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Monday Paper 6 – 19 August 2012 Vol. 31#11 Newspaper of the University of Cape Town This edition and other editions of Monday Paper are available online at www.uct.ac.za/mondaypaper. For daily online news at UCT, please visit www.news.uct.ac.za/dailynews Become a recognised think tank for higher education - Ndungane here were some new faces and some Monday Paper: What have been the erable arm-twisting before this decision was MP: Is there anything on the UCT ho- Tfamiliar ones when UCT’s new Council, challenges and joys of your fi rst term taken. I agonised a lot about whether to go rizon that you are particularly looking elected and constituted, met for the fi rst time as chair of UCT Council? on for a second term as there are compet- forward to, projects that are going to on Saturday 28 July. Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane: The ing demands on my time, and having served be worthy or of note? In offi ce for the next four years, until 30 University of Cape Town is a complex entity a fi rst term I was more acutely aware how NN: We do not believe that we as a June 2016, Council re-elected Archbishop with many facets to its life, and one of the demanding being the Chair of Council is. university have all the answers, and will ac- Njongonkulu Ndungane as its chairperson greatest challenges on my appointment as In the end there were a number of reasons tively interact with universities from around and Debbie Budlender as its deputy chair. chair has been gaining an overall under- that I accepted the second term. In the fi rst the globe to tap into best-practice models The other members elected to the Council standing of the workings of the university. instance, the place that the university found and enhance the effectiveness of UCT. We Executive Committee were vice-chancellor This has necessitated the reading of a vast itself at the time required continuity in the are committed to enhancing the reputation of Dr Max Price (ex offi cio), Professor Paula amount of documentation which, given position of chair. This, coupled with my the university as an academic research facil- Ensor, Jeremy Gauntlett, Lucille Meyer, busy schedules, has been taxing at times. In passion for education and the commitment of ity, and believe that we need to be broadly Trevor Petersen and the sitting president of this regard, not always receiving meeting the university to provide future leadership of collaborative in order to achieve these goals. the Students’ Representative Council. documentation in advance of Council meet- calibre and integrity, prevailed. In order to achieve these targets we will ings has added to the burden. Undoubtedly, need investment, both from government and An interview with the chairperson one of the highlights of my tenure as chair from a broad cross-section of donors, but we of the UCT Council, Archbishop of Council has been working with so many “Undoubtedly, one believe that building on the excellence of Njongonkulu Ndungane gifted people, not only those who sit on the the university will have long-term benefi ts A week or so ago, at the fi rst meeting of Council but also those who act in a support of the highlights of not only for this country but for academic the new UCT Council, Archbishop Njon- capacity within the university. Having this advancement on a global stage. gonkulu Ndungane agreed to serve a second support base has made my time as chair a my tenure as chair term as chairperson, following his fi rst term great deal easier, and for this I am grateful. MP: What challenges lie ahead for the from 2008 to 30 June this year. We spoke to university? him about what convinced him to commit MP: What’s made you decide to stay of Council has been NN: The question of transformation in another fi ve years to the university; the chal- on for another term; what’s the ap- South Africa is also a key responsibility lenges of his fi rst term; and what lies ahead peal? working with so at this university. We are a part of Africa in the second. NN: To be frank, there was some consid- and we need to be deliberate in making a contribution in the development of Africa as many gifted people.” a whole. Africa’s star is rising, and we would want this university to play a leading role in the development of graduates who leave this university and engage as future leaders MP: Is this second term one of con- within this continent. solidation or are you starting on fresh new projects? MP: What are your early thoughts on NN: I suppose that it is a little of both. I the make-up of this new Council? believe that we, as a Council, have achieved I am impressed by the diversity of much in the last four years, and so there is experience available on the council and a need to continue to build on those early the commitment of the council members to achievements. We do, however, live in a creating an environment within UCT which world of constant change and challenges and will allow a fl ourishing of academic excel- we will look to embrace these changes as lence, transparency and good governance. part of my next term. The university is com- Collectively, we support the vice-chancellor mitted to excellence and this is refl ected in and his academic team in achieving the our being the only university in Africa that strategic objectives of the university in terms is ranked in the top 200 universities globally. of excellence in research, teaching and learn- What we would like to see is UCT achieving ing. However, our role as Council does go greater heights in terms of its core business beyond this support role to one of looking – that is, research, teaching and learning. for new ways in which the university can Our objective is to constantly improve our make an impact; not only academically, but global ranking, as the long-term benefi t for socially, and by becoming a globally recog- both the university and for South Africa at nised think tank for higher education. large will bode well as we look to the next generation of leadership for this nation. Our The full breakdown of the new role as Council is to create the enabling environment that will see the University of Council is available at www.uct. Cape Town achieve new heights in academic ac.za/about/governance/council/ excellence and governance. members 2 Monday Paper NEWS 6 – 19 August 2012 Vol. 31 #11 New campus Crime hurts so justice should heal - Braithwaite IT shop to ice-Chancellor’s Open Lec- setting may require offenders to Vtures are meant to benefi t the repair the harm they’ve done − by community, and leading crimi- apologising, returning the stolen open nologist Professor John Braithwaite’s goods, or rendering community contribution on 26 July, Restorative service − provided they agree to Justice: Republican vision and justice change their behaviour. In so doing, n August a new IT shop, Blu- as a better future, did just that. it reduces crime and punishment, and Ipeach, will be opening its doors Based on many years of research, therefore gives people more freedom, on the Cissie Gool Plaza on upper his address offered important lessons Braithwaite noted. campus. and ideas on how South Africa could “It is about restoring the victims, Staff and students will be able address crime. (UCT has priori- the offenders and the communities,” to buy IT goods and software for tised its contribution to addressing observed Braithwaite. “It’s a future- their personal use, leveraging the crime by establishing the Safety and oriented concept that invites people to huge buying power of ICTS to of- Violence Initiative, among other take active responsibility to put things fer highly competitive pricing and projects). right going forward. As crime hurts, Future-oriented: Restorative Justice is about restoring the victims, the offenders educational discounts on many Braithwaite, of the Australian justice should heal.” and the communities, Prof John Braithwaite said at the Vice-Chancellor’s Open items. National University, touted restora- In fact, Braithwaite believes that Lecture. Download the podcast at www.uct.ac.za/news/lectures/vc_lectures It will be run by a vendor who tive justice as the way to go. It’s a 95% of prisoners could have been was selected following a tender concept that dates back thousands of dealt with in other “productive” ways The TRC couldn’t deal with the justice, in some contexts, could help process led by ICTS and the years, but has not been fully exploited (such as restorative justice) which scope of the healing needed by so resolve gang confl icts, a problem that Finance Department. The vendor in some parts of the world. empower people, with punitive op- many victims of apartheid atrocities continues to plague the Western Cape. currently supplies some of the Restorative justice focuses on the tions. in just three years, he said. Such a system could also be consid- largest computer retailers in South needs of the victims and of the of- South Africa’s own Truth and “That was not a productive way ered in schools, Braithwaite added. Africa, and will thus be able to fenders, as well as on the community Reconciliation Commission (TRC) is of justice as a better future”. “What I’m hoping for are con- offer students frequent specials, as affected, instead of satisfying only a good example of restorative justice.