFS (including the Qwaqwa and
Vista campuses).
Fifteen promising young black men and women have
gained entrance into the programme in the past two
years. They are pursuing their doctorates in fields such
as Chemistry, Microbiology, Mathematics and Political
Economics under the mentorship of some of the
University's most distinguished academics.
The first of these received their Ph Ds in 2003. Dr
Choice Makheta, a former SRC Vice-president and Dux
student, received a Ph D in Political Science, while Dr
Londy Luvuno received a Ph D in Public Management
and was promoted to senior lecturer in the Department
of Public Management.
This programme continues to be a flagship programme
in our employment equity strategy, although
the University will inevitably continue to lose some of
these fine young academics to the public and private
sectors, given their higher remuneration levels.
The UFS stoically accepts this provision of highlytrained
persons to other sectors as part of our broader
service to society.

Prof Niel Viljoen, Hoofdirekteur: Bedryf, saam met proff Gerrit van Wyk en
Teuns Verschoor, wat albei in 2003 as viserektore waargeneem het – onderskeidelik
as Viserektor: Akademiese Bedryf en Viserektor: Studentesake. Prof
Verschoor is einde 2003 aangewys as Viserektor: Akademiese Bedryf met
ingang van 1 Januarie 2004. Hulle is hier by die nuwe studente-inligtingspunt
by Thakaneng-brug.
22

4 Gehalte deur
innovering in
navorsing en
onderrig
’nDerde
element in die UV se visie,
wat ook beklemtoon is in die
Rektor se inhuldigingsrede, is ’n
klem op innovering – innovering in sy
breedste sin, maar ook in die sin van
entrepreneuriese inisiatiewe.
“In sy breedste sin is innovering die
sleutel tot gehalte. ’n Universiteit kan net
op die voorpunt van die wetenskap bly as
voortdurend innoveer word in navorsingsmetodes
en navorsingsvrae, in onderrigen
leermetodes en kurrikulumontwerp, en
in wyses om studente te stimuleer om te
dink. In hierdie sin is die UV absoluut
verbind tot ‘gehalte deur innovering’ ”
(Prof Frederick Fourie met sy inhuldiging).
Opbloei in navorsing
Die Universiteit se verbintenis tot navorsing
as kernfunksie van die universiteit is
in 2002 bevestig met die stigting van die
Direktoraat: Navorsingsontwikkeling onder
leiding van prof Frans Swanepoel.
Met dié stap het die UV die klem vir
die eerste keer op die strategiese pleks van
die blote administratiewe bestuur van
navorsing laat val.
’n Volgende stap het in 2003 gevolg
met die goedkeuring van ’n strategiese
23
raamwerk vir die ontwikkeling van navorsing,
wat die volgende doelwitte insluit:
strategiese fokus op navorsingsontwikkeling;
gehalteversekering; billikheid; finansiële
volhoubaarheid; ondersteuningstelsels;
en die uitsetdimensie. Al die doelwitte
is direk afgelei en in diens van die
Universiteit se breë doelstellings van uitnemendheid,
billikheid en innovering.
Soos blyk uit die jongste inligting van
die Nasionale Navorsingstigting (NNS) het
die UV reeds ’n aansienlike hoeveelheid
wêreldklas-navorsers. Saam daarmee is die
beduidende toename in 2003 in navorsingsuitsette
en deelname aan vakkundige
kongresse plaaslik en internasionaal ’n bevestiging
daarvan dat ’n navorsingskultuur
weer al hoe sterker posvat nadat vrese
bestaan het dat die transformasieproses en
die parallelmedium-taalbeleid navorsingsuitsette
of -gehalte sou kortwiek.
Die UV se aantal NNS-geëvalueerde
navorsers neem jaarliks toe. In 2003 het
die getal op 76 gestaan, van wie verskeie
se evalueringstatus verbeter het. Onder
hulle spog 8 met ’n B-evaluering op grond
van die hoë internasionale erkenning wat
hulle geniet, terwyl 58 ’n C-evaluering
ontvang het vanweë hul volgehoue rekord
van gehalte en produktiwiteit. Onder hulle

Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, nuut verkose Dekaan van die Fakulteit Natuur- en
Landbouwetenskappe, by die Boyden-sterrewag buite Bloemfontein waar fluks gevorder is met die
bou en inrigting van ’n sentrum vir sterrekundige en wetenskaponderrig.
24

is 10 in die L- en Y-kategorieë van die
Universiteit se voorste en mees gevestigde
geesteswetenskaplike navorsers, wat sedert
2002 vir die eerste keer by die NNSgraderings
ingesluit word. Die UV het ook
talle jong navorsers wat groot belofte toon
en daarvoor ’n Y-evaluering ontvang het.
Die aantal navorsingsuitsette per akademikus
vergelyk gunstig met die beste in
Suid-Afrika. Die aantal geakkrediteerde
navorsingspublikasies het met byna 17%
van minder as 300 in 2001 tot sowat 350
in 2003 gegroei.
Dié opbloei in navorsing kan hoofsaaklik
toegeskryf word aan die finansiële
draaistrategie wat ’n noemenswaardige
toename in finansiering van navorsing tot
gevolg gehad het asook die sogenaamde
navorsingsdraaistrategie wat in 2001 ingestel
is, met insentiewe vir navorsers en
bykomende geteikende finansiering.
Nagraadse studentegetalle het betekenisvol
gestyg. Die aantal honneursstudente
het van 561 in 2000 meer as verdriedubbel
tot 1 882 in 2003, meestersgraadstudente
het met 66% van 1 666 tot
2 770 geklim en doktorale studente met
24% van 429 in 2000 tot 534 in 2003. As
’n navorsingsgerigte instelling kyk die
Universiteit nou indringend na die ondersteuningstruktuur
vir hierdie studente met
die oog op ’n langtermyn- strategiese verbintenis
tot navorsingsontwikkeling by dié
studentekomponent.
Navorsingsinisiatiewe in
fakulteite
Belangrike verwikkelinge het in 2003 in
die Fakulteit Natuur- en Landbouwetenskappe
plaasgevind. Een daarvan was die
stigting van ’n interdepartementele Sentrum
vir Plantgesondheidsbestuur, die
eerste sentrum van dié aard in Suid-Afrika
wat op ’n proaktiewe holistiese bestuursprogram
vir gewasgesondheid konsentreer.
Die sentrum is die uitvloeisel van ’n
besonderse vennootskap tussen die plantpatoloog
prof Wijnand Swart (van die
25
Departement Plantwetenskappe) en die
entomoloog prof Schalk Louw (van
Dierkunde en Entomologie) wat al in 1985
begin het. Die twee akademici het ook die
Southern African New Crop Research
Association (SANCRA) in 1996 tot stand
gebring. Met die fisieke byeenbring van
wetenskaplikes in die biologiese rigtings
gedurende 2003 is meer sulke vennootskappe
tans in wording.
Die Departement Wiskundige Statistiek
het twee internasionale kontrakte gesluit
– ’n projek gesteun deur die Vlaamse
regering oor ekstreme waardes soos sterk
winde, hoë golwe en groot versekeringseise,
en ’n ander wat handel oor statistiese
vigsmodelle met steun van die Nederlandse
regering. Die Departement Grond-, Gewas-
en Klimaatwetenskappe spits hom
toe op die ontwikkeling van natuurlike
produkte wat in die landbou gebruik kan
word. Twee prototipe- natuurlike produkte,
’n biostimulant en fungisied, word nou
ontwikkel.
Die Departement Fisika het die opgradering
van die die Boyden-sterrewag met
’n 1,5m-teleskoop in samewerking met ingenieurs
van die VSA gekoördineer. Die
teleskoop word in talle internasionale projekte
met sterrekundiges van die VSA,
Duitsland, Australië en Nieu-Seeland
gebruik.
Prof Jo van As, hoof van Dierkunde en
Entomologie, lei reeds die afgelope vyf
jaar navorsing oor visparasiete in die
Okavango-delta, die Moremi-wildreservaat
en Ngamiland. Tot dusver is reeds
meer as 200 parasiet-spesies gevind – 50
daarvan nuwe spesies. Die bewaring van
die delta, waar menslike indringing groot
druk op die sensitiewe ekostelsel plaas,
word beskou as die belangrikste bewaringsdoelwit
vir Afrika. Die departement
het nou ’n permit van die Botswana-regering
gekry om ’n semi-permanente navorsingsbasiskamp
in Ngamiland op te rig,
wat die potensiaal het om in ’n belangrike
internasionale “navorsingstasie” in die
Okavango te ontwikkel.
Navorsing
by die UV
kry strategiese
fokus

In die Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe
het akademici
meer as honderd
geakkrediteerde publikasies
die lig laat sien.
Die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid
het in 2003 vir
meer as 40 geakkrediteerde
publikasies gesorg
– ’n rekordgetal vir die
fakulteit. Veral noemenswaardig was die
uitsette van die Departement Staatsreg en
Regsfilosofie, waar 16 artikels in vooraanstaande
nasionale en internasionale tydskrifte
en ses hoofstukke in erkende boeke
verskyn het. Die departement se navorsing
het gewissel van die treurige omstandighede
van vroue en kinders gedurende
die Anglo-Boereoorlog tot middeleeuse en
post-middeleeuse staatsregteorieë. Dié departement
het ook ’n toekenning van die
NNS ontvang om saam met die Universiteit
van Kaapstad en die Universiteit van
die Noorde gelykberegtigingsplanne by
Suid-Afrikaanse universiteite vir die tydperk
2004 – 2005 te evalueer.
Hoewel die Fakulteit Teologie getallegewys
slegs 2% van die Universiteit se
doseerkorps uitmaak, was sy dosente in
2003 vir meer as 10% van die UV se
navorsingsuitsette verantwoordelik en het
dit die hoogste uitset per akademiese personeellid
van al die fakulteite. Prof Dolf
Britz van die Departement Ekklesiologie
het ’n R20 000-toekenning van die Universiteit
se Navorsingskomitee ontvang vir ’n
projek oor die voorkoms van armoede en
onreg in die Heidelbergse Kategismus en
die Confessio Gallicana.
Daarbenewens het die trots van die
fakulteit, die geakkrediteerde tydskrif Acta
Theologica, onder die redakteurskap van
prof Francois Tolmie, buiten sy twee normale
uitgawes ook ’n supplement-uitgawe
getitel Essentialia et hodierna (Essensieel
Skerp
styging in
universiteit se
navorsingsuitsette
27
en eietyds) gepubliseer in
die vorm van ’n huldigingsbundel
vir prof Pieter
Potgieter, wat in Maart
2003 as dekaan afgetree
het.
Die UV se hoogs gerespekteerde
geakkrediteerde
geesteswetenskaplike tydskrif,
Acta Academica, was
nog ’n toonbeeld van die UV se groeiende
navorsingsuitsette. Die tydskrif, onder
redakteurskap van die kunshistorikus prof
Dirk van der Berg, ’n voormalige Stalspryswenner,
het in 2003 drie uitgawes gepubliseer,
waarvan die aantal bladsye van die
gebruiklike 160 tot 250 per uitgawe gegroei
het. Waar gewoonlik jaarliks een
supplement-uitgawe verskyn, het vier supplementa
in 2003 die lig gesien.
Die Fakulteit Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe,
voorheen ’n fakulteit waar
sekere departemente veel bedrywiger met
konsultasie- as navorsingswerk was, het ’n
wye verskeidenheid navorsingsuitsette
gelewer. Dosente van Bedryfsielkunde het
vyf artikels vir geakkrediteerde tydskrifte
gestuur waarvan twee reeds gepubliseer
is. By Openbare Bestuur het vier geakkrediteerde
navorsingsuitsette die lig gesien.
’n Hoofstuk deur prof Hendrie Kroukamp
in ’n publikasie van die Verenigde Nasies
het die seël op dié departement se navorsingsuitsette
geplaas.
In die Departement Ekonomie het ’n
besonderse prestasie die voorsitter, dr
Philippe Burger, te beurt geval deurdat die
Britse uitgewer Edward Elgar ’n boek deur
hom oor die verband tussen fiskale volhoubaarheid
en ekonomiese stabiliteit (‘n
uitvloeisel van sy doktorale studie) gepubliseer
het. Prof Frikkie Booysen, wat afgesien
van sy verbintenis met Ekonomie, ook
by die Sentrum vir Gesondheidsisteemnavorsing
en -ontwikkeling betrokke is,
Links: Prof Tienie Crous, Dekaan van die Fakulteit Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe, by
Thakaneng-brug. Dié fakulteit bars uit sy nate uit nadat studentegetalle van 1 939 in 1999 tot
5 224 in 2003 gestyg het.
Hoof van sentrum
kry Raadsmedalje
Prof Dingie Janse van
Rensburg, stigter en Hoof van
die Sentrum vir Gesondheidsisteemnavorsing
en -ontwikkeling
(SGSN&O) en ontvanger
van ’n Stalsprys vir Sosiologie,
het gedurende die gradeplegtighede
in Maart ’n
Raadsmedalje ontvang vir sy
baanbrekerswerk op die gebied
van mediese sosiologie. Prof
Van Rensburg het erkenning
ontvang vir sy bydraes op
navorsingsgebied en die
ontwikkeling van voor- en
nagraadse kursusse. Met die
stigting van die SGSN&O het
hy hom as ’n voorloper met
entrepreneuriese projekte op
die kampus onderskei.

het verskeie geakkrediteerde artikels oor
die verband tussen armoede en die voorkoms
van MIV/vigs gelewer. Prof Booysen
word gereken as ’n pionier in die ekonomiese
ontleding van talle aspekte van
MIV/vigs in Suid-Afrika.
Prof Dave Lubbe, Hoof van die Sentrum
vir Rekeningkunde én hoof van die
gesaghebbende Afgri-Navorsingseenheid
vir Sake-etiek, wat in die besonder bekend
is as ’n leiernavorser oor omgewingsverslagdoening
vanuit ’n rekeningkundige en
ouditkundige hoek, het ’n boek op die gebied,
The entrepreneur of tomorrow and
the environment, gepubliseer.
Entrepreneurial initiatives
on the increase
Consistent with its entrepreneurial approach,
the University strives to develop
its ability to profit from research through
careful joint ventures with commercial
enterprises on innovative projects. An
important aim is the professionalisation of
entrepreneurial research activities.
To prepare the ground for the development
of a policy framework for entrepreneurial
activities at the UFS, a delegation
consisting of Profs Frederick Fourie, Niel
Viljoen and Van Aardt Smit visited leading
entrepreneurial universities such as the
Universities of Glasgow, Limerick,
Twente, Lauvain and Warwick in 2002.
Their report led to a decision by Executive
Management, in October 2003, to take the
entrepreneurial support infrastructure of
the UFS into a next, more substantial
phase. This decision also followed a threemonth
training visit by Mr Abrie de Wet to
the University of Lauvain in Belgium,
where he gained hands-on experience in
entrepreneurial support. The University of
Lauvain has been a leader in entrepreneurial
activities for 25 years.
The University’s Entrepreneurial Office
played a much bigger role in the management
of entrepreneurial projects in
28
2003. With Prof Smit and Mr de Wet acting
as advisers, close to 25 projects received
attention, many of which were
implemented successfully.
One of these involved the Department
of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology,
which hosts the largest collection
of yeast cultures in the southern
hemisphere. An extensive screening programme
on these cultures for novel
enzymes led to the development of bioprocesses
for the manufacture of pure fine
chemicals with potential commercial applications.
A consortium was formed
between the UFS and CSIR Bio/Chemtek
to win a grant of R14,56 million from the
Innovation Fund (Department of Science
and Technology) for process development,
of which R1,39 million will be used for
further research at the UFS.
The main research contribution of the
UFS, apart from providing the yeast
strains, is the genetic engineering of these
strains and optimisation of enzyme production,
whereas the main role of CSIR
Bio/Chemtek is the scaling up of the bioprocess,
product recovery and purification.
This collaborative effort in biotechnology,
which resulted in the registering of
three patents, is an excellent example of
the way forward for the University in its
entrepreneurial activities. The commercialisation
of the process is now investigated.
A second project involved a new remedy
for cancer. A chemical product for the
treatment of cancer using iron and ruthenium
as basis (instead of platinum), was
developed and provisionally patented.
Further testing is underway.
Another important breakthrough was
the signing at the UFS in August of a formal
agreement linking Africa’s first testing
facility for genetically modified organisms
(GMO) to the international organisation
GeneScan, a world leader in food
diagnostic testing. The use of DNA technology
enables the facility to detect the

presence of GMOs in
even highly processed
foods.
The GMO testing facility
is the brainchild of Dr
Chris Viljoen, a specialist
in the field of marker
biotechnology and its applications
in crop science.
Dr Viljoen teaches in the
Department of Plant Sciences and also
manages the facility. This facility is the
outcome of a previous decision to provide
entrepreneurial seed-money to Dr Viljoen.
The need for such a facility arose due
to the international regulations on GMOs
in food, especially in Europe and Asia that
require exporters to certify whether their
products contain any GMO. The second
largest international food company has
selected the UFS facility to perform all its
South African GMO testing for export
products, while a number of export companies
in the country and elsewhere in
Africa also are using the facility.
Most of the projects undertaken by the
Centre for Development Support in the
Faculty of Economic and Management
Sciences contribute to the “third-stream”
cash flow of the University, namely research.
One such project was the development
of a multi-million rand research programme,
financed by the Umsobomvu
Fund, for the Free State Youth Commission.
The centre also completed a demographic
profile study, commissioned by
the Vatican in Rome. The study focused
on demographic changes and trends in the
membership structure of the Oblate of
Mary Immaculate, a Roman Catholic congregation
consisting of male members
only. Lately, its dwindling membership
had become a matter of concern. The study
will assist decision-making about its future
and repositioning.
Projects were started for Eskom in
Soweto and Mpumalanga on payment preferences
and electricity consumer behaviour
with the objective of establishing an
Exciting new
entrepreneurial
initiatives
envisaged at
the UFS
29
incentive/loyalty programme
that could improve payment
patterns. A study for
the National Housing Corporation
on the reasons and
solutions for non-payment
of home loans in the secondary
housing market illustrated
the centre and faculty’s
commitment to meaningful
service delivery by means of focused
research of an international standard.
UV bedrywig op
vakkundige kongresse
Die Fakulteit Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe
het nasionaal en internasionaal
op groot skaal referate gelewer.
Akademici van Openbare Bestuur was vir
die tweede keer in die geskiedenis van die
fakulteit vir sewe gekeurde referate by die
IASIA-konferensie in Miami, Florida verantwoordelik.
Daarbenewens is nog vyf nasionale en
internasionale referate gelewer. Drie dosente
van Bedryfsielkunde het referate in
Seoel gelewer. In die Departement Ekonomie
het vier personeellede vir referate op
’n verskeidenheid internasionale en nasionale
konferensies gesorg.
Die Public Finance Management Act
stel groot uitdagings aan die openbare sektor,
veral met betrekking tot die harmonisering
van finansiële verslagdoening soortgelyk
aan die Algemeen Aanvaarde Rekeningkundige
Praktyk wat in die private
sektor gebruik word. Prof Hentie van Wyk
van die Sentrum vir Rekeningkunde het
baanbrekerswerk op die gebied gedoen
met sy Ph D-proefskrif getiteld A performance
measurement approach to improve
financial management in provincial governments
in South Africa en die bevindinge
reeds op twee konferensies in Indië
en Frankryk bekend gestel.
Junior en senior personeellede in die
Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid het ’n rekordgetal
bydraes op nasionale en internasion-

ale vakkundige kongresse
gelewer.
Regter SPB Hancke,
voorsitter van die UV-Raad
en buitengewone professor
in Straf- en Prosesreg,
het op ’n internasionale
simposium oor ekonomiese
misdaad by die Cambridge-universiteit
maniere
aan die hand gedoen om internasionale
finansiële stabiliteit te bevorder te midde
van ernstige misdaad en terreur. Hy het
onder meer gewaarsku dat militêre strafoptrede
teen burgerlike bevolkings in die
stryd teen terreur teenproduktief kan wees
en nuwe geslagte terroriste kan voortbring.
In die Departement Staatsreg en Regsfilosofie
het prof Charles Ngwena, benewens
die fasilitering van ’n werkswinkel in
Ethiopië oor onveilige aborsie, ook in
Nigerië, die Verenigde Koninkryk en Indië
referate oor MIV/vigs en reproduktiewe en
seksuele gesondheidsregte gelewer.
Die Departement Fisika in die Fakulteit
Natuur- en Landbouwetenskappe het
alle rekords oortref op die Fisika-konferen-
Dosente aan
die UV
skakel al
hoe meer
internasionaal
Bo: Prof Frans Swanepoel, Direkteur: Navorsingsontwikkeling.
31
sie in Potchefstroom met ’n
totaal van 19 voordragte.
In die Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe
het me
Luzelle Naudé van die Departement
Sielkunde die
Adult Higher Education Alliance
International Professional
Award op ’n kongres
in Amerika ontvang
vir haar bydrae in die veld van volwasse
leer. ’n Skildery van me Janine Allen-Spies
van Beeldende Kunste is gekeur vir die
Bret Kebble Art Awards-uitstalling in
Kaapstad. Personeellede van die fakulteit
het 37 referate op nasionale sowel as internasionale
konferensies gelewer.
Twee kliniese assistente van die Departement
Dermatologie in die Fakulteit
Gesondheidswetenskappe het die eerste
twee plekke verower in ’n kompetisie van
gevallevoordragte op die jaarlikse kongres
van die Dermatologiese Vereniging van
Suid-Afrika in Stellenbosch.
Dr Erich Bam het die eerste plek behaal
met ’n voordrag van ’n geval van keratoacanthoma
annulare centrifugum wat
Links: Die nuwe wandellane met volop kuierplek vir studente het daarin geslaag om die kampus
se karakter te verander omdat studente nou eerder tyd op die kampus verwyl.

met acitretin genees is en dr Edward Berry
was in die tweede plek met ’n voordrag
van ’n geval van akrokeratosis paraneoplastica
met dubbel patologie. Dermatoloë
van Engeland, Nederland en Amerika
het die beoordeling gedoen.
Die UV was ook die gasheer van talle
konferensies in die loop van die jaar.
In die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid is ’n
akademiese hoogtepunt in Desember bereik
met die aanbieding van ’n internasionale
kongres oor die hervorming van die
Vennootskapsreg by die Institute of Advanced
Legal Studies in Londen in samewerking
met die Law Commission of England
and Wales en die Law Commission of
Scotland. Talle regters, vennootskapsregouteurs,
regspraktisyns en rekenmeesters
het dit bygewoon.
In die Fakulteit Natuur- en Landbouwetenskappe
het die Departement Geografie
in September die Vyfde Tweejaarlikse
Konferensie van die Vereniging van
Suid-Afrikaanse Geograwe georganiseer.
Die Departement Argitektuur het ’n groot
rol gespeel in die Gemenebes Assosiasie
van Argitekte se internasionale kongres
wat op dié organisasie se versoek in
Bloemfontein gehou en deur 200 kongresgangers
van 25 lande bygewoon is. Dit het
The tremendous renewal in academic programmes and teaching methods, combined
with creative marketing, was the key to the current unprecedented growth in student
numbers at the UFS. In 2000 the UFS had approximately 12 700 students. In 2003
this had grown to more than 23 200.
Of these, 14 721 students were on the main campus in 2003. Distance education
and online students, as well the incorporation of the Qwaqwa campus with its
1 667 students, amongst others, pushed the student total up to 23 232 in 2003 –
almost double the total in 2000.
32
saamgeval met die Departement Argitektuur
se Sophia Gray-lesing, sedert 1989 die
jaarlikse hoogtepunt op die nasionale
argitektoniese kalender.
Die Sesde Internasionale Simposium
oor Visparasiete is in September by die UV
gehou en deur afgevaardigdes van 22
lande bygewoon. Prof Jo van As van Dierkunde
en Entomologie is as President van
die Internasionale Vereniging van Visparasitologie
aangewys.
Die Departement Landbou-ekonomie
het in Augustus ’n internasionale simposium
saam met die Universiteit van Minnesota
aangebied oor ekonomiese groei in
ontwikkelende lande wat deur sowat 40
afgevaardigdes van Afrika bygewoon is.
Die Fakulteit Teologie was saam met
die Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe gasheer
vir die internasionale kongres van die Ou
Testamentiese Werkgemeenskap van Suid-
Afrika. Die Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe
was ook die gasheer vir ’n nasionale konferensie
getiteld ’n Multidissiplinêre benadering
tot kindermishandeling, ’n nasionale
kongres van die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging
van Nabye Oosterse Studie (SAVNOS), ’n
Kritiese Teorie, Musieksimposium en die
Internasionale Konferensie van die Suid-
Afrikaanse Historiese Vereniging.
Quality teaching and learning a key to student growth

Student enrolments by race on the main campus
Year White % Black % Total
2000 5 996 55% 4 866 45% 10 862
2001 6 401 54% 5 508 46% 11 909
2002 6 659 49% 6 961 51% 13 620
2003 6 955 47% 7 766 53% 14 721
All student enrolments by gender
Year Male % Female % Total
2000 6 163 48% 6 552 52% 12 715
2001 7 074 48% 7 647 52% 14 721
2002 8 563 46% 9 999 54% 18 562
2003 10 375 45% 12 857 55% 23 232
Students per faculty
Groeibestuur word nodig
Die groei in studentegetalle, wat ’n belangrike element was van die sukses van die
draaistrategie, het ook begin lei tot kapasiteitsprobleme. In 2002 is reeds besef dat
die UV eintlik te vinnig begin groei en kapasiteitsprobleme ten opsigte van fasiliteite
en personeel begin ondervind, wat die gehalte van dienslewering negatief kan begin
raak. Daarom het die Uitvoerende Bestuur in 2002 en weer in 2003 groeibestuur en
-beperking as ’n strategiese doelwit gestel. Vir die eerste keer in sy bestaan sou die
UV ernstig moes begin kyk na maatreëls om verdere groei in studentegetalle selektief
en op goed gefundeerde wyse te beperk, met inagneming van bv. grondwetlike
en opvoedkundige oorwegings.
33

Origin of students
A record number of 2 582 students on
the Bloemfontein campus received their
degrees during March – 500 more than in
2002. A record number, 52, received their
doctorates.
Of these 22 were awarded in the
Natural and Agricultural Sciences and 20
in the Humanities Faculty. Seven doctorates
were awarded in the Faculty of
Theology, which is particularly significant
for such a small faculty. The first doctorate
Gehalte kweek gehalte
• Uit 2003 se finalejaarsklas in die Fakulteit Teologie het nie minder nie as vyf van
die twaalf studente hul grade met lof behaal.
• ’n Oudstudent van Teologie, dr Lourens Erasmus, is verkies tot moderator van die
Sinode van die NG Kerk in die Vrystaat.
• In die Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe het vyf studente uit die Departement
Kommunikasiekunde, Afdeling Frans en Afdeling Duits beurse ontvang vir oorsese
studie in Nederland, Frankryk en Duitsland. ’n Student in Beeldende Kunste
was een van twee pryswenners in die SASOL-kunskompetisie Wax Art.
34
ever in Drama and Theatre Art was awarded
in 2003, and at Political Science the
first black woman received her Ph D.
In September the University awarded
16 doctorates to foreign students. Thirteen
of these were from Ethiopia, and the rest
from Lesotho and Kenya. On the Qwaqwa
campus 243 degrees, including one Ph D,
and 497 diplomas were conferred during
its graduation ceremony in May, the first
since incorporation.

The Qwaqwa campus in Phuthaditjhaba was incorporated at the beginning of 2003.
35

Dosente moet weer 'studente' word
Niemand kan die impak van die snel veranderende Suid-Afrikaanse hoëronderwysomgewing,
gekenmerk deur nuwe beleidsimperatiewe en ander uitdagings, op
personeel misken nie. Die dae is verby toe dit voldoende was om "net" ’n kundige
op ’n bepaalde vakgebied te wees.
Kennis van die moontlikhede wat tegnologie bied vir onderrig en leer, verskillende
modusse van onderrig, leerstrategieë vir ’n toenemend diverse studentebevolking
asook nuwe maniere van kurrikulering noodsaak vandag elke dosent om
deurlopend professioneel verder te ontwikkel. Die topbestuur het daarom besluit om
te investeer in sowel akademiese as administratiewe personeel en ’n afdeling vir personeelontwikkeling
binne die Sentrum vir Hoëronderwysstudies en -ontwikkeling
(SHOSO) geskep. R1 miljoen is vir die doel bewillig.
Werkswinkels oor onder meer assessering, die skryf van modules en studiegidse,
akademiese skryfvaardighede en oopleermateriaal is aangebied terwyl begin is met
leierskapsontwikkeling vir departementshoofde en studente van die Mellon-mentorskapprogram.
Om personeel verder te bemagtig is aandag ook gegee aan die
ontwikkeling van vaardighede soos konflikhantering, kommunikasie, kliëntediens,
dienslewering, streshantering en kantooretiket.
Innovation in teaching
Since 2001 close to 90 newly developed
programmes have been implemented,
while new ones are developed annually.
Renewal in teaching methods, e.g.
Internet-supported learning on the campus
and elsewhere (including countries in
Africa), has proven to be very popular and
is constantly being developed. The year
2003 proved to be no exception.
In the Faculty of Health Sciences the
School of Nursing, in partnership with the
Free State Health Department, enrolled
students in various parts of the Free State
for instruction via the ICAM system. The
system, owned by the Health Department,
allows a lecture given at a studio to be
broadcast simultaneously to various classrooms
throughout the Free State. It is interactive
in that all students can participate
during the broadcast session.
The School of Medicine was the first in
South Africa to implement a five-year
undergraduate programme for MB, Ch B.
In 2003 the school implemented the last
phase, which consists of the fourth and
fifth years of study.
36
Several courses of the Faculty of
Health Sciences were accredited after visits
by professional boards. The postgraduate
programmes received accreditation
from the Medical and Dental Board, the B
Physiotherapy was accredited by the
Physiotherapy Board and the B Occupational
Therapy was given the nod by the
Occupational Therapy Board.
In the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural
Sciences the Centre for Sustainable
Agriculture, the only one of its kind on the
African continent to offer a masters degree
in Sustainable Agriculture, celebrated its
tenth anniversary. The masters programme,
which was developed at the urging of the
agricultural community, is offered on a distance-education
basis to accommodate the
mostly full-time working students, who hail
from England, Denmark, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Zimbabwe, Kenya, Angola and Botswana,
amongst others.
The Faculty of the Humanities developed
two new programmes, the BA
(Economics) and the BA (Management),
which will be presented from 2005. The
success of the Faculty’s current pro-

grammes is obvious from the 28,67%
increase in student numbers in 2003.
At the Library and Information
Services Deputy Director Mrs Huibre
Lombard was named as the Academic
Librarian of the Year by the Library and
Information Association of South Africa
(LIASA) for developing a course in
Information Skills. The UFS is the only tertiary
institution in the country which presents
this as an accredited course.
The Faculty of Economic and
Management Sciences, which plays a
leading role in the recognition of prior
learning (RPL), offered a short course presented
by Prof David Levin from the
DePaul University in the USA to lecturers
from the UFS and Technikon Free State.
In March Dr Brad Kleindl, a Fulbright
scholar, delivered a series of lectures as
guest of the School of Management, while
regular foreign visiting professors such as
Ashok Batavia (DePaul) and Ruud
Heijblom (Netherlands) contributed to the
further broadening of students’ horizons.
International interest in the Internetbased
MBA programme of the School of
Management is growing. Among those enrolled
are students from African countries,
the USA, Britain, Saudi Arabia, the United
Arab Emirates, Taiwan and South Korea.
The Faculty, which pioneered the
Internet-learning initiative on campus,
went a step further in 2003. To enhance
the quality of its Internet-based learning
programmes, the Department of Economics,
at the initiative of Ms Karen Thomas,
implemented a mixed mode of tuition by
means of a textbook-linked bank of questions
and electronic tutorial support, as
well as web-based support.
In the Faculty of Law plans are underway
in the Department of Constitutional
Law and Legal Philosophy to launch a fulltime
LLM programme on reproductive and
sexual rights in 2005. Aimed at capacity
building in Africa, the programme will
serve as a grooming ground for lawyers
37
The student centre, Thakaneng Bridge, is the single biggest investment in the
campus in many years.

from the major regions in Africa who will
play a critical role in the realisation of
reproductive and sexual health rights in
their own countries. Prof Rebecca Cook of
the Law Faculty of the University of
Toronto, an internationally recognised
pioneer in the field, has been appointed
Professor Extraordinarius with a view,
inter alia, to facilitate international collaboration
towards the programme.
Various internationally prominent academics
presented guest lectures to students
in the faculty. Among them were
Prof Erik Suy, a former chairperson of the
Sixth (Legal) Committee of the UN
General Assembly, Prof Bernard Dickens
of the University of Toronto and Prof
William Barker of Pennstate University,
who is an international tax law expert.
Strengthening of
international ties
With each passing year the University has
been strengthening and extending its relations
with the international academic com-
38
munity. In 2003 academics from the
Faculty of the Humanities received a
number of overseas invitations for presentations
or to act as guest lecturers.
Prof Heidi Hudson of Political Science
was one of 16 international scientists who
took part in the Fulbright American
Institutes Programme on US Foreign
Policy at Columbia University in the US.
The active international positioning of
the Faculty of Economic and Management
Sciences contributes greatly to the increase
of foreign students at the University.
The interest from Africa in especially the
Masters in Development Studies, Bachelor
in Management Leadership and the MBA
confirms that the quality of the academic
programmes comply with international standards
on the one hand and, on the other, are
relevant to contemporary demands.
In 2003 a cooperation agreement was
concluded with the Robert Schuman
University in Strasbourg, France. As part of
other international cooperation agreements,
MBA students undertook an MBA
Hoëvlakse regskennis verhoog gehalte van onderrig
Die 2003-jaarverhaal van die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid sentreer veral rondom die
handhawing van ’n sinvolle sinergie tussen regsakademie en regspraktyk, wat onlosmaaklik
gekoppel is aan die uitbouing van akademiese uitnemendheid en gemeenskapsgerigte
betrokkenheid.
Stewige brûe is tussen akademie en praktyk gevestig deur die aanstelling van ’n
hele aantal ere- en buitengewone professore met die oogmerk om die beskikbaarheid
van skaars en hoëvlakse regswetenskaplike kennis en kosbare praktykservaring
vir die fakulteit te verseker, wat weer neerslag vind in die verhoogde gehalte
van onderrig, navorsing en samelewingsdiens.
Die lys is: As ereprofessor: hoofregter J J F Hefer (Privaatreg); en as buitengewone
professore: appélregter P J J Olivier (Privaatreg), regter Lex Mpati (Staatsreg en
Regsfilosofie), regter A Kruger (Romeinse Reg, Regsgeskiedenis en Regsvergelyking),
prof R J Cook van Toronto, Kanada (Staatsreg en Regsfilosofie), mnr D Gihwala
(Handelsreg - Belasting), mnr I D J van de Merwe (Finansiële Beplanningsreg) en adv
Jannie Lubbe (SC) (Navorsingseenheid vir Ekonomiese Misdaad).

study tour to Germany and France during
which students were exposed to companies
like DaimlerChrysler and Weberhaus.
In its turn the School of Management
played an active role in the exposure of
MBA students from DePaul in Chicago to
the South African business sector and society
in general.
A delegation of Dutch Medical Deans
visited the Faculty of Health Sciences to
explore possibilities of collaboration. An
undergraduate exchange programme was
top of the agenda, while other areas of
possible collaboration were discussed.
At the invitation of the national
Department of Health, Prof Letticia Moja,
the new Dean of the Faculty, visited the
Cuban medical schools that are participating
in the inter-governmental agreement of
undergraduate training to examine the
details of the Cuban curriculum in preparation
for the integration of returning
Cuban-trained South Africans into the
health system.
Drie kry eredoktorsgrade
39
The late Prof Kerneels Nel, former
Dean of the faculty, who passed away in
February 2003 was an active participant at
the World Federation of Medical Education
(WFME). At the time of his death he
was scheduled to present research of the
Health Faculty on standards in the new
five-year curriculum for MB, Ch B students.
A colleague, Mrs H Bezuidenhout,
presented his work instead.
The Reformed Church in Japan invited
Prof Dolf Britz of the Department of
Ecclesiology in the Faculty of Theology to
present a series of lectures about the history
of the church in South Africa, the history
of the church in Europe from 1600 until
2000 and the 16th century European
reformed articles of faith. The possibility of
cooperation between the faculty and the
Kobe Reformed Theological Seminary in
Japan is being examined. A number of
female students from Japan who intend to
do missionary work in Africa are already
enrolled at the UFS.
Die Universiteit het op die gradeplegtighede in Maart 2003 eredoktorsgrade aan die
volgende toegeken:
Prof Eric de Corte, direkteur van die Sentrum vir Onderrigsielkunde en Tegnologie
aan die Universiteit van Leuven in België, is ’n hoogs gerespekteerde akademikus
op die terrein van opvoedkundige sielkunde en opvoedkunde. Sy betrokkenheid by
Suid-Afrikaanse onderwys strek terug na 1979 toe hy sewe universiteite, waaronder
die UV, besoek het. Sedert 1996 was hy promotor van sewe projekte oor leer en
onderrig in ’n uitkomsgebaseerde omgewing, waarvan die laaste in 2002 ten einde
geloop het.
Dr Harold Serebro, senior uitvoerende direkteur van Altron en direkteur van
Altech, Autopage Holdings en Bytes Technology Group Ltd, het die graad Ph D honoris
causa ontvang. Hy het in 1994 die staatspresident se toekenning vir uitvoer ontvang
en in 1995 die staatspresident se toekenning vir buitengewone meriete op dieselfde
terrein.
Prof Alfred Sykes, ’n chemikus aan die Leeds-universiteit, het die graad D Sc honoris
causa ontvang. Prof Sykes het ’n leidende rol gespeel in die ontwikkeling van
verskillende terreine van die chemiese wetenskappe. Hy is bekend vir die gehalte en
omvang van sy wetenskaplike publikasies, asook sy bydrae tot die opleiding en
ontwikkeling van jong wetenskaplikes in Chemie.

5 Scholarship and
community
” For a long time to come, universities
in South Africa with its poverty and
inequalities, huge community needs
and development backlogs, will have to
take on several additional and even unconventional,
a-typical tasks to make a real difference.”
(Prof Frederick Fourie at his inauguration).
The UFS has for many years been
intensely active in community-service
activities such as its renowned Mangaung-
University of the Free State Community
Partnership Programme (MUCPP); rural
community health and social care; development
support; health-systems research;
teacher and nursing training and upgrading
as well as plant health; environmental management;
governance and transformation;
language skills and interpreting. Others
include sports development and sports
excellence; arts, music and culture development,
several of these in partnerships
with the Free State Provincial Government
and community organisations.
The University’s current approach to
community service, i.e. in the form of community
service learning and community
service research, has the immense benefit
that it does not define community service
as an “add-on”, but as an integral part of
the core activities of the university. In the
normal course of their studies, students
complete community service modules,
41
learning from applying knowledge in a
community service context.
The way in which this approach benefits
students is fittingly illustrated by the
experiences of students in the Faculty of
Economic and Management Sciences
where the Department of Industrial Psychology
and the School of Management in
particular are leading the way. By integrating
elements of community-service learning
in existing curricula, 15 different
courses involving 160 students were
offered in the Mangaung area in 2003.
Community service must
become an integral part
of the UFS' core activities
– not an 'add-on'. The
university is not separate
from the community,
Prof Fourie said.
Left: Rev Kiepie Jaftha, Chief Director: Community Service (right), in the hub of student life:
Thakaneng Bridge. The current approach to community service learning has the benefit that
students are developing a range of new skills.

Students listed leadership, time and stress
management, sensitivity to cultural differences,
listening skills, work ethic and
group dynamics as the most important
skills they developed during its course.
International and national interest in
activities such as these is growing. Two
student groups from the USA visited the
MUCPP to participate in the programme’s
holistically integrated development model.
Old buildings received a face-lift. Huis Francken, which houses UFS Marketing,
was renamed after Mr Wekkie Saayman, a former rector and registrar.
42
In October the Chief Directorate: Community
Service, under the leadership of
Rev Kiepie Jaftha, presented its second
annual conference with the theme The
integration of community service and research
– more about elephants and ivory
(an allusion to an analogy used by the
Vice-chancellor in his inaugural speech –
see box) during which two experts from the
US acted as keynote speakers.
UFS definitely no ivory
tower: on elephants
and ivory…
In his inaugural speech, Prof
Frederick Fourie illustrated his view
on the desired nature of the relationship
between the university as an academic
institution and its involvement
in broader service to the community,
as follows:
"The analogy of the university as
an ivory tower is a cherished caricature
in modern folkore. If one ponders
that notion for a moment, it
strikes one that such an existence can
only be true of ivory that has been
deliberately detached from the elephant
and turned into a lone-standing
piece of jewellery or a lone ornament.
However, the University of the
Free State, this IVORY, is still very
much attached to the elephant, to the
African elephant, in the veld of the
Free State and Southern Africa. Our
ivory finds its meaning and its nourishment
and vitality from being rooted
in the elephant (i.e. the broader
environment of the province and the
country). At the same time it is a vital
part of the elephant - without its
ivory, the African elephant is a sad,
unbalanced, unwholesome sight, a
vulnerable creature. It cannot do
without the ivory."

In 2003 the UFS allocated
significantly more
funds to faculties for the development
of communityservice
learning modules.
All six faculties as well as
the student support services
are now participating in the
community service initiative,
while a growing number
of staff members read papers related to
community service matters at international
and national conferences .
UV se rol in die kunste al
hoe belangriker
’n Mens kan nie van ’n gebalanseerde
samelewing praat as die kunste nie ook
deel daarvan vorm nie. Kuns kan, soos
sport, help om brûe tussen mense en gemeenskappe
te bou.
Die Universiteit se rol in die uitvoerende
kunste in die sentrale binneland word
al hoe belangriker.
Hiervan getuig die Volksblad-kunstefees
wat weer in Julie op die kampus
aangebied is, sowel as die Macufe-fees in
Oktober waarvoor die Universiteit sy
geriewe beskikbaar gestel het.
Die groot suksesstorie van 2003 was
egter die belangrike bydrae van die UV
om nuwe momentum aan die orkesontwikkelingsprogram
in die Vrystaat te gee
en sodoende ook nuwe lewe aan die
Vrystaatse Simfonie-orkes te gee.
Op inisiatief van die Visekanselier is
met vyf vennote – die Vrystaatse Departement
van Kuns, Kultuur, Tegnologie en
Wetenskap, die Internasionale Kunstetrust,
Pacofs, die Mangaung-munisipaliteit en die
Vrystaatse Musicon – saamgespan om
orkesmusiek in die Vrystaat in ’n nuwe
groeifase in te neem.
Die UV het “saadgeld” van R250 000
gegee vir die aanstelling van sleutelpersoneel,
onder andere die dirigent Christopher
Dowdeswell as artistieke direkteur.
Soortgelyke bedrae wat ander vennote
Sport en
kuns sorg
vir goeie
balans
43
soos die Kunstetrust en die
Provinsie bewillig het, het
die orkes in staat gestel om
weer gereeld konserte in
Bloemfontein asook Welkom
en Kroonstad te hou.
Die UV het in 2003 ook
saam met die Musicon ’n
mede-vennoot geword in
die Bochabela Strings, ’n
baie suksesvolle projek van mnr Peter Guy,
wat vioolonderrig onder swart skoliere
bevorder. Gevorderde leerders word deur
UV-dosente en senior studente onderrig en
die Odeion se fasiliteite word gebruik. Die
orkes het in 2003 gereeld by universiteitsgeleenthede
en ander prestige-geleenthede
in Bloemfontein opgetree.
A new sport phase
After an 18-month investigation and consultation
process, a new sports plan was
unveiled in 2003. It strives to establish the
UFS as an international centre of excellence
in sports development, exercise science,
sport research and sports performance within
five years.
The plan was the culmination of work
under the leadership of Mr Morné du
Plessis, former Springbok rugby captain and
chair of the Laureus Trust in South Africa,
and his firm Sportsplan.
The strategy entails an additional
investment of R3-million over the next
three years in sport and sports facilities, as
well as coaching. Alliances and partnerships
with several bodies and governmental
agencies were also being implemented.
The physical relocation of various
allied disciplines and services in one
building complex was a key step in
achieving synergy in pursuit of these
goals. This involved the relocation of the
Department of Human Movement
Science, Kovsie Sport and the Sports and
Exercise Medicine Clinic closer to the
sports fields with a view to establishing a
centre for sport and recreation science.

Soccer was identified as one of the
main focus and development areas for the
University. A place in the Castle Soccer
League was bought for the Kovsie first
team, which has done well in its induction
year in this league.
As part of the plan the cricket academy
of the Free State Cricket Union is to be
moved to the campus early in 2004. This
will be followed by the establishment of a
centre of excellence to provide professional
sport services to rugby players in the
Free State. The establishment of an academy
for Swimming SA is also on the cards.
Akademie en fakulteite
se rol in die breër
gemeenskap
Die Fakulteit Teologie het in 1980 uit onderhandelinge
tussen die NG Kerk in die
Vrystaat en die Universiteit tot stand gekom
met die hoofoogmerk om predikante
vir die NG Kerk op te lei. Die veranderde
staats- en hoëronderwysbestel sedert 1994
het die proses versnel om van die fakulteit
’n ware ekumeniese instelling te maak en
om as enigste teologiese fakulteit in die
sentrale streek van Suid-Afrika ’n opleidingsdiens
aan ’n wye reeks kerke te
lewer, maar terselfdertyd die gereformeerde
teologiese tradisie te behou en uit te
bou.
Die relatiewe geslaagdheid daarvan
om ’n volwaardige ekumeniese fakulteit te
wees, word bevestig deur dat die NG Kerk
in Afrika reeds formeel betrek is by die
fakulteit se opleidingsprogramme. ’n Hele
aantal studente uit dié kerk het die afgelope
paar jaar afstudeer. Dr David Keta
van die NG Kerk in Afrika is lid van die
permanente doserende personeel. Studente
van enkele ander kerke, soos die Baptiste,
Metodiste, Nederduits Hervormde en
Anglikaanse Kerk, deurloop bepaalde
fasette van hulle opleiding hier. Nagenoeg
40% van die nagraadse studente kom uit
ander kerke as die NG Kerk.
44
As dit kom by kommissie- en konsultasiewerk
in die kerk en kerklike konferensies
word swaar geleun op die kundigheid
van die dosente. Prof Piet Strauss is, ná ’n
termyn as moderator, verkies tot assessor
van die Sinode van die NG Kerk in die
Vrystaat en dien steeds as assessor van die
Algemene Sinode van die NG Kerk.
In die Fakulteit Natuur- en Landbouwetenskappe
is ’n hele aantal departemente
betrokke by diens in die breër gemeenskap,
wat wissel van betrokkenheid
op skoolvlak tot die boubedryf.
Die Departement Wiskunde en Toegepaste
Wiskunde is jare al gemoeid met die
opleiding van talentvolle Vrystaatse leerders
om hulle beter vir wiskunde-olimpiades
toe te rus. In 2003 het 3 van die leerders
die Suid-Afrikaanse span van 6 gehaal
vir die jaarlikse Internasionale Wiskundeolimpiade
wat in Japan gehou is.
Die Departement Vee-, Wild- en Weidingkunde
het ’n projek wat die volhoubare
ekonomiese produksie van eiers
deur kleinboere sal verseker, afgehandel
en is nou met opleiding daaroor besig.
Die Eenheid vir Grondkonstruksie en
Gemeenskapsontwikkeling in die Departement
Argitektuur, wat geruime tyd al opleidingskursusse
in die gebruik van grond
in konstruksie aanbied, het saam met die
Technische Universiteit van Eindhoven ’n
navorsingsbeurs van die Suid-Afrikaans-
Nederlandse Navorsingsprogram vir Alternatiewe
Ontwikkeling (SANPAD) ontvang
om die navorsing na volhoubare, hoëgehalte
grondkonstruksie uit te bou.
Aan die regsfront het die Fakulteit
Regsgeleerdheid regshulp verskaf, onder
meer deur kliënte in strafverhore in die
landdroshof, streekshof, hooggeregshof en
Appèlhof te verteenwoordig. Vanaf Julie
tot November 2003 is 1 790 strafsake, 823
appèlle, 1 245 egskeidings en 146 arbeidsaangeleenthede
hanteer.
In dieselfde trant het die Sentrum vir
Regspraktyk nuusbriewe aan alle regspraktisyns
in die Vrystaat versprei en werks-

winkels gehou wat gerig was op die finansiëledienstesektor.
Voorts is ’n hele aantal
verbeeldingryke ooreenkomste met buiteinstellings
aangegaan om die navorsingen
samelewingsdiensbedrywighede van
die fakulteit op ’n nuwe vlak te plaas.
Voorbeelde hiervan is ’n ooreenkoms met
die Aulai Trust en Rural Development
Trust om regsadvies aan plaaswerkers te
verskaf en ’n ooreenkoms met die Switserse
regering om hoëvlakse navorsing oor
gelyk beregtiging voort te sit.
Regslui van oor die land besoek daagliks
die fakulteit se webwerf vir hofuitsprake
in die webbladsye van die Appèlhof
en die Vrystaatse Hooggeregshof, wat
deur Regsgeleerdheid bedien word.
Die fakulteit sal voortaan ook die webbladsye
van die South African Law
Teachers Association (SALTA)en die South
African Law Deans Association (SALDA)
onderhou.
45
Die Eenheid vir Taalfasilitering en -bemagtiging
in die Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe
het ’n loodsprojek begin om gedeeltes
van die Bybel in gebaretaal vir gehoorgestremdes
in Afrika saam te stel. Die
finale produk sal in videoformaat beskikbaar
wees. Vir die meer as halfmiljoen
dowes in Suid-Afrika sal dit die eerste
Bybel in Suid-Afrikaanse gebaretaal wees.
In die Fakulteit Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe
het die vestiging van
die nuwe Eenheid vir Leierskapstudies in
die Departement Bedryfsielkunde en die
Sentrum vir Besigheidsdinamiek in die
Bestuurskool die fakulteit in ’n nog beter
posisie geplaas om sy insette tot opleiding
en ontwikkeling in die sake- en openbare
sektore uit te brei. Die sentrum sal op die
aanbieding van kort kursusse konsentreer,
en kan in die toekoms ook die aanbieding
van kort kursusse deur ander fakulteite
fasiliteer.
Prof Johan Henning, Dekaan van die Fakulteit Regsgeleerdheid, in die opgeknapte CR Swart-ouditorium.
Die skilderye is deel van die Sonnevanger-reeks van vader Frans Claerhout wat deel is van
die UV-kunsversameling.

Prof Gerhardt de Klerk, Dekaan van die Fakulteit Geesteswetenskappe, op Stabilis-plein, deel van
die voetgangernetwerk op die kampus.
46

6
Restructuring of
Higher Education
The former Qwaqwa campus of the
University of the North (UNIN) was
incorporated into the University of
the Free State with effect from 1 January
2003, signalling the first incorporation to
take place in the country in terms of the
National Plan for Higher Education to
restructure higher education in South
Africa. The incorporation of the
Bloemfontein campus of Vista University
took place on 2 January 2004.
The official opening of the newly
incorporated Qwaqwa campus in
February, with Prof Peter Mbati as Campus
Head, was the culmination of a smoothlyrun
incorporation process and was perceived
as a key step in the achievement of
a long-cherished dream of having one,
non-racial University of the Free State in
the central region of the country.
Prof Peter Mbati, Head of the Qwaqwa
campus with the administrative building
and the beautiful scenery of the
Eastern Free State as backdrop.
47

The Qwaqwa campus - its
first year as part of the UFS
The University’s primary responsibility in
2003 was to ensure that the teaching and
learning needs of all UNIN pipeline students
were adequately catered for, whilst
at the same time phasing in new UFS academic
programmes for the new first-year
entering students. The Qwaqwa leadership
commended the University for its efforts to
secure NSFAS loans to students. This was
critical as it guaranteed that a substantial
number of poor students were able to pursue
their studies.
Participation of staff and students in
both research and community service was
encouraging. However, for the campus to
claim its rightful position, it will be necessary
to encourage further investment in
these important pillars.
Managing the newly created campus
was quite a challenge. In response to a
request from the campus community, the
Vice-chancellor appointed a task team to
make recommendations on the most suitable
model for governance of the Qwaqwa
campus while enhancing a sense of
belonging to a single institution. Its report
makes provision for more authority to be
delegated to the Qwaqwa campus to allow
for more effective day-to-day onsite management
of operational matters, while at
the same time involving line managers on
the Bloemfontein campus in the running of
specific departments.
The future of the Qwaqwa campus will
rely heavily on its ability to be financially
self-sustaining. Other equally important
factors will have to be addressed simultaneously.
Among these are the need to
rededicate efforts in building a staff and
student friendly environment reflected by
the quality of its programmes, improved
physical infrastructure, professionalism of
its staff, and dedication to work.
The success of incorporation will be
measured largely on the integration of the
48
Qwaqwa campus into the University of the
Free State, and allowing the campus space
and opportunities to contribute in a significant
manner to the operations of the
University. Regular visits in 2003 by both
top and middle management from the
main campus in Bloemfontein was a clear
testimony of commitment to the whole
process.
Vista seen as opportunity
for higher education
innovation
A joint incorporation management team of
Vista University (Bloemfontein), led by acting
Campus Head Prof Talvin Schultz, and
the University of the Free State, led by the
Vice-chancellor, met regularly throughout
2003 to facilitate cooperation between the
two institutions up to the incorporation of
the Vista campus on 2 January 2004. On
that date the campus became a satellite
campus of the UFS.
A key principle that was accepted was
non-duplication, in the interest of efficiency.
From 2004 there will be no duplication
of academic offerings on the two campuses
which are about 10 km apart. In the
interim, first-time entering students will
register and attend classes on the main
campus only, while pipeline students (all
students who were registered at Vista
Bloemfontein campus in 2003) will continue
with Vista programmes on the Vista
campus until these are phased out in two
to four years’ time.
The incorporation process gave Vista
(Bloemfontein) and the UFS the novel
opportunity for a fresh start. One of the
main points of discussion therefore was
how best to utilise the Vista campus in the
long term as part of the UFS so that the
higher education and developmental
needs of the Free State and the central
region can best be served.
Both parties agreed that such reconfiguration
should lead to the creation of a

new asset that provides imaginative learning
and training services not currently provided
by the two campuses.
These may include upgrading courses
for adults and working people, short courses,
bridging courses and skills development.
This should ideally be done in partnership
with other role-players in the region,
such as the Central University of Technology,
Free State, the Provincial Government
and the City of Mangaung, as a form
of regional cooperation.
Staff members of the Qwaqwa campus at the Science Centre.
49
Plans are underway to develop this
new scenario for higher education in the
Free State in consultation with other stakeholders
in the central region in 2004.
The fact that a broad consensus on
configuration has been reached already in
the pre-incorporation phase, places the
UFS at the forefront of such higher-education
innovation. Other universities that are
incorporating Vista campuses have decided
to see 2004 as a “holding year” and will
only start talks on the future of the campuses
much later.

Mrs Alida Dippenaar,
Registrar: Information
Services and Technology,
in the new state-of-the-art
computer lab at
Thakaneng Bridge.
50

7
Modernisation of
support systems
Frequent modernisation and upgrading
of management and administrative
systems are imperative, since no
university can stay at the forefront without
its support services keeping abreast of the
latest systems and trends.
In 2003 preparations for the implementation
of a much-needed performance
management project by human resources,
and a R25-million integrated administrative
computer system had to be carried out
along with confronting the challenges
posed by the incorporation of the
Qwaqwa campus.
The performance management project,
PMP ke Nako, consists of integrated
subprojects and seeks to establish an equitable
environment, promote a culture of
choice, recognise outstanding performance
and provide an opportunity for individual
growth.
The project elements are total-remuneration
package structuring (to establish
an equitable remuneration system), a performance-review
system (to establish a system
for the objective evaluation of individual
or team contribution), job evaluation
(to establish a post-grading structure
which will provide a logical and equitable
basis for determining the relative worth of
posts) and staff development and career
management (to provide a capacity-building
opportunity for staff).
For the Human Resources Division
integration of the management of staff on
the Qwaqwa campus posed a major challenge
as far as alignment of the conditions
51
of service, expansion and reduction of
departments and remuneration were concerned.
Progress was also made with
modernising the policy framework of the
UFS by the approval of new policies with
respect to leave and study benefits.
The switchover to the integrated
administrative computer system, People-
Soft, is one of the largest and most expensive
single projects tackled by the
University in many years. The decision to
install this system was made to ensure that
the University meets the changing needs
of its clients in a world where there is a
convergence of technology and function.
The system caters for the needs in the
three key areas of human resources,
finances and student affairs. The module
for human resources has already been
implemented. The financial system is
ready to be implemented after the closing
of the 2003/2004 financial year, followed
by the implementation of the student system
by May 2004.
To reap the benefits of the dramatic
advances taking place in information and
communication technology, synergy in the
electronic information environment was
achieved by consolidating the Library and
Information Services Division, Computer
Services, Publication Services and the technological
environment for E-learning.
At the Library and Information
Services (LIS) a large-scale change to webbased
information applications increased
access to full-text articles, web OPAC systems
in libraries world-wide and academic
information systems. During 2003 the LIS

Professionele webwerf vir UV ontwikkel
In April 2002 is ’n omvattende universiteitswye projek
aangepak om die UV se webwerf te herstruktureer om ’n
werklik professionele webruimte met ’n gestandaardiseerde
styl en gehalte tot stand te bring. Mev Alida Dippenaar,
Registrateur: Inligtingsdienste en -tegnologie, het as
oorhoofse projekbestuurder opgetree.
Met die hulp van die Internetmaatskappy New Media
Digital is webblaaie van nuuts af ontwikkel, ontwerp en van
inligting voorsien. Laasgenoemde was geen geringe taak nie,
siende dat alle inligting in Afrikaans en Engels aangebied
word in ooreenstemming met die UV se Taalbeleid.
’n Beta-weergawe van die webblad is in Mei 2003 geaktiveer,
en die UV se nuwe webblad is uiteindelik drie
maande later, in Augustus, bekend gestel. In daardie stadium
is die blad onder bestuur van die hoof van die Afdeling
Strategiese Kommunikasie, mnr Anton Fisher, geplaas omdat
dit as die belangrikste kommunikasie- en inligtingsbron van
die Universiteit beskou word.
Above and right: The Library and Information Services at
the Qwaqwa campus.
52
had access to 136 databases and 7 800
links to full-text electronic journals on the
library’s web page. The cost-benefit factor
of expensive databases is illustrated by the
fact that clients had 56 000 hours of simultaneous
access to databases. This constitutes
76 000 sessions of which 51 000
were mostly by lecturers and students.
An increased number of computer
facilities was made available to students in
the UFS-Sasol Library and at Thakaneng
Bridge, where a highly modern PC laboratory
with 190 PCs was installed. These
include facilities for the blind and visuallyimpaired
students. Full Internet access is
available at all the facilities, as well as in
every room in the student residences.
Computer Services completed the first
phase for the total upgrading of the campus
intranet network, which will be concluded
in 2004. In addition the cabling
will also be upgraded.
The advantage of this for E-learning,
video-streaming and especially high-speed
information communication is indispensable.
It also offers the possibility of wireless
information communication.
WebCT was purchased as learning
management system for presenting an
integrated learning model. The Faculties of
Economic and Management Sciences and
Health Sciences are already using the system.
The UFS web site, the primary source
of official news and information about the
UFS, was restructured and comprehensively
expanded, with new technology
resulting in a client-driven site.
The incorporation of the Qwaqwa
campus impacted quite heavily on the
information and communication technology
resources. Nearly 28 000 books had to
be catalogued electronically and the information
services modernised to be based
mainly on web-based access. The
Qwaqwa campus network and e-mail
facility, Groupwise, had to be integrated
with the Bloemfontein campus.

54
Besteding aan beligting van die nuwe
wandellane het ook ’n veiliger kampus
meegebring.

8 Gesonde
bestedingspatroon
Fundamenteel vir voortbestaan van ’n
robuuste universiteit
Nadat die finansiële draaistrategie in
Januarie 2000 aangekondig is, was
daar binne maande aanduidings
dat die mikpunte bereik sou word. Binne
’n jaar is ’n geprojekteerde verlies van R14
miljoen in ’n surplus van R42 miljoen
omskep – ’n draai van R56 miljoen. Skielik
was daar miljoene rande beskikbaar om
diskresionêr aan te wend om van die UV ’n
topgehalte universiteit te maak. Die verwagte
driejaar-draaidoelwit van R60
miljoen is in minder as twee jaar nie net
bereik nie, maar oorskry.
Aan die begin van 2002 kon die draaidoelwit
opgestoot word tot R105 miljoen.
Dit is in 2003 bereik. Toe die UV-begroting
vir 2004 – die oorspronklike mikpuntjaar
– saamgestel is, was die voorsienbare
ommekeer in die begroting ongeveer R115
miljoen, bykans dubbel die aanvanklike
doelwit. Kumulatief sou die draaistrategie
vanaf 2001 tot 2004 ongeveer R380
miljoen ekstra beskikbaar maak vir diskresionêre,
strategiese aanwending en
investering in fasiliteite, toerusting en personeel.
Dit is gelyk aan bykans een jaar se
totale uitgawes van die universiteit ekstra.
Nadat personeelgetalle aanvanklik verminder
is, kon personeelvergoeding en
-voordele ook weer verhoog word, met
meer as sowat R50 miljoen bykomend aan
hierdie komponente.
55
Fondse beskikbaar vir strategiese aanwending en bykomende
personeelvergoeding as gevolg van draaistrategie.
Die gemiddelde vergoedingsvlak van personeel is van
2000 af deur drie opeenvolgende verhogings van ongeveer
11% elk altesaam verhoog met 37,6% – in ’n tydperk waarin
die lewenskoste (die verbruikersprysindeks) slegs met 22,1%
gestyg het. Salarisagterstande wat UV-personeel in die
1990’s opgebou het, is dus in groot mate aangespreek
(hoewel dit ietwat in die wiele gery is deur die hoë inflasie
in 2002/3 weens die verswakking van die rand).
Hoewel die draaiplan aanvanklik personeelvermindering
behels het, was die hoofdoel van die strategie om
beskikbare fondse te verhoog en, veral, fondse te verskuif

vanaf oormatige besteding op
personeel na afgeskeepte maar
noodsaaklike elemente, om sodoende
’n volhoubare gesonde
bestedingspatroon te bewerkstellig.
Een groot oogmerk met
die finansiële draaistrategie,
naas die verbetering van die
globale finansiële posisie van
die UV, was dus om ’n gesonde
bestedingspatroon te vestig met
gebalanseerde toekennings aan
onder meer personeel, kapitaal
en lopende uitgawes. So ’n patroon
is een van die mees fundamentele
vereistes vir die
voortbestaan van ’n robuuste,
hoëgehalte-universiteit.
Om dit te verseker, is kernkategorieë
van besteding geïdentifiseer
as “pilare” van ’n
gesondepraktyk-begroting. Dit
het veral te doen met die verskanste
minimum-befondsing
van sleutelelemente soos kapitaal
en geboue, duursame toerusting,
biblioteek- en inligtingsbronne,
rekenaar- en ander
infrastruktuur, ens.
Die pilare is geformuleer in
terme van wenslike persentasies
van totale inkomste. (In die afgelope
jare is hierdie bedrae ingefaseer.)
Totale besteding aan
personeelvergoeding word andersyds
beperk tot 53% van totale
inkomste.
Die sukses van die draaistrategie,
wat grootliks toegeskryf
word aan die snelle toename in
studentegetalle, het dit in die
2003 finansiële jaar moontlik
gemaak om meer as R67 miljoen
aan strategiese kwessies te
bestee. R34 miljoen hiervan is
eerstens aangewend om die
sogenaamde pilare van `n gesondepraktyk-begroting
verder te befonds.
Wat die aanwending van die balans van die strategiese
fondse betref, kan die volgende genoem word:
Vergoedingskoste en billikheid
Infasering van behuisingstoelaag R1,6 miljoen
Mediese voordele R2 miljoen
Menslike hulpbronontwikkeling R1 miljoen
Billikheid R3 miljoen
Voorsiening vir verlofgratifikasie R2 miljoen
Studente-aangeleenthede
Kampusbeveiliging R1 miljoen
Onderrighulpmiddele: R1 miljoen
Lesinglokale
Oop- en volwasseleer R0,5 miljoen
Sportplan R1 miljoen
Rekenaarlaboratorium R3,4 miljoen
Ander strategiese aangeleenthede
Samelewingsdiens R,6 miljoen
Entrepreneuriese ondersteuning R1 miljoen
Programvestiging, bemarking R2 miljoen
Vervanging van rekenaarstelsels R5 miljoen
Die skitterende resultate met betrekking tot hulpbronbestuur
het die Universiteit van die Vrystaat
gevestig as ’n leier in veranderingsbestuur in die hoër
onderwys in die land.
Verder het die finansiële prestasie dit vir die
Universiteit moontlik gemaak om in sy belangrikste
hulpbron, sy mense, te begin belê deur salarisverhogings
en bevorderings. Baie miljoene is ook in die
akademiese kern en fasiliteite belê.
Die sukses van die draaistrategie was nie net tot
voordeel van die Universiteit nie, maar van die hele
sentrale binneland.
Dit het ’n groot ekonomiese inspuiting beteken
vir een van die grootste organisasies en werkskeppers
in Bloemfontein en die Vrystaat. Bloot die besteding
wat deur die verdubbeling in die studentemassa
asook die nuwe boubedrywighede op die kampus
veroorsaak is, het sedert 2000 honderde miljoene
rand vir die stad beteken.
56

Balansstaat Balance sheet
2003 2002
Bates (Rm) (Rm) Assets
Nie-bedryfsbates 589,9 401,3 Non-operating assets
Bedryfsbates 437,7 401,0 Current assets
Totale bates 1 027,6 802,3 Total assets
Fondse en laste Funds and liabilities
Fondse beskikbaar 736,0 658,0 Funds available
Nie-bedryfslaste 220,6 88,4 Non-current liabilities
Bedryfslaste 71,0 55,9 Current liabilities
Totale fondse en laste 1 027,6 802,3 Total funds and liabilities
Inkomstestaat Income Statement
Totale inkomste 687,7 560,1 Total Income
Staatstoekennings 343,6 281,03 Government subsidy
Klasgelde en ander 194,3 141,0 Tuition fees and other
fooi-inkomste fee income
Kontrakte 40,0 37,0 Contracts
Skenkings 9,7 16,7 Donations
Ander 15,0 13,0 Other
Nie herhalende items 21,4 22,2 Non-repetitive items
Rente en dividende 63,7 49,1 Interest and dividends
Totale uitgawes 611,2 451,8 Total expenditure
Personeelvergoeding 352,6 268,9 Staff remuneration
Ander bedryfsuitgawes 210,1 149,1 Other operating expenditure
Depresiasie 38,9 30,8 Depreciation
Finansieringskoste 2,6 3,1 Financing charges
Ander 7,2 0 Other
Netto surplus 76,5 108,4 Net surplus
Kontantvloeistaat Cash Flow Statement
Netto kontant invloei 169,7 159,4 Net cash flow from
uit bedryfsaktiwiteite operating activities
Kontant aangewend in (201,3) (123,2) Cash utilised in
beleggingsaktiwiteite investing activities
Kontant uit /(aangewend vir) (3,3) 12,2 Cash from/(utilised in)
finansieringsaktiwiteite financing activities
Kontant en kontant 41,0 75,9 Cash and cash
ekwivalente aan die equivalents
einde van die jaar at end of year
57

9 Students: some
notable events
Although it is generally felt that UFS
sporting achievements have been
somewhat mediocre in the last few
years, several students did excel at a
national level. Chris Dednam was selected
as a member of the South African Protea
badminton team who took part in the
Africa Cup, while three netball players
made the SA Protea netball team. They
were Karin Venter, Charlene du Toit and
Annari Store.
Three Shimla rugby players, Juan
Smith, Hendro Scholtz and Friedrich
Lombaard, were elected as Springboks in
2003, with Smith making the World Cup
squad. Neil Powell, Hanru Haupt and
Tondary Schawanga were selected as
Springbok sevens players.
Long-distance runner Johan Cronje
(800 and 1 500) has been included in the
Athletics South Africa squad which is earmarked
for participation in the 2004 and
2008 Olympic Games.
Kovsies maak skoonskip
by Sêr-kompetisie
Twee koshuise van die UV het vier van die
vyf toekennings gewen op die ATKV se
Nasionale Sêr-kompetisie wat by die
Potchefstroomse Universiteit gehou is.
Huis NJ van der Merwe was die wenner in
die kategorie vir meisies en het ook die
59
afdeling vir die beste verwerking van die
verpligte liedjie vir die meisies, Singing in
the rain, gewen. Dit is die eerste keer in
die geskiedenis van die kompetisie dat ’n
swart koshuis as wenner aangewys is.
Veritas, een van die stadshuise, was
die wenner in die manskategorie en het
ook die prys vir die beste Afrikaanse komposisie
ingepalm. Dit was die derde keer
sedert die instelling van die kompetisie dat
Veritas as wenner aangewys is.
SRC elections challenged
On the Bloemfontein campus the elections
for the Students’ Representative
Council (SRC) suffered a three-week long
delay following a very late request by
members of the South African Students
Congress (SASCO) and the ANC Youth
League (ANCYL) to change the student
electoral system to one of proportional
representation.
At the insistence of the Bloemfontein
office of the Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC), a referendum was held
under IEC-control to decide the issue. The
majority of students (63,3 %) voted against
a change to a proportional representation
system. The SRC election went ahead
without any hitches on 4 September 2003
under supervision of the IEC.
Links: Die nuwe inligtingspunt by Thakaneng-brug verskaf ’n eenstop-inligtingsdiens aan
studente. Die Studenteraad se vergadersaal en kantore het ook na die eerste vloer van die nuwe
studentesentrum geskuif.

Umbrella structure for three campuses
In June student leaders from the Bloemfontein, Qwaqwa and Vista
campuses joined forces to develop an umbrella student-council
structure for the three campuses in preparation for the incorporation
of Vista's Bloemfontein campus in 2004. Although this process was
still incomplete at year's end, much progress was made. The work is
set to be completed during 2004.
A student enjoys a quiet moment on the campus.
60
Following allegations of voting irregularities
during the referendum (not the
election itself), the auditing firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) was
appointed to do an independent audit.
PWC found that at most 5% of votes might
have been altered, not enough to have
influenced the outcome of the referendum.
SASCO and ANCYL continued to
demand that the University disband the
“illegal SRC”. Failing this, they threatened
to establish “our own democratic SRC”,
occupy the SRC offices, and “render the
whole management ungovernable”.
Hence the Management obtained an interdict
against the intended actions to avoid
disruption of lectures, tests and upcoming
examinations.
The UFS took up the matter with the
national IEC office. Based on a study of the
full set of available documents the Chief
Electoral Officer of the National IEC
unequivocally concluded as follows:
• “It was also noted that some evidence
of possible vote tampering was found,
but that the maximum extent of possible
vote tampering was of such a limited
scale that the outcome of the referendum
could not have been affected.”
• “Since the SRC election itself was
without any problems or allegations of
tampering, there is no reason not to
accept the outcome of the election.”
Throughout this process the University
management stressed that its only interest
was to protect the integrity of the electoral
process, and that it was immaterial to the
University which student grouping won
the SRC election. The University Council
also decided that in future proposals
regarding changes in the SRC constitution
(which includes the electoral system) must
be handled before the June Council meeting,
to ensure orderly SRC elections.

10
Conclusion:
towards 2004
The University of the Free State ends
the year 2003 in a stronger position
than at the beginning of 2003. While
we have much to celebrate in 2003 in terms
of quality in teaching, research and community
service, we also celebrate significant
successes in the areas of justice, equity and
diversity management. The incorporation of
the Qwaqwa and Vista Bloemfontein campuses,
although adding additional management
burdens and challenges, also provides
us with exciting opportunities to serve higher
education in the Free State and central
regions in innovative ways.
All the above were achieved and pursued
in full alignment with the strategic priorities
of the University in 2003, i.e. quality,
equity and redress, financial sustainability,
and higher education restructuring – as well
as the vision of a new Vice-chancellor and
Rector.
The year 2003 was a good year full of
blessings for the University of the Free
61
State. For that we thank our heavenly
Father.
At the end of 2003 we also eagerly anticipate
our 2004 centenary celebrations,
which kick off on 28 January, the birthday of
the University of the Free State as a highereducation
institution in 1904.
Several events throughout the year will
celebrate the Centenary: from joyful student
parties to special graduation ceremonies
to an international conference on
democracy, diversity and development.
Through this conference the University of
the Free State hopes to stimulate a critical
national discourse on the kind of society
we wish to be transforming into.
It signals our attitude at this important
moment in our history: looking forward
from 10 years of democracy and 100 years
of scholarship, shaping the future through
critical discourse and scholarship. Doing
what a good university should do.

Members and composition
of the Council
Chairperson
Judge S P B (Faan) Hancke
Vice-chairperson
Mr D C M (Dines) Gihwala
The Rector and Vice-chancellor
Prof F C van N (Frederick) Fourie
Acting Vice-rector: Academic Operations
Prof G N (Gerrit) van Wyk
Acting Vice-rector: Academic Planning
Prof M (Magda) Fourie
Acting Vice-rector: Student Affairs
Prof T (Teuns) Verschoor
Appointed by the Minister of Education
Prof S C (Shirley) Walters
Dr M D (David) Mosimege
Appointed by the Premier of the Free State
Dr V (Victor) Litlhakanyane
Dr C M (Charles) Nwaila
Elected by the Senate
Prof D J (Daan) de Waal
Prof D F M (Danie) Strauss
Prof J J (Johan) Henning
Members of the religious community
Dr G P V (Vickie) le Roux
(Dutch Reformed Church)
Elected by the alumni
Judge S P B (Faan) Hancke
Mr C J (Jan) Grobler
Elected by the convocation
Mr P J (Piet) Steytler
Elected by the donors
Dr J M (Kobus) Laubscher
Prof J D (Johan) Nortjé
Mr J D (Klippies) Steenkamp
Elected by the academic staff who
are not members of Senate
Prof C R (Robert) Dennis
63
Prof M M (Marietjie) Nel
Elected by the service workers
Mr S (Simon) Khosana
Appointed by the Students'
Representative Council
Mr Q (Quintin) du Plessis (SRC President)
Mr M (Martin) Botha (SRC Vice-president)
Appointed by the South African Local
Government Association: Free State
Mr M J (Mojalefa) Matlole
Mr L G A Masoetsa
Appointed by Council
Dr N (Nathan) Bagarette
Mr J J (Jonathan) Crowther
Mr D C M (Dines) Gihwala
Dr F de K (Frans) Kotzé
Ms M S (Sarah) Mlamleli
Mr F K Morule
Mr J H (Jan) Fourie
In advisory capacity:
Mr V F (Vernon) Collett (Registrar:
Student Academic Services)
Mr A (Anton) Fisher (Head: Strategic
Communication)
Mr L S (Lourens) Geyer (Director: Human
Resources)
Rev C D (Kiepie) Jaftha (Chief Director:
Community Service)
Mr A (Arie) van der Bijl (Director: Budgets)
Prof D A (Niel) Viljoen (Chief Director:
Operations)
Mr C R (Chris) Liebenberg (Director:
Financial Administration)
Prof I N (Izak) Steyn (Registrar: General)
Mr W S (Willem) Malherbe (Registrar:
Strategic Planning)
Ms E (Edma) Pelzer (Director: Physical
Resources & Special Projects)

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