Students Affairs and Support Services at UNISA: An International US Study Tour to South Africa – 24 May 2007 By Unisa’s Dean of Students; Mrs Cora Njoli Motale

Preamble The Dean of Students KPA’s include; - Providing strategic and operational leadership - Facilitating change and transformation - Joint responsibility for leadership processes - Ensure the 2007 Operational Plan administration

Figure1: Executive Management Structure Vice Chancellor: Prof NB Pityana Pro Vice Chancellor: Prof NR Mathabe VC Cluster Assistant Principal: Prof DH Van Wyk Special Advisor ODL: Prof HA Louw Vice Principal: Operations Prof BJ Erasmus Vice Principal: Strategy Planning and Partnership Prof N Baijnath Vice Principal: Finance and university Estates: Prof JE Kleynhans PVC Cluster Vice principal: Academic and Research: Prof MC mare DVC and Vice Principal: Student Affairs and Learner Support: Prof DL Mosoma Academic Registrar: Prof L Molamu

Figure 2 :Dean of Students Structure DVC and Vice Principal: Student Affairs and Learner Support: Prof DL Mosoma Executive Director: Dean of Students Director: Advocacy and Resource centre for Students with Disabilities (ARCSWiD) Director: Financial Aid Service (FAB) Director: Student Affairs and Services (SAS)

The Office of the Dean of Students subscribes and aligns its operational goals to the strategic objectives of Unisa as articulated by both the Pro- Vice Chancellors' and the Learner Support and Student Affairs Portfolio's policy framework. Creating a nurturing environment to promote student well-being, to foster a sense of belonging to Unisa. Operational services include the following; –Servicing the diverse student population by focusing on developmental programmes and a range of support services. We are committed to providing a student voice through a democratically elected regional and National Student Representative Council (NSRC)

Directorates which globally respond to the psychosocial needs of registered and to a limited extent potential students. –The Financial Aid Bureau –Student Affairs and Services –Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities

Key Focus Areas set for 2007: Service excellence and Customer Care A quality Culture in the Department The Department’s contribution to Excellence in Open and Distance Learning

1.FINANCIAL AID BUREAU Specific Responsibility Area The Financial Aid Bureau (FAB) specifically focuses on the effective administration and facilitation of financial assistance to Unisa’s undergraduate and postgraduate students..

FAB provide the following services: Facilitates the implementation of the Policy on Financial Aid. Liaise with the Foundation Liaise with donors Act as an intermediate between donors and students Process applications for financial assistance To facilitate access of academic essentials To train Unisa Regional staff

2. STUDENT AFFAIRS AND SERVICES s ITUATIONAL A NALYSIS QuestionTasks to be performed 1. What are we trying to do ? Student Leadership Training and development Student governance development (constitution, policies, audit facilitation, conflict management, procedures,) Special focus on Women in Student Leadership Social development interventions that include HIV/AIDS, Community outreach, and recreation support) Graduate development including placement support, skills development, entrepreneurship, work-study support, etc)

QuestionTasks to be performed 2. Why are we trying to do it? This intervention is necessary to comply with Unisa Vision 2015 objective 6.6 – which focuses on creating a nurturing environment to make Unisa students feel welcomed, thrive on non academic development, and being inspired to want to achieve more from their non academic life enhancing experiences

3. Advocacy and Resource Centre for Students With Disabilities Facilitates the implementation of the Policy on Students with Disabilities; Facilitate the creation of an enabling and caring teaching and learning environment; Provide study material in alternative formats for students with disabilities; Sensitise the UNISA community on disability;

Develop and implement an effective advocacy and communication strategy on disability; Develop and implement an effective recruitment strategy with regard to students with disabilities; Develop and maintain a database of students with disabilities and track their progress; and Establish effective networks with community-based organisations that focus on people with disabilities.

Identified gaps Not all study guides have been uploaded onto the system, with the result that there are often delays in obtaining study guides in electronic format for the production of material in braille. Registration documents are often not forwarded timeously to the Centre, resulting in delays in the delivery of services to students.

Lack of follow-up with regard to queries from students. Follow-up activities not always recorded. Lack of trained staff in the regions to provide services to students with disabilities. The absence of Service Level Agreements with relevant roleplayers. Insufficient focus on community development activities

PROFILE OF STUDENTS REGISTERED AT UNISA AS ON 30 MARCH 2007 (HEADCOUNT) Race Gender Age groupings Regions Occupations Disabilities Countries

Implications for Learner Support Services Age Groupings of our students are less than 25 years old, which means they need more guidance and motivation. Regions In each region enrolment is indicated in terms of towns. This information is crucial for the regional management in allocation of resources. Occupations Of special importance in this category is the number of full-time students at UNISA which is

Disabilities This category is important because it spells out different disabilities and helps the University to provide appropriate support services. Countries UNISA is offering services to most countries in Africa, which is in keeping with its vision – The African University in service of humanity. Given enrolments in countries, such as Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Kenya, some form of learner support through collaboration with local institutions is essential. UNISA’s presence in America, Asia, Europe and Australia make it an important global player.

SRC Structure National Executive Committee ( NEC), Composition: President Deputy President (internal) Deputy President (external) Secretary General Deputy Secretary General Treasurer General Media and Training Officer Education and Training Officer Gender Officer Projects Coordinator Sports and Cultural Officer International Affairs Officer

National Working Committee Composition President Deputy President (Internal) Deputy President (External) Secretary General Deputy Secretary General and Treasurer.

GLOBAL CHALLENGES WITHIN STUDENT AFFAIRS Final population of structures by HR – Team Building Strategies on Hold! Corporate Space Problem – Learner Support Programmes Student’ Rights and Responsibilities Charter – A student voice! Women in Student Leadership (WISL) – programme…. Implementation Customer Care – “ Beyond the Merger Blues” – Dr M Phosa, Chaiperson of Council: Official opening of 2007 Academic Year

Conclusion “ Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness, this is the judgement, Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jnr. Camagu!