TRANSFORMING THE UNIVERSITY
OF CAPE TOWN
2004
A REPORT TO COUNCIL
PREPARED FOR
07 April 2004
THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
2004
CONTENTS
1. Introduction:
1.1. Milestones in the process of change since 2002
2. UCT in 2004: Student and Staff Profile
2.1. Student Profile
2.2. Staff Profile
3. Key Policies and Strategies that impact on change and development
3.1. Planning the size and shape of UCT
3.2. Curriculum
3.3. Research
3.4. Academic Support and Academic Development
3.5. Financial Aid Policy
3.6. Student Housing Policy
3.7. Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Employment Equity
3.8. Employment Equity
3.9. Resourcing UCT: A Transformation Budget
3.10 Affirmative Procurement at UCT: 2001 – 2004.
1. Introduction
The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the current status of progress in transforming UCT to become an outstanding teaching and research university that addresses the challenges facing our society. It focuses specifically on progress with respect to how we continue to attempt to overcome the legacy of apartheid in South Africa, to eliminate all forms of discrimination and to promote equal opportunity and the full development of human potential. The intention is to describe the strategies we have undertaken and to reflect on achievements and continuing challenges. We hope that this report will provide an informative basis for a discussion on future direction.
Three previous booklets have been compiled since 1993 each examining progress on transformation. This report uses July 2002 as a key date as this marked the appointment of a new team of Deputy Vice-Chancellors with one being assigned transformation as a portfolio responsibility. Prior to this there had been about an eighteen month gap in the portfolio from the time of the resignation of the previous Deputy Vice-Chancellor who had this responsibility.
In this introduction an overview of the current picture is provided. Using telegraph-style chronology, some key events and decisions are listed. These have been described in greater detail in reports to Council. This is followed by a series of tables which show the demographic profile of students and staff.
1.1 Milestones in the Process of Change since 2002
2002
July
§ Appointment of new team of Deputy Vice-Chancellors, with the allocation of transformation as a portfolio responsibility to Professor Cheryl de la Rey.
September
§ The Senior Leadership Group identifies transformation as a fifth strategic action guide.
2003
January
§ Senior Leadership Group workshop on transformation.
§ A rationale, vision and action guide for transformation is developed.
§ Agreement that employment equity is a line management function and the support capacity should be located in the Human Resources Department.
February
§ Launch of the Emerging Researcher’s Programme for academic staff to fast-track research capacity development particularly among women and black researchers.
§ Contract development posts for historically disadvantaged individuals are reviewed to ensure that career plans are in place for each appointee. This effectively means that all appointees are assured of continued employment subject to satisfactory performance.
April
§ A Transformation Office is established to support policy development, monitor and advise on transformation.
§ The Vice Chancellor meets with faculties, the SRC and staff bodies to roll-out the vision, rationale and action-guide for transformation.
§ A new staffing information management system is developed.
§ A model for succession planning for academic staff is developed in the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Science.
May
§ An Employment Equity (EE) Manager is appointed to support the University in the development of its Employment Equity Policy, plan and reporting.
July
§ The Climate Survey is commissioned.
§ The EE Manager reviews the existing Employment Equity Policy and all other HR policies to ensure that they are aligned with EE objectives.
§ The Mellon Foundation awards a grant to support employment equity in the Faculty of Humanities. The grant provides bridging funds for 23 posts over a period of four years after which the costs of the posts will be absorbed by the Faculty budget.
§ A process for revising the Sexual Harassment and Rape Policy is initiated.
§ The Graduate School of Business establishes a Transformation Forum.
§ Launch of a programme to provide support and ARV treatment for staff who are HIV Positive or who have AIDS.
August
§ The Institutional Forum holds a workshop in which it identifies key transformation priorities for the next year.
§ Senate adopts the Teaching Charter as part of the Quality Assurance Framework Proposals
§ A social responsiveness audit within the university is initiated by the Institutional Planning Department.
September
§ An employment equity workshop is held with the HR Department on the development of an EE action plan.
§ The Climate Survey is distributed to all UCT employees.
§ A Curriculum Working Group reviews curriculum development at faculty level.
§ A grant is received to support employment equity in the Faculty of Science.
October
§ The Department of Labour report on employment equity is completed.
§ The Faculty of Health Sciences employs a full-time Transformation Officer.
§ The Faculty of Health Sciences revises its admissions policy for the MBCHB Class of 2004.
November
§ Senate approves a proposal to increase its diversity by agreeing to the co-option of twenty-five black academic staff.
§ A Student Equity Task Team is established to develop an institution- wide admissions policy, which takes into account equity imperatives, student selection, recruitment, support and development.
§ A student transformation workshop is organised by the SRC with the aim of developing a transformation charter based on student views.
§ A Language Plan for UCT 2005-2010 is adopted by Senate. The objective is to foster multilingualism while retaining English as the medium of instruction and administration.
December
§ A first draft of the revised Employment Equity Policy is tabled at the Joint Consultative Forum on Employment Equity (JCFEE).
§ The Report of the Curriculum Working Group is released.
§ The Faculties of Law and Engineering and the Built Environment develop plans to accelerate employment equity through succession planning and mentorship.
2004
January
§ The Transformation Management Advisory (TMag) Group is established to improve co-ordination in implementation of the transformation objectives. Its composition includes all four Deputy Vice Chancellors, the Executive Director Human Resources, the Director of the Institutional Planning Department, the Employment Equity Manager and the Transformation Manager.
February
§ The JCFEE endorses the draft of the revised EE Policy.
§ The draft EE Policy is presented to the PASS Forum for comment and endorsement.
§ The draft EE Policy is presented to the IF for comment and endorsement.
§ The report on the Climate Survey is presented to the Senior Leadership Group and a communication strategy is endorsed.
§ Council approves a programme of support for students living with HIV/AIDS, which would be fully integrated with the public health system.
March
§ The draft EE Policy is presented to the SLG and is tabled at the Senate meeting.
§ The Vice Chancellor launches UCT’s 175th Anniversary celebrations with theme “Changing Minds and Changing histories.”
§ The Report of the Institutional Climate Survey is presented to the PASS Forum by Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. de la Rey.
April
§ The Report of the Institutional Climate Survey is presented to the Institutional Forum by Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. de la Rey.
§ A Special Meeting of Council focuses on the transformation of the University of Cape Town.
2. UCT in 2004: Student and Staff Profile
2.1. Student Profile
The attached Tables attempt to give Council a picture of change over a 10-12 year period.
The Student Profile: 1990-2003 illustrates the progress made over that period to increase the number of black students. Numbers of black students rose from just under 4000 in 1990 to over 10 000 by 2003. The graph shows a rapid increase in black students over the period 1990 to about 1998, followed by a flattening off of the growth. Correspondingly there was a drop in white students for the period 1994 to about 1998, a trend which was reversed in the following years.
Table 1: Applications, Offers and Enrolments : 1993 and 2004 illustrates the continuing pattern of increasing applications, and over-offers to attempt to reach enrolment targets. It shows overall growth, with African first-time entering students showing the largest increase.
Table 2: Student Enrolments by Population Group and Gender: 1993 & 2003 augments the overall student profile graph. It shows the growth of the proportion of African enrolments (21 to 32% of total enrolments), the drop in white enrolments (61 to 51%), with the proportion of coloured and Indian enrolments remaining largely static. It also shows a growth in the proportion of women students from approximately 40 to 50% over the period. This figure masks faculty differences which are shown in Table 3.
Table 3 Student Enrolments by Faculty shows the relative sizes of the Faculties and the proportion of black students, where the proportion of black first-year students has risen in all Faculties bar Humanities. (The GSB figure of a 100% black first year intake refers to an initial all-black intake in the AIM programme, which subsequently became more diverse.) The proportion of women in all Faculties has improved over the period, starting from different bases. The proportion of postgraduates has not grown over the period, although absolute numbers have.
Table 4: Course Success rates by Population Group shows an improvement in pass rates for all first-time entering students (FU’s) with black students showing the greatest improvement but still lagging behind the white student rate.
Table 5: Undergraduate Academic Progress indicates a reduction in the percentage of students excluded on academic grounds between 1993 and 2003; the proportions of students leaving in good academic standing is an ongoing concern and is subject to a current investigation.
Table 6: Degrees and Diplomas awarded 1993 & 2003 indicate the significant growth in both the numbers and proportion of degrees and diplomas awarded to African students. There is a concomitant drop for white students.
58
University of Cape Town: Transformation Overview 2004
A Report to Council
Table 1 [1]Applications, Offers and Enrolments: 1993 and 2004
African / Coloured / Indian / White / Other/Unknown / Total
1993 / 2004 / 1993 / 2004 / 1993 / 2004 / 1993 / 2004 / 1993 / 2004 / 1993 / 2004
First-Time Entering / Applications / 3946 / 4901 / 1041 / 1303 / 1213 / 1260 / 2784 / 3434 / 84 / 8984 / 10982
Undergraduates / Offers / 1206 / 2035 / 570 / 798 / 735 / 886 / 2088 / 2580 / 54 / 4599 / 6353
Enrolments / 536 / 1033 /
360
/ 531 / 158 / 341 / 1286 / 1691 / 38 / 2340 / 3634Transferring / Applications / 824 / 961 / 122 / 153 / 206 / 167 / 961 / 513 / 26 / 2113 / 1820
Undergraduates / Offers / 261 / 287 / 55 / 59 / 36 / 52 / 589 / 265 / 17 / 941 / 680
Enrolments / 172 / 153 / 36 / 34 / 13 / 36 / 313 / 173 / 8 / 534 / 404
Note: These figures do not include applications made by potential occasional students, academic offers made to these
applicants, and subsequent occasional enrolments.
Table 2
Student Enrolments by Population Group and Gender: 1993 and 2003[2]
AFRICAN / COLOURED / INDIAN / WHITE / TOTAL
MALE / FEMALE / TOTAL / MALE / FEMALE / TOTAL / MALE / FEMALE / TOTAL / MALE / FEMALE / TOTAL / MALE / FEMALE / TOTAL
1994 / 1964 / 983 / 2947 / 941 / 971 / 1912 / 429 / 293 / 722 / 5015 / 3675 / 8690 / 8349 / 5922 / 14271
2003 / 3949 / 2453 / 6402 / 1235 / 1658 / 2893 / 732 / 719 / 1451 / 5226 / 5202 / 10428 / 10187 / 10078 / 20265
Table 3:
Student Enrolments by Faculty
Overall Proportions of Students by Faculty
Enrolment / % of Total Enrolments / % of black students in first year / Black / Women / Postgraduates
1994 / 2003 / 1994 / 2003 / 1994 / 2003 / 1994 / 2003 / 1994 / 2003 / 1994 / 2003
Commerce / 2569 / 5285 / 17% / 26% / 42% / 53% / 28% / 46% / 36% / 43% / 20% / 18%
GSB / 241 / 371 / 2% / 2% / 100% / 54% / 26% / 40% / 15% / 42% / 85% / 56%
EBE / 2467 / 2640 / 17% / 13% / 55% / 59% / 39% / 58% / 14% / 27% / 21% / 27%
Health Sciences / 2431 / 2615 / 16% / 13% / 46% / 55% / 30% / 49% / 49% / 64% / 34% / 40%
Humanities / 4836 / 5842 / 33% / 29% / 57% / 53% / 49% / 45% / 58% / 64% / 25% / 23%
Law / 641 / 991 / 4% / 5% / 61% / 30% / 53% / 44% / 50% / 97% / 69%
Science / 1662 / 2521 / 11% / 12% / 59% / 63% / 41% / 50% / 36% / 43% / 34% / 34%
Total / 14847 / 20265 / 100% / 100% / 53% / 55% / 39% / 49% / 42% / 50% / 30% / 29%
Table 4
Course Success Rates by Population Group
1993 / 2003
African / FU / 69% / 80%
Other / 71% / 78%
All UG's / 70% / 78%
Coloured / FU / 73% / 86%
Other / 81% / 80%
All UG's / 79% / 82%
Indian / FU / 70% / 87%
Other / 83% / 85%
All UG's / 79% / 86%
White / FU / 86% / 93%
Other / 89% / 92%
All UG's / 89% / 92%
TOTAL / FU / 79% / 88%
Other / 84% / 86%
All UG's / 83% / 86%
Note: These success rates are based on head count success rates, computed
at the conclusion of the 1993 and 2003 academic years.
Table 5
Undergraduate Academic Progress: 2003
No students registered in 1993 / No students registered in 2003 / % qualified 1993 / % qualified 2003 / % continuing in 1994 / % continuing in 2004 / % excluded on academic grounds in 1993 / % excluded on academic grounds in 2003 / % discontinuing studies in 'good academic standing' in 1993 / % discontinuing studies in 'good academic standing' in 2003
African: / First-time / 535 / 933 / 81,7 / 83,6 / 11,8 / 8,0 / 6,5 / 7,6
Other / 1404 / 3002 / 19,4 / 19,6 / 67,5 / 63,8 / 7,1 / 5,7 / 6,0 / 8,9
Coloured: / First-time / 360 / 578 / 82,5 / 85,8 / 10,8 / 5,3 / 6,7 / 8,6
Other / 1050 / 1500 / 26,0 / 22,9 / 63,4 / 62,4 / 4,6 / 5,4 / 6,0 / 7,1
Indian: / First-time / 156 / 318 / 74,3 / 90,5 / 18,6 / 9,6 / 7,1 / 4,0
Other / 371 / 752 / 22,4 / 24,6 / 65,8 / 68,7 / 4,3 / 1,5 / 7,5 / 4,7
White: / First-time / 1283 / 1765 / 88,9 / 93,7 / 3,7 / 1,9 / 7,4 / 6,2
Other / 4851 / 4884 / 33,0 / 31,1 / 58,9 / 61,9 / 1,4 / 1,8 / 6,7 / 4,0
TOTAL: / First-time / 2334 / 3594 / 85,2 / 88,5 / 7,7 / 4,3 / 7,1 / 6,7
Other / 7676 / 10138 / 29,1 / 26,0 / 61,4 / 63,0 / 3,0 / 3,5 / 6,5 / 6,0