talk The Staff Newsletter March 2010 statistics reveal interesting trends in study choices More students in 2010 EARLY figures already show an increase in student enrolments of 4.3% compared to the same time in 2009 (see page 6). This is an indication that our vigorous marketing campaign to ensure that prospective students applied to study here before the official closing date on 1 August and again, by the late cut-off date of 4 December paid off. Apart from the 12% increase in applications by 1 August 2009, NMMU’s flagship programmes, such as the BCom for Chartered Accountants, again attracted a significant number of students from all over the country. Indeed, 13 of the first 23 Vice- Chancellor’s Scholarship recipients this year also enrolled for BCom programmes. ‘’The chosen fields of study are very much in line with national trends,” acting marketing manager christelle Feyt told talk@nmmu. ‘’Research indicates that business, commerce and management studies are the most popular GEARED FOR SUCCESS … Vice-Chancellor Professor Derrick Swartz is joined by some of the first recipients of the study fields among school leavers nationwide, prestigious NMMU’s VC Scholarship (back from left) Matthew Nicholls, Anrich Geldenhuys, Timothy Olls, Michael followed by fields in manufacturing, engineering Gossman, Deanne Nolte and Caitlyn Allen (seated), who finished second in the province. The 23 students will each and technology. Programmes backed by financial receive R60 000 for each year of their studies (see page 5). support structures such as governmental bursary schemes are also very popular’’. Higher Certificate (Accountancy) – 82 The 2009 provincial results also reflected a 14.8% The ten most popular programmes among first- Diploma (Economics) – 81 drop in pass rates in key subject areas such as time entering students, based on registration Some programmes may have been excluded Accounting, Mathematics and Physical Science. figures on 29 January 2010, were as follows: from this list due to prescribed capping of student She adds that parents, teachers, as well as BCom Accounting (for chartered accountants) – 142 numbers. principals are increasingly giving positive feedback Diploma (Human Resource Management) – 136 Christelle says the Eastern Cape is still our major on NMMU’s range of academic programmes. Diploma (Management) – 106 feeder province but only 51.1% of matrics in the Concerns, however, regarding insufficient student BEd (FET band) – 100 province passed in 2009. housing facilities and a lack of student life, Diploma (Marketing) – 90 It is of concern that of the more than 68 000 are also constantly raised by these stakeholder Diploma (Information Technology: Software candidates writing the matriculation examinations groups. Development) – 98 last year, only 9 492 obtained admission to ‘’If NMMU wants to expand its footprint in other BA in Media, Communication & Culture – 89 bachelors studies, 13 883 admission to diploma provinces, it needs to have sufficient student LLB – 89 studies and 11 240 to higher certificate studies. housing facilities in place.’’ In this edition GROWTH 3 WATER 6 sciEncE 6 ARTs 13 Building progress Forward planning Algae: ‘green’ gold Windy ice-breaker Buildings, scholarships and fuel for the future WE have reason to be happy. A student numbers have increased department working together to lay number of building projects have and our flagship cB om Accounting the foundation to their greenhouse. been completed recently including programme seems to be the most We celebrate good media coverage, the Kraal Madibaz complex on popular. a networking session for the Vc south campus, with its neon We are also happy to share news with local media and well-attended green and orange touch of colour of the first 23 Vice-chancellor’s communication workshops. bringing a fresh taste for coffees scholarships, established to attract Our new horticulturist Elana storm and get-togethers. And the good academically excellent students. also shares her insight on the water news … north campus, George and in this edition we focus on fuel for situation on our campuses - indeed a Kind regards Missionvale are to follow suit. the future - algae turning into green very serious issue. Elma de Koker Early indications are that our fuel and a wonderful story of a Keep on sending those stories. Editor: talk@nmmu new management structure in ORdER to build a better nMMU a more effective soga’s post has been renamed Dean of Students. vancement, Director: Strategic Planning as well as system of management supporting Vision 2020, A new post of Deputy Vice-Chan- the ED: Operations. strategic objectives and structures, has been cellor: Institutional Support has been A Senior Director: Audit and Risk Management will introduced. created to whom the Registrar Hugo be appointed to deal with major risk management In short: Grimbeek, the Executive Director: issues as well as heading the internal auditing. Employment equity is now located Operations, Dean of Students, Senior The Disability function has been moved to the in Human Resources, headed by Director: Office of Academic Planning Student Affairs Division. Executive Director: Human Resources and Quality Advance- Gary Paul. ment Prof Martin Oost- Director of Organisational Transfor- huizen, and Director: Of- mation and Equity Ruby-Ann Levendal’s fice of Strategic Planning diARY new designation is now Director: Trans- Prof Heather nel report. Graduation sessions formation Monitoring and Evaluation A Management Committee (MAN- 14 April The Centre for Academic CO) was created to support EMCom session 1 – 10:00 George Campus Engagement and Collaboration (CAEC) consisting of the following positions: 16 April now reports to the Deputy Vice- Vice-Chancellor, three Deputy Vice- session 2 – 09:30 Health Sciences Chancellor: Research and Engagement Chancellors, Executive Director: Hu- session 3 – 14:30 Law, Science, honorary doctoral degrees Prof Thoko Mayekiso. man Resources and Executive Direc- 19 April Two new posts, namely Chief tor: Finance Marius scheepers. session 4 – 09:30 Business and Economic Information Officer (to be appointed) An expanded EMCom will include Sciences: diplomas and Director: Infrastructural Projects members of MANCO plus the follow- session 5 – 14:30 Business and Economic stuart Blignaut report to the Executive ing: the Registrar, Dean of Students, Sciences: bachelors’ degrees Director: Operations, who will be all Deans of Faculty, Campus Prin- 20 April announced soon. cipals of the George Prof christo session 6 – 09:30 Business and Economic Senior Director: HEADS Fabricius and Missionvale Campuses Sciences: postgraduate qualifications session 7 – 14:30 Faculty of Engineering, the Prof cheryl Foxcroft’s Khaya Matiso, Dean: Teaching and Built Environment and Information Technology designation is now Dean: Learning, Senior Director: Audit and 21 April Teaching and Learning Risk Management, Director: Monitor- session 8 – 09:30 Arts while Executive Direc- ing and Evaluation, Senior Director: session 9 – 14:30 Education: undergraduate tor Student Affairs Thoft Academic Planning and Quality Ad- qualifications 22 April session 10 – 09:30 Education: postgraduate non-racialism and democracy focus qualifications FOLLOWn i G the march against racism in 2008 The centre will also host the annual colloquium Alumni reunion dates 2010 the new centre for the Advancement of non-Ra- of the Anti-Racist network in Higher Education on Various alumni reunions will be taking place cialism and democracy (cAnRAd) was created. Missionvale campus on 24 March where 100 aca- this year. in the week of 22 to 26 March the centre will be demics countrywide are expected to attend. cricket: 7 & 8 May Architecture: 22 Oct launched with a function, colloquium, workshop Together with the Law Faculty, the centre will Accounting: 23 Sep Pharmacy: 29 Oct and lecture. host a street Law workshop on 25 March led by Law: 24 Sep Towards the end of 2009 Allan Zinn was ap- national street Law director, Lindi coetzee, on pointed as director of the centre. ‘Equality and Human Rights’. At 18:00 national talk@nmmu is published by nMMU Marketing & The public launch will take place on 23 March at director of Lawyers for Human Rights, Adv Jacob corporate Relations. The deadline for contributions to 18:00 in the GoldFields Auditorium on north cam- van Garderen, will speak on ‘Zenophobia and the April edition of talk@nmmu is 7 April 2010. Please e-mail your contributions in MSWord and pus including a keynote speaker accompanied by Refugee Rights’ followed by a critique from the photographs separately in jpg format (no smaller than poetry, music, dance and a visual art display. international students Association. 800kb) to [email protected]. Opinions expressed in talk@nmmu are not necessarily those of the editor or the university. News Strong call for ‘responsibility’ follows tragedy T HE NMMU community – both staff and students students responded to how NMMU can ensure a rights while doing so,” one individual wrote. – have reacted with anger and great concern safer environment for all? This response echoes that of Vice-Chancellor following the tragic death of one of its students. Many felt students needed to take greater Prof derrick swartz who believes “each of us The murder of financial planning student responsibility for their actions, while others pointed must take responsibility for his or her life, and Khaya Mtonga, of Tsomo, Transkei, allegedly in a to the abuse of alcohol as a root cause in the respect the lives of others”. stabbing attack by another student in a bathroom February 14 tragedy, and many other crimes. “NMMU has to make every effort to ensure in Unitas residence in mid February, unleashed a “Students today always emphasise their rights (to maximum deterrence to violent and unacceptable torrent of strong feelings from staff and students this and that) but I think they need to realise that with behaviour leading to violence, as we must learn to at NMMU, much of which was captured on-line on every right comes responsibility.