Postgraduate Student Introductory Manual

Postgraduate Student Introductory Manual

Dear Students,

Welcome to the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

This document describes the processes, procedures and expectations of you as a new student in APES. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these procedures.

Please contact the School administrators (B114) if you are unclear on anything or have any questions. We hope that you have a fantastic time here at Wits and wish you all the best with your studies.

APES administrative staff to assist you:

For all financial enquiries – Financial Administrator – Ms Oudius Cheneka (B114)

For all undergraduate enquiries – Admin Officer – Mrs Rene Gilbert (B114)

For all postgraduate enquiries – Senior Admin Officer - Ms Carol Sam (B114)

For all vehicle enquiries – Principal Technician – Mr Herman duPreez (b116)

For all technical and maintenance enquiries – Senior Technician – Mr Bruce Patterson (B123)

For all IT enquiries – IT systems Administrator (currently vacant) or CNS help desk

General Information

Rules and Guidelines

Students are expected to act as responsible citizens under South African Law and the University Code of Conduct. APES students are expected to treat each other with respect and understanding.

All information relating to Science Postgraduates students can be found at:

University postgraduate handbook can be found at:

Reporting Problems

At Wits there is a hierarchy for students to follow when reporting problems. Please follow the below procedures for issues you would like to raise within the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences.

-All non-administrative issues should be first discussed with your supervisor.

-Administrative issues to be taken to Ms Carol Sam (B114)

-If the issue is not resolved then:

• Report issues to the Postgraduate Representative (Felix Donkor and team, email ) or Postgraduate Coordinator (Prof Francesca Parrini)
• If issues are unresolved by the PG Representative please report issue to the Postgraduate Coordinator
• Unresolved issues will be raised by the PG Coordinator with the Head of School and thereafter brought to the attention of the Assistant Dean of Postgraduate Affairs (Prof David Mycock) and the Dean of the Faculty of Science (Prof Helder Marques)

Information

This section aims to provide PG students with the relevant information and procedures for the School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences. This serves as an introductory or reference guide but is not an exhaustive manual for the School. Should you have any queries please contact the APES administration staff(see page 1) for assistance.

1. Useful Information for new students

Wits Information

-All students are issued with an ICAM card. This is their form of identification and should be kept on hand at all times

-Students who wish to park on campus will need to apply for a parking permit through the Parking Office (ground floor Solomon Mahlangu House)

APES Information

-All new students should familiarise themselves with the School Staff and procedures.

-All postgraduate students are welcome in the Tea Room. Free tea and coffee has been made available to staff and students on the proviso that it is drunk in the Tea Room. This encourages interactions between staff and students and can go a long way to fostering new relationships within the School

-Students are expected to attend lunch time seminars held in the school. During term seminars occur on Mondays and Fridays from 13:15-14:15. Monday seminars have mainly external speakers while Friday seminars are mainly for postgraduate students to present their research.

-If students are not receiving departmental emails regarding seminars and other issues, please contact the CNS help desk.

Funding Opportunities

There are a number of funding opportunities available at Wits. Below is a brief breakdown of the most common awards. For more information please visit the Financial Aid & Scholarships ( Please note that the University does institute a limit on the total value of awards each student can receive for his or her studies. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the rules governing the different awards.

The Postgraduate Funding Booklet can be downloaded at the following site:

Postgraduate Merit Award (PGMA)

The PGMA is awarded on academic merit and covers the value of tuition as well as a stipend for Teaching Assistant duties worked in the School. Applications generally close in September/October but the exact dates will be available through the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office

National Research Foundation (NRF)

The NRF is a government run funding body that provides Honours, Masters and PhD students with scholarship opportunities. More information can be found at . Please be aware that the University institutes internal deadlines for submissions of proposals, normally in July each year. The exact dates for internal submission will be available from the Research Office (10th Floor, Senate house) or the Wits NRF administrator.

2. APES Forms and Portal

The APES portal ( ) serves as a tool for both APES staff and students. It serves as a single point of reference for many of the sites, forms and tools used by the School.

Web forms on the APES Resource Portal

A number of facilities can be booked or requested through web forms available on the APESresource portal.

-Equipment/Materials request: to order material needed for research. Supervisor permission and access to a funding source is required to use this facility

-Field trip request: for items needed on field trips, generally run by the School

-Growth facility and insectary request: for access to growth rooms or greenhouses. Please you book these well in advance as space is limited

-Maintenance request: for requesting general maintenance in the rooms a student may be actively using

-Key request: should you need access to a specific area in the School which is locked

-Special building access: should you need access to specific areas in the School, particularly after hours

3. Teaching Assistants

-All APES postgraduate students are required to work as Teaching Assistants for the School.

-Postgraduate students who are recipients of the Postgraduate Merit Awards (PGMA) are required to work 168 hours per year and will be paid a stipend each block.

-Students who have not received PGMA’s or have received PGMA but worked more than 168 hours will be paid at the standard School rates for hours worked.

-A record of all hours worked needs to be kept and signed off by the respective course lecturer and submitted to the Teaching Assistant Co-ordinator (Dr Ayayee, Room OLS 2004) Administrative Officer.

-Should you be asked to TA on a field trip you need to read the APES field trip guidelines document.

Before any payments will be made students will have to sign a contract with the School which includes banking details. The completed and signed contract must be submitted to Mrs Tammy van Tonder(B114) before requesting payment.

4. Claims Procedures

PGMA stipend claims

-For stipends to be paid a PGMA claim form needs to be submitted to the Financial Aids and Scholarships Office

-Students need to have PGMA forms signed by the TA coordinator (Dr Ellis Ayayee, OLS 2004) before submitting to the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office in Solomon Mahlangu House

-Submission guidelines are available on PGMA claim forms available in B114

-All hours worked need to be recorded as specified in the TA claims section

TA claims

-All students working as Teaching Assistants need to record their hours on the TA Claim form available in B114

-Each form needs to be signed off by the respective course lecturer

-Signed TA claim forms should be submitted to the TA co-ordinator (Dr Ellis Ayayee) at the end of each block. Those students receiving payment for hours worked need to submit their form by the 5th of each month in order to be paid on time

Project Expenses Refunds

Certain project expenses can be claimed back by students with authorisation of their supervisor.

-Legible receipts of all purchases should be attached to A4 pages with a summary of the claim. Please note that there are University rules as to what can be claimed for. (eg. personal items such as toiletries are excluded).

-Claims need to include the total amount to be paid, the person to be refunded, the project account or fund to be used as well as the supervisor’s name and signature

-All claims need to be dated and submitted to the APES Financial Administrator (Ms Oudius Cheneka)

-No claims older than 3 months will be accepted or processed without written validation for the delayed claim

-Please keep a copy of each claim for personal reference

-If student banking details have not been submitted previously, a banking details form must accompany the claim

Fuel Refunds

Vehicle costs of trips for field work made in personal vehicles may be refunded to the student with the supervisor’s consent

-A travel claims form is available from the administration office (B114)

-This form must be completed with the details of the trip and kilometres travelled.

-Forms must be submitted to the Financial Administrator in good time (within 3 months) with receipts attached to A4 pages

-Retain a copy of the claim for personal reference

-If student banking details have not been submitted previously, a banking details form must accompany the claim

5. Contracts

To receive payment for any work performed in the School, an employment contract has to be completed. The forms are available from the main office (B114). You will need to complete the form with your residential address and tax number. A copy of your ID and ICAM card needs to be included with the form as well as a completed banking detail form. All these documents must be given to Ms Tammy van Tonder in B114.

Tax Information

-Any student employed by the University is liable to pay Income Tax

-Each tax year (01 March – 28 February) an IRP5 form will be generated by Wits

-Relevant tax information will be submitted to SARS by the University

-IRP5 forms (employee tax certificates) will be available by the University by 01 July of each year

-Students are responsible for collecting their IRP5 forms from 8th Floor, Senate House, and for completing their own personal tax returns

-The University suggests that each individual paid through the Payroll system submits a tax return

6. Printing

The University has a follow-me printing facility which allows the students to print at any student designated printer on campus. In the School there are student designated printers in B114 and in the Life Sciences Museum in OLS.

-Upon swiping your ICAM card, you will be required to choose an account to use. The School account is for research or project related purposes only. KUDU BUCKS is for your private printing and you need to load your card with kudu bucks at an appropriate machine on campus.

-Should you spend more than R 300 per year on the School account without a valid reason you will be removed from the APES account.

-If your ICAM card does not work, please see Mrs Tammy van Tonder.

7. Using/ access to School facilities

Several facilities are available for use by postgraduate students. However, some of these facilities require permission of the supervisor. Please ensure all relevant information is accessible before booking the use of any of the facilities

Booking vehicles

-The School has a fleet of vehicles which may be used to aid students in their research.

-All drivers must be in possession of a valid driving licence and have driven for at least 2 years.

-There are rules and conditions under which these vehicles can be used. All drivers need to agree to these conditions and should they be found not driving in according to these rules, the driver will no longer be allowed to use an APES vehicle.

-All vehicle details are available through the Principal Technician (Mr Herman du Preez, B116)

-To book a vehicle please contact the Principal Technician (e-mail; ) with the specific dates and funding source for the trip.

-Supervisor permission/access to funding will be required.

-Should you need to carry non-Wits passengers in the vehicle, permission from the Head of School is required.

Booking a venue

-A number of venues are available in the school, which may be booked for seminars, meetings, or similar events

-Each venue has an associated date book which is kept in the main School office (B114)

-To book a venue, designate the specific timeslot and day under the student and supervisor name

-Should laptops and projector facilities be required these should be specified both in the venue booking book, as well as in the projector & computers booking book

-Please note that if a projector and computer are not booked in the “Projector Booking” date book, no projector or computer will be provided to the users of the room on the specified date

Emergency procedures

For any emergencies please call Campus Control on 011717 4444