Dit is ’n wonderlike gevoel om voor ’n maroen skare te staan. Dit laat ’n mens se hart swel van Matie-trots. Ek verwys na die onlangse verwelkomingsgeleentheid van ons nuwelingstudente en hul ouers in die Danie Craven-stadion waar al ons eerstejaars in maroen T-hempde geklee was. Dit was ’n versinnebeelding van ’n Matie-familie soos ek lanklaas ervaar het. Ek vertrou dat daardie eenheidsgevoel blywend sal wees. Aan al ons nuwe Maties, nogmaals baie welkom.
Sedert my laaste kommunikasie oor die beplande herorganisasie van ons top-bestuursportefeuljes het ek en my bestuur baie dinkwerk aan die verdere verloop en hantering van die prosesse bestee. Ek het ook ’n opvolg-gesprek met die dekane gehad en daar is by ons ‘n algemene konsensus dat al ons toekomsbeplanning veranker moet wees in die gevestigde kernfunksies van die Universiteit – onderrig en leer, navorsing en gemeenskapsinteraksie - onder leiding van ’n viserektor verantwoordelik vir elkeen van hierdie verantwoordelikheidsfere.
Vir ons is die oorhoofse oogmerke van hierdie herorganiseringsproses dat die US na afloop daarvan sy leierskap as voorste navorsingsinstellings in die land (en internasionaal) moet handhaaf en versterk. En met die oog op die US se stewiger posisionering as 21ste-eeuse universiteit moet ons deeglik die verdere implikasies en eise van ’n navorsingsgerigte, tegnologies-gevorderde en innoverende instelling vir onderrig en leer en gemeenskapsinteraksie verreken.
Dit is vir ons belangrik dat die herorganisasie van die top-bestuursportefeuljes ’n deelnemende proses moet wees. Om hierdie rede is dit hoog op die agenda by die eerskomende Institusionele Beplanningsforum wat vir 24 en 25 Februarie geskeduleer is. Hoewel bywoning van hierdie belangrike beplanningsforum beperk is tot senior en middelbestuur, wil ek graag die uitnodiging aan die volle universiteitsgemeenskap rig om insette te lewer en voorstelle te maak in hierdie verband. Uit ervaring weet ons dat van die beste kundigheid by ons kollegas en studente lê.
Stuur asseblief enige idees hieroor per epos na: vc@sun.ac.za. Ek ontvang dit graag tot Maandag 20 Februarie 2012.
Met beste wense vir die jaar wat voorlê.
It is a wonderful feeling to be standing in front of a maroon crowd. It makes your heart swell with Matie pride. I am referring to the recent welcoming of our newcomer students and their parents in the Danie Craven Stadium. All the first-year students were wearing maroon T-shirts. This was a symbolisation of the Matie family as I have not seen for a long time. I trust that that feeling of unity will be lasting. To all our new Maties – welcome, once again.
Since my last communication on the planned reorganisation of our top management portfolios, my management and I have done a lot of thinking on the further course and handling of the processes. I have also held follow-up discussions with the deans and there is general consensus amongst us that all our planning for the future should be anchored in the established core functions of the University – teaching and learning, research and community interaction – under the leadership of a vice-rector for each of these spheres of responsibility.
Once completed, the overarching objectives of this reorganising process, should ensure that Stellenbosch maintains and strengthens its leadership as a leading-edge research institution in the country (and internationally). And with a view to improving the position of SU as a 21st-century university, we need to thoroughly set off the further implications and demands of a research-directed, technologically-advanced and innovative institution against teaching and learning and community interaction.
We believe it is important that the reorganisation of the top management portfolios should be a participatory process. For this reason it is high on the agenda of the next Institutional Planning Forum, which is scheduled for 24 and 25 February. Although attendance of this important planning forum is limited to senior and middle management, I would like to extend an invitation to the entire University community to make inputs and proposals in this regard. From experience we know that some of our best expertise lies in the ranks of our colleagues and students.
Please send any thoughts that you may have on this matter to the following e-mail address: vc@sun.ac.za. Submissions are welcome until Monday, 20 February 2012.