INSTITUTIONAL FORUM

CONSOLIDATED PRESENTATIONS FROM I.F. WORSHOP COMMISSIONS

I.F. WORKSHOP, 17-19 JUNE 2009

CHINTSA, EAST LONDON

Ms Nosipho Dabata: IF Deputy Chairperson

Dr. Loyiso Mbabane: I.F. Chairperson

BACKGROUND• This presentation builds on the work of three

Commissions from the workshop;• It incorporates follow up discussions at

plenary and input from external experts;• The slides are not necessarily arranged in

the exact order of the commission sessions, although the format is similar;

• The idea is to summarize the key themes.• 04/21/23 2

GOVERNANCE• “EFFECTIVE & EFFICIENT LEADERSHIP

PRACTICES” AT WSU IS THE MAIN CONCERN :• “LEADERSHIP” IN THIS CASE REFERS TO:

– “The leadership of the entire university”.• I.F. WILL SUPPORT NEW MEASURES FOR

PERFORMANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS, INCLUDING THE SETTING OF KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS, ETC. TO ENSURE THE ATTAINMENT OF ABOVE GOAL.

• TO USE THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE I.F. AND ITS PROGRAMME OF ACTION TO MONITOR THE ATTAINMET OF THE OBJECTIVES.

304/21/23

-Effective and efficient leadership-

• IF WILL DEVELOP CLOSE WORKING RELATIONS WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS.

• I.F. CONSTITUTION TO BE DRAFTED, WHICH WILL ALSO GOVERN PARTICIPATION BY MEMBERS AND TALK TO NON-ATTENDANCE.

• THE CONSTITUTION WILL STIPULATE THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT AN IF MEMBER CAN MISS AND THE SANCTIONS AGAINST VIOLATORS.

404/21/23

GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES• I.F. TO LOOK INTO THE COMPOSITION AND

IMPACT OF W.S.U. STRUCTURES, E.G.:– SRC; SENATE; COUNCIL; EM;

• I.F. WILL REVIEW GENDER AND STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATION IN ALL STRUCTURES TO ENSURE ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION IN LINE WITH LEGISLATION AND EMPOWERMENT PRESCRIPTS.

• I.F. WILL ENCOURAGE MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF ALL INSTITUTIONAL COMMITTEES AND ALSO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION BY ALL STAKEHOLDERS.

504/21/23

GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES – Cont.

• I.F. TO ENGAGE MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE THE PROPER SPACING OF MEETINGS; AS WELL AS CO-ORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.

• I.F. TO RECOMMEND CONTINUITY OF LEADERSHIP IN STRUCTURES AND TO DISCOURAGE OVER-COMMITMENT OF A FEW INDIVIDUALS.

• THE ABOVE WILL ADDRESS THE CONCERN THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY MEETINGS AND THE RESULTANT POOR ATTENDANCE.

604/21/23

GOVERNANCE ENVIRONMENT• NEED STREAMLINING OF POLICIES (WSU HAS

PLETHORA OF POLICIES, LEADING TO APATHETIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEM) (CAN INTEGRATE AND/OR RE-GROUP SOME SIMILAR POLICIES).

• TO ALSO CALL FOR MEASURES THAT WILL PROMPOTE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELEVANT REGULATORY FRAMEWORK BY MANAGEMENT AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS.

• I.F. WILL SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL THE WSU POLICIES.

• TO SET UP AN I.F. WEBSITE THAT WILL ALSO INCLUDE A BLOG ON MALPRACTICES AND POLICY VIOLATIONS.

704/21/23

EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF COUNCIL

• SUBMIT THE WORKSHOP OUTCOMES AND I.F. PROGRAMME OF ACTION TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AND SEEK NOTING BY COUNCIL.

• INFORM COUNCIL OF MATTERS THAT I.F. WILL BE SEIZED WITH AND SEEK THEIR SUPPORT.

• SEEK COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO ENSURE THAT ALL RELEVANT POLICIES GO THROUGH THE I.F. AND TO RESTORE ITS STATUS AND PROFILE.

• PROPOSE THAT COUNCIL SHOULD USE I.F. AS THE POLICY DRIVER FOR TRANSFORMATION AND EMPOWERMENT, INCLUDING FOLLOWING UP ON THE MINISTERIAL REPORTS AND IMPENDING NATIONAL INDABA (MARCH 2010).

804/21/23

I.F. Rules of Engagement

To form an IF Executive Committee– Composition

• Chairperson• Deputy Chairperson• Six additional members, to be elected by the I.F.• At least 50% of above to be women.

904/21/23

Terms of office

• Chair :one year recommended.

• Deputy chair : two years (for continuity)

(The issue of the re-election of above portfolios will be outlined in the proposed constitution and finalized after further debate by the I.F.).

1004/21/23

Functions

The Executive Committee shall be responsible for:• Day to day execution of the IF mandate.• Inviting IF agenda items from all stakeholders. • Circulation to members of IF of all correspondence,

including IF minutes (oversee) within the set time-frames• Drafting all memoranda and reports to the relevant

parties as per the resolutions of the IF.• Reporting back to the IF on all executive engagements.• (Carrying out other functions as outlined in the

constitution: which is yet to be finalized).

1104/21/23

Rules of engagement for monitoring

Engaging Council– Chairperson prepares a report on IF resolutions

and gets it ratified electronically by all members of IF within a given timeframe (to be decided on). Those who did not respond within the stipulated time-frame will be regarded as in consensus

– Report is forwarded to the Secretary of Council with request to be tabled as an agenda item at the next Council meeting

1204/21/23

Engagement with the VC

• The Executive Committee constructively engages with the office of the VC;

• Arrange scheduled meetings with the office of VC as often as is necessary but not less than four times a year

1304/21/23

Principles of IF

IF subscribes to the core values of WSU in all its deliberations and commits itself to:

– Mutual respect;– Ubuntu;– Humility;– Good citizenship;– Student centeredness;– Endorses and upholds all the principles of Batho Pele.

1404/21/23

Principles of IF(Continued)

IF shall endeavour to resolve issues through consensus and, as a last resort, issues will be resolved through voting.

1504/21/23

Transformation at WSU

• I.F. to move for the re-evaluation of transformation; empowerment and “developmental university” meaning; status and understanding at W.S.U.

• To campaign for the injection of a new culture in all the main areas of WSU.

• New culture to include a review of our approach to Learning and Teaching (to be in line with transformation & development)

16

-Transformation-

• I.F. to take an active role in ensuring the rooting out of any unethical; immoral or illegal activities at WSU on the part of staff; students; executive leadership and any other stakeholder.

• I.F. to request the speedy development and finalization of our Sexual Harassment policy and to ensure stiff punitive measures against all offenders.

• I.F. to be the “whistle-blower” on all malpractices at WSU.

1704/21/23

-Transformation-

• I.F. to be the watchdog over the implementation of all relevant policies;

• Transformation should not be about quantity, it should be about producing quality: conversion of quantity to quality and vice versa.

1804/21/23

-Transformation-

• Transformation is about creating a university of first choice: Need for resources, good quality equipment, attraction and retention of staff and students.

• Transformation and development are also about creating out of WSU: an employer of first choice; a graduate of first choice and a “corporate citizen” of first choice.

1904/21/23

-Developmental Transformation-

• Staff and student development should be the priority so that the student that is produced is the first choice graduate.

• IF will campaign for measures to ensure that the working environment is conducive.

• IF to also push for practical measures to root out moral degeneration, including any sexual harassment and unethical conduct.

2004/21/23

A CAMPAIGNING I.F.:• IF welcomes the offer from Prof. Crain Soudien (Co-

chair of IF at UCT and Chair of Ministerial Committee, 2008) of partnership with Nelson Mandela Museum (Mthatha). For their commitment it was recommended that of the two outstanding external members of IF, one must come from N.M. Museum.

• IF must request Council to fast track the issue of the establishment of a new Faculty of Agriculture.

• Encourage a culture of information sharing at WSU particularly amongst statutory bodies.

2104/21/23

- A campaigning I.F.-

• IF must be inducted by EM (internal) so as to familiarize it with the programmes of the institution

• I.F. must drive the campaign of transformation of our institution and start a debate in preparation of the national indaba on higher education transformation (March, 2010) amongst the members of the WSU community.

- A campaigning I.F.-The theme of this IF: A campaigning IF:

•It must be visible and take up issues at various forums of the university

•The harmonization and implementation of policies must be at the centre of engendering a new culture:

- Salaries- Working Conditions

Charter for development and transformation

• IF should offer its assistance to Council to help Council to draft a Charter for Development and Transformation;

• Council should be encouraged to use the IF as the platform to respond to the Ministerial follow-up on the, “Report of the Ministerial Committee on Transformation and Social Cohesion and the Elimination of Discrimination in Public Higher Education Institutions” (30 Nov. 2008).;

2404/21/23

-Charter for development & transformation-

• IF is happy to organize internal debates and workshops in preparation for the Ministerial national Indaba on transformation in Higher Education (March, 2010).

• IF is looking at a one day workshop on the 14th of August (after the planned IF meeting and policy workshop) to start the transformation and development debate.

• Council participation will be solicited..

2504/21/23

26

THANK YOU; ENKOSI; REALEBOHA; DANKIE