TRANSFORMATION PLAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN AND STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training

TRANSFORMATION PLAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

AND STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY

Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training

24 June 2015

DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Overview

• Background to transformation of higher education in South Africa:

White Paper 3;

Findings of the Ministerial Committee on Transformation and Social Cohesion; and

Recommendations to Universities.

• Transformation at Stellenbosch University

• Transformation at the University of Cape Town

2

Overview


- White Paper 3

- Findings of the Ministerial Committee on Transformation and Social Cohesion

- Recommendations to Universities



2

Overview


White Paper 3;





3

White Paper 3• The White Paper 3: A Framework for the

Transformation of Higher Education (1997) sought to guide programmes and processes aimed at transforming the post-apartheid education system, with a vision of a transformed, democratic, non-racial and non-sexist system of higher education that will “support a democratic ethos and a culture of human rights by educational programmes and practices conducive to critical discourse and creative thinking, cultural tolerance, and a common commitment to a humane, non-racist and non-sexist social order”

• The White Paper outlined the framework for change, and comprehensive set of initiatives for the transformation of higher education

3

Highly skilled graduates

Highly skilled graduates

To produce graduates with the skills and competencies that build the foundations for lifelong learning, including, critical, analytical, problem-solving and communication skills, as well as the ability to deal with change and diversity, in particular, the tolerance of different views and ideas.”

To produce graduates with the skills and competencies that build the foundations for lifelong learning, including, critical, analytical, problem-solving and communication skills, as well as the ability to deal with change and diversity, in particular, the tolerance of different views and ideas.”

High level research capacity

High level research capacity

“To secure and advance high-level research capacity which can ensure both the continuation of self-initiated, open-ended intellectual inquiry, and the sustained application of research activities to technological improvement and social development.”

Human resource development

Human resource development

“To promote human resource development through programmes that are responsive to the social, political, economic and cultural needs of the country and which meet the best standards of academic scholarship and professional training.”

“To promote human resource development through programmes that are responsive to the social, political, economic and cultural needs of the country and which meet the best standards of academic scholarship and professional training.”

Quality of teaching and learning

Quality of teaching and learning

“To improve the quality of teaching and learning throughout the system and, in particular to ensure that curricula are responsive to the national and regional context.”

“To improve the quality of teaching and learning throughout the system and, in particular to ensure that curricula are responsive to the national and regional context.”

Collaboration Collaboration “To encourage interaction through co-operation and partnerships among institutions of higher education and between such institutions and all sectors of the wider society.”

“To encourage interaction through co-operation and partnerships among institutions of higher education and between such institutions and all sectors of the wider society.” 4

Demographic profiles

Demographic profiles

To provide a full spectrum of advanced educational opportunities for an expanding range of the population irrespective of race, gender, age, creed or class or other forms of discrimination.”


Representative staff

Representative staff



Institutional Culture


“To encourage and build an institutional environment and culture based on tolerance and respect.”“To encourage and build an institutional environment and culture based on tolerance and respect.”

GovernanceGovernance “To transform and democratize the governance structures of higher education“To transform and democratize the governance structures of higher education

5

Overview


White Paper 3;





6

Committee on Transformation and Social Cohesion

• In March 2008, the then Minister of Education, Ms Naledi Pandor, appointed a Ministerial Committee on Transformation and Social Cohesion and Elimination of Discrimination in Public Higher Education, headed by Professor Crain Soudien, to “investigate discrimination in public higher education institutions, with a focus on racism and to make appropriate recommendations to combat discrimination and to promote social cohesion”

• The Committee was asked to report on the nature and extent of racism in public higher education, particularly the university residences, as well as other forms of discrimination such as gender, ethnicity and disability and on the steps that have been taken by institutions to combat discrimination

6

Overview


White Paper 3;





7

Findings of the Soudien Report

• The state of transformation in higher education that racism was endemic within institutions and is painfully slow

• There was little or no internal dialogue between institutional constituencies on issues of transformation, and the institutional forums which should be facilitating such dialogue were quiet

• Most institutions adopt the compliance approach with the focus on numerical targets or changing the racial demography which is not a true measure of the success of transformation

7

Overview


White Paper 3;





8

Findings of the Soudien Report

• While institutions have made a remarkable progress in achieving regulatory compliance, and have a range of policies in place to address issues of transformation, concerns remain policy implementation and the questions of transforming the institutional culture

• Focus areas: staff experience, language, student living and governance

8

Overview


White Paper 3;





9

Soudien Report: Staff Experience

• Reasons for failure to retain black and women staff was associated with institutional culture and discrimination faced by black academics; rather than the higher salaries offered in the public and private sectors

• The Committee also noted the ‘culture of silence’ that permeated institutions, because of fear of victimisation

• While institutions have put initiatives in place to address issues of staff equity, transformation and discrimination, the real-life experiences of staff members, suggested that racism remains a problem in many institutions

9

Overview


White Paper 3;





10

Soudien Report: Staff Experience

• Entry of new black staff was seen to be impeded by the absence of effective mechanisms for monitoring appointment processes

• Many institutions, despite having impressive transformation policies, seemed to struggle to build a sense of social cohesion in which all staff members feel equally valued– In relation to gender, it was suggested that while

there is ’formal equality’ between genders, a ‘male dominated’ culture persisted at SU

10

Overview


White Paper 3;





11

Soudien Report: Language• The report noted that language is critical to higher

education transformation as it impacts institutional culture, access and success

• In the Historically Afrikaans-medium institutions , where either a parallel medium or a dual medium language policy in place, the language policy required, as a minimum requirement for employment, that staff members are proficient in both English and Afrikaans

• It was found that even if staff members meet the minimum requirement, they may not feel totally comfortable in Afrikaans, which tends to be the language of communication within the institutions

• The parallel medium language policy was seen as a main obstacle to transformation because it divides the students

11

Overview


White Paper 3;





12

Soudien Report: Student Living

• At the policy level, all historically white institutions were committed to the integration of residences– first-year places were allocated based in order of

priority namely, disability, race, gender, age, financial need and distance from home; while some institutions used quota system based on the demographic composition of the student

• Presence of strong hierarchical structures • Alumni seemed to play an important role in maintaining

the identity, culture and tradition of the residences• Residence committees were not racially representative,

given their role in placements, as well as in coordinating the residence-based diversity programmes

12

Overview


White Paper 3;





13

Soudien Report: Governance

• In some Council, policies that may be “unpopular” are approved in order to comply with legislative and regulatory requirements, but with the full knowledge that, in practice, little attempt would be made to implement the policies or to ensure their success

• The acceptance of limited change, but ‘only so far’, i.e. as long as it does not fundamentally alter established patterns of institutional culture, and the established power relations and patterns of authority was noted

• The alumni played an active role in challenging and questioning the University’s policies on transformation and, in particular, with regard to language and residences

13

Overview


White Paper 3;





14

Soudien Report: Governance

• In some institutions, black council members, who raised issues relating to transformation, were marginalised and even voted out of office

• With regard to student governance, the general concerns were mainly influenced by the perception that student political organisations are too focused on national political issues and not on serving and/or representing the interests of students on campus

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Overview


White Paper 3;





15

Recommendations to HEIs• Institutions to take up the challenge of finding additional

sources of funding to support and mentor staff members upon their entry into academia

• The VCs of the institutions to be held directly accountable for the achievement of employment equity targets. Council should take direct responsibility for monitoring employment equity by establishing an employment equity sub-committee, chaired by an external member of Council

• De facto racial segregation and discrimination that result in racially defined room allocations be abolished in favour of placement policies that create the opportunity for students from different backgrounds to live together

15

Overview


White Paper 3;





16

Recommendations to HEIs

• Processes to be put in place to ensure that residence committees are demographically representative

• Organisational and governance structure of residences be reviewed to ensure that the power and authority that senior students have over junior students are removed entirely

• Student orientation programmes should be reviewed to ensure their appropriateness in terms of addressing issues of inclusivity and diversity, while preserving the dignity of students

16

Overview


White Paper 3;





17

Recommendations to HEIs• All initiation ceremonies and activities should be banned,

irrespective of whether an activity causes bodily harm or not. A toll-free (and anonymous) complaints line should be established to allow students to register infringements of this policy. The punishment for contravening the policy should be expulsion from the institution

• Institutional councils should develop a clear transformation framework, including transformation indicators, accompanied by targets, which should form the basis of the VC’s performance contract

• In view of the absence of a general transformation plan in the majority of institutions in the country, it was recommended that institutions develop a transformation charter for themselves

17

Overview


White Paper 3;





18

Recommendations to HEIs

• The freedom and right of students to organize along political lines be reinstated in institutions where the freedom is taken away

• Each institution, via its council, establishes an Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman would need to be independent of the institution and would receive and deal with all complaints relating to discrimination within that particular institution

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Overview


White Paper 3;





19

Stellenbosch University (SU)

19

Overview


White Paper 3;





20

Some of the challenges at SU

• Demographic profiles• Institutional Culture: incidents of racism• Language

20

21

Student Profile by Population Group

Student Profile by Gender

22

Student Profiles by Gender and Race

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Staff Profiles by Gender and Race

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Staff Profiles by Gender and Race

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Overview


White Paper 3;





26

SU Strategic priorities (2013-2018)

1. Broadening access• Increase access to new knowledge markets: such

as the “learn and earn” market, restructure the undergraduate offering and introduce diploma courses. This will move the focus from abstract learning to applied learning

• Increase diversity profile (staff and students): A diversity of staff, students, knowledge, ideas and perspectives can enhance the quality of core academic activities, i.e. research, learning and teaching, as well as research-based and learning- and teaching-oriented community interaction

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Overview


White Paper 3;





27

SU Strategic priorities (2013-2018)

2) Sustain momentum on excellence:• Positioning as the leading research institution in

Africa• Maintain success rate

3) Enhance social impact:• Committed visionary leadership to address the

challenges of the 21st-century university

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White Paper 3;





28

2015‐2020 – Historical data and future projections

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2929

2015‐2020 – Historical data and future projections

Overview


White Paper 3;





30


“The University fosters a welcoming institutional culture, embraces diversity and transformation and transforms institutional

bureaucracy in an environment of committed leadership at all levels”

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Overview


White Paper 3;





31

Initiation Practices

• Since 1997 SU has worked very hard to modify its approach to welcoming newcomer first-year students, especially to eradicate all initiation or unwelcoming practices

• Despite the many improvements and that many totally unacceptable practices have ceased to occur, the risk of unacceptable behaviour and practises remains high for a variety of reasons

• These unacceptable practices are not limited to the welcoming period; or first-year students (sports teams and other student groups on campus sometimes subject new members or associates to unacceptable practices)

31

Overview


White Paper 3;





32

• The SU instituted the following measures in the past six years: – In 2009 a task team was appointed to revise the

University’s welcoming programme. The resulting report focused on the positive aspects and, consequently, on improvements to the programme. The task team’s recommendations indeed led to various improvements and changes

– However, certain unacceptable practices remained persistent

32


Overview


White Paper 3;





33

– In 2014, another task team was appointed to gain a better understanding of such practices – their nature as well as their origins, why they are so persistent – and then to make recommendations for eradicating these practices much more effectively

– On 16 January 2015, the University wrote to the Minister to inform him of the report

– Most of the recommendations in the report were implemented for the 2015 intake of first-year students

– welcome new students in a hospitable, friendly and dignified way, always respecting their human rights as stipulated in the South African Constitution

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Overview


White Paper 3;





34

• The task team based its activities on certain premises, the key elements of which may be summarised as follows: – student success and development (including the

development of graduate attributes)– a value driven approach instead of a hierarchical

approach based on power– an inclusive, hospitable, friendly and dignified ethos – co-opting all role-players, and precluding the

possibility of any first-year students leaving the University because they were treated in an inhospitable, unfriendly or undignified manner

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Overview


White Paper 3;





35


• The University recognises that welcoming practices must help newcomers to adjust to and become integrated in university life in a way that is entirely free of any hierarchical power approaches and practices that violate the human dignity of students; such practice should also promote academic success

• The University practices must be abolished for various reasons:– They are inconsistent with our constitutional order– The DHET called for the practices to be rooted out,

and expects universities to help them adjust, integrate and study successfully

35

Overview


White Paper 3;





36

• In its Institutional Intent and Strategy 2013–2018, the University expressly opted for a value-driven system. The current knowledge economy and work environment require graduates who are thought leaders and who know how to operate in a value-driven context– A single unacceptable incident has the potential to

rupture a whole community

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Overview


White Paper 3;





37

Factors causing persistent recurrence of certain practices

• Students experience the University itself as a hierarchical power institution, where everyone needs to know their place and should act accordingly (and, by implication, will be reprimanded if they do not)

• Students’ friends, parents and other family members, alumni and even staff romanticise the experiences and practices to which they were subjected (often under the guise of tradition), which causes some unacceptable practices and so-called traditions to be revived

• In many schools these practices (initiation) still are the order of the day, and are transferred to the university environment

37

Overview


White Paper 3;





38

• Students are in a phase of their lives that is characterised by the need to belong, which makes them extremely susceptible to peer pressure. In addition, they are very competitive (competition-minded)

• An excessive sense of being responsible for newcomer first-years’ well-being also makes senior students feel obligated to “control” newcomers to such an extent that some aspects of seniors’ behaviour turn into unacceptable practices (i.e. practices that are inconsistent with a hospitable, friendly and dignified campus culture)

38


Overview


White Paper 3;





39

• An extremely important contributing or aggravating factor in the persistence of such practices is alcohol abuse; intoxicated senior students who interfere with first-years

• Uncertainty among seniors and student leaders about what exactly constitutes an unacceptable practice creates an obstacle, particularly where an overly tradition-oriented and single-identity attitude prevails at a residence

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Overview


White Paper 3;





40

• In the context of establishing a positive, constructive and value-driven welcoming culture, it is important to know which role-players are involved and how these respective groups may be trained

• informed and convinced of the importance of such a welcoming

• Regarding monitoring and feedback too, it is of the utmost importance for these mechanisms to be effective and to serve the University’s best interests

40


Overview


White Paper 3;





41

Conclusions of the Task Team

• Welcoming, along with abolishing unacceptable welcoming practices, is a complex matter that requires a systemic-holistic approach

• One of the major challenges is to move away from a hierarchical power system or approach, which has proved to be extremely tenacious, and to replace it in its entirety with a value-driven system that focuses on inclusivity

• Other challenges are more comprehensive and improved training, communication and effective transfer of information – particularly ensuring that all role-players, senior students and other stakeholders be reached

41

Overview


White Paper 3;





42

• Acting while under the influence of alcohol is a significant problem in the context of welcoming practices

• Effective monitoring is essential; therefore, certain changes to the current monitoring mechanism are recommended

• The devotion to unacceptable practices can be traced back to feeder schools

42

Conclusions of the Task Team

Overview


White Paper 3;





43

Recommendations of the Task Team

a) It is important that the entire University buy into the value-driven approach to welcoming newcomers based on South Africa’s constitutional democracy. Such approach needs to be established systemic-holistically

b) Our training of leaders, communication with all role-players and transfer of information needs to be improved and enhanced significantly. One measure would be to make more effective use of all media, including social media, web pages and even videos

c) The role of punishment must be made clear, without underestimating the educational and rehabilitative attitude of the Unit for Student Discipline and the Central Disciplinary Committee

43

Overview


White Paper 3;





44

d) Serious reflection needs to be devoted to measures and mechanisms that will end the negative effect of alcohol abuse on the welcoming of newcomers

e) A proposal to develop a test for students readmission to a residence must be considered as it aims to inform all students of the underlying philosophy and importance of a value-driven system, to test their understanding of such a system, and to ensure that students are fully acquainted with the University’s view in this regard

f) A standing committee resorting under Student Discipline needs to be established to deal urgently with matters during the Welcoming Programme

g) The welcoming rules must be set out prominently in the SU Calendar

h) Establishing a research group to enable ongoing research on this topic should be considered seriously.

44

Recommendations of the Task Team

Overview


White Paper 3;





45

Language Policy

• The policy states that the institution regards all official South African languages as assets and they should be used to develop the human potential of the country. Against this principle the institution is committed to contributing to the development of Afrikaans as an academic language together with English and isiXhosa

• Inclusivity is advanced specifically by using Afrikaans and English in teaching and engagement

• The following are the different language options for students at SU in the teaching context:– parallel medium (class group is divided into two

streams, one Afrikaans and one English)– Educational interpreting between Afrikaans and

English

45

Overview


White Paper 3;





46

– double medium (Afrikaans and English are used in the same class)

– Only Afrikaans or only English (in a minority of cases)• Study material such as module frameworks, study guides,

assessment assignments (e.g. tests) are offered in Afrikaans and English

• The mixed language model produces graduates who understand and are able to function in the multilingual context

• The policy also states that the institution recognizes the importance of isiXhosa as a local (social) language and as a developing academic language and intends, within the limitations of what is possible to contribute to its development

46

Language Policy

Overview


White Paper 3;





47

University of Cape Town (UCT)

47

Overview


White Paper 3;





48

Transformation goals at UCT

• Making the university a more representative institution in terms of its academic and support staff, and of its student body

• reducing gender inequities at senior staff levels• transcending the idea of race• Improving institutional climate and making the university

a place that is experienced by all its staff and students as being inclusive and nurturing

• developing inclusive curricula and enhancing the focus on our intellectual enterprise on African perspectives

48

Overview


White Paper 3;





49

Some of the challenges at UCT

• Demographic profiles• Institutional Culture• Access (Admissions Policy)

49

Student Profile by Gender

50

Student Profile by Population Group

51

52

Student Profile by Race and Gender

52

Student Profile by Race and Gender

53

Staff Profile

54

Staff Profile

55

Overview


White Paper 3;





56

Changing the Employee Profile

• As a corrective action in respect of past injustices and positive virtue to create critical diversity of perspectives, contribute to the education of all students and also produce new insights

• To promote an inclusive atmosphere within the institution and prepare students for a multicultural world of work

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Overview


White Paper 3;





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• UCT seeks to have:– the full diversity of South Africa represented at UCT,

weighted towards the disadvantaged communities of the Western Cape

– a significant number of students and staff from other African countries and further afield

• With regard to our student equity profile, good progress has been made at the undergraduate (UG) level, but the profile of postgraduate enrolments and several specific UG programmes remains predominantly white

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Changing the Employee Profile

Equity Targets (2010 – 2015)

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Table I: PE & T3 Senior Leadership

Group(Targets in brackets)

Designated

Non-designated

TOTAL Black Total

Black Female

Male

Female Foreign Nationals

A C I W A C I W Male FemalePC 13 PG 2,3 (1 July 2009) 1 1 0 5 0 1 1 5 2 1 17 4 2

April 2010 – March 2011

1 1 0 5 0 1 1 5 2 1 17 4 2

April 2011 – March 2012 1 1 0 5 0 1 1 5 2 1 17 4 2


1 1 0 5 0 1 1 5 2 1 17 4 2


1 1 0 5 0 1 1 5 2 1 17 4 2


(+1)2

1

(+1)1

(-1)4

(+1)1 1 1 (-2)

3 2 1 17 7 3

59

Table II: PE & T3 Academic staff

(Targets in brackets)

Designated Non-designated

TOTAL Black Total

Black Female

Male


A C I W A C I W Male FemaleProfessor & Associate Professor (1 July 2009)

17 13 18 257 3 4 4 93 88 12

509

59

11


(+4)21

(+4)17

(+3)21

(-30)227

(+1)4

(+3)7 4 (-1)

92(-2)86

(+3)15

494

74

15


(+5)26

(+1)18

(+1)22

(-2)225

(+2)6

(+2)9

(-1)3

(-4)88

(-1)85

(+2)17

499

84

18


(+2)28

(+3)21

(+2)24

(-8)217

(+1)7

(+1)10

(+2)5

(+3)91

(-3)82 17

502

95

22


(+2)30 21 (+2)

26(-11)206

(-1)6

(+2)12 5 (-9)

82 82 17

487

100

23


(+1)31

(+1)22 26 (-13)

193(+2)

8(+3)15

(+2)7

(+5)87 82 17

488

109

30


60

Table III: PE & T3 Academic

UCT staff(Targets in brackets)

Designated Non-designated

TOTAL Black Total

Black Female

Male


A C I W A C I W Male FemaleSenior Lecturer & Lecturer(1 July 2009)

67 28 24 145 21 45 14 193 80 40 657 199 80

April 2010 –March 2011

(-2)65

(-1)27

(+3)27

(+34)179

(+4)25

(-8)37

(+3)17

(-4)189 83 40 688 198 78


(+4)69

(+3)30

(+1)27

(-7)172

(+7)32

(+6)43

(+3)19

(+1)194 83 39 708 220 93


(+9)78

(+6)36

(-2)25

(+5)177

(+4)35

(+1)44

(-1)18

(-8)186 84 41 724 236 97


(+2)80

(+2)38

(+2)27

(+2)179

(+6)41

(+4)48

(+2)20

(-7)179 80 41 733 254 109


(+3)83

(+1)39

(+1)28

(+1)180

(+2)43

(+2)50

(+1)21

(-3)176 81 40 741 264 114


Overview


White Paper 3;





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UCT’s argument for low number of Black Academics

“It generally takes more than 20 years from getting a PhD to becoming a professor. The pool of South African black academics available for appointment to professorship in 2014 is a proportion of the pool of black PhD graduates in 1994. Given our history, this was a very small pool. Few in that small pool chose academic careers over offers from the new government, civil service and corporates, all desperate to recruit highly skilled black professionals.”

(Staff transformation at UCT, 14 July 2014)

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Overview


White Paper 3;





62

Improving Organisational Climate

• Create and promote an affirming, positive environment that is inclusive and owned by all its staff and students

• The University aims to focus on treating people equally, overcoming deep beliefs and conditioning that some are better than others, overcoming the stereotypes we hold, valuing diversity and difference

62

Overview


White Paper 3;





63

Admissions Policy

• The policy is designed to ensure that: – the best students come to UCT– UCT builds a diverse student body

• The best students are: – those who get the top results in school and formal

school-leaving exams (National Senior Certificate [NSC] or equivalent) and National Benchmark Tests [NBTs]

– those who, despite educational and other disadvantage, do very well in these exams

• All undergraduate applicants are required to write the NBTs

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Overview


White Paper 3;





64

• The NBTs are three multiple choice tests written as a combined Academic Literacy (AL) and Quantitative Literacy (QL) test and a separate Mathematics test– The AL test targets a writer’s capacity to engage

successfully with the demands of academic study in the medium of instruction of the test

– The QL test targets a writer’s ability to manage situations or solve problems in a real context that is relevant to higher education study, using basic quantitative information that may be presented verbally, graphically, in tabular or symbolic form

64

Admissions Policy

Overview


White Paper 3;





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– The Cognitive Academic Mathematics Proficiency Test (CAMP) is a three hour test which targets a writer’s ability related to mathematical concepts formally regarded as part of the secondary school curriculum (Mathematics Papers 1 and 2) relevant for Higher Education studies

• The test results are used in addition to school-leaving academic performance and do not replace the use of school-leaving results. In the case of Engineering & the Built Environment and Health Sciences, the NBT results make up a specific proportion of a school-leaver’s overall admission score

• The NBT results may also be used to decide admission to an extended programme

65

Admissions Policy

Overview


White Paper 3;





66

New Admissions Policy

• A new admissions policy to enable UCT to increase the number of both black and disadvantaged students

• The new policy apply to applications for the 2015 student intake onwards

• In addition to race, it will consider the applicant's home language, the education of his or her parents and grandparents, the applicant's school, and whether the applicant's family depends on social grants, as indicators of disadvantage

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Overview


White Paper 3;





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• Hybrid procedure using three mechanisms for selection: – one part of the class selected just on marks– a second component selected based on

performance and ability, which takes account of school and home background

– a third component driven by achieving demographic targets based on an applicant's race and performance

67

New Admissions Policy

Thank you!

68

Thank You

Documents

TRANSFORMATION PLAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN AND STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training