​​​30 April 2020Dear Colleague

We send this communiqué in the awareness that the uncertainty, unpredictability and concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic in our personal and professional life are impacting on all of us in more ways than we are aware of. We also acknowledge that the need to practise business continuity in a context of a pandemic, poses challenges of all sorts.To continue with the normal functions of a university by formulating, communicating and implementing adjusted measures, protocols and plans while our colleagues may be vulnerable or fragile may come across as clinical, procedural and insensitive. We should attempt to practice business continuity as optimally as possible, but also need to discern and prioritise only the most important functions.We sincerely appreciate the hard work of our staff members to fulfil our responsibilities. We encourage our colleagues to seek ways to advance communion, cohesion and care for each other amidst social distancing in order to maintain our levels of resilience and fortitude.On the eve of the first risk adjustment since lockdown (from level 5 to level 4) we would like to update our Stellenbosch University community after our second week of online teaching and learning. We had hoped to get more clarity on the specific guidelines for the basic education and higher education sectors today, but the briefing by the respective ministers scheduled for this morning was postponed. In addition to the higher education sector, we are also keeping a close eye on developments related to grade 12 learners as it is important for our 2021 first-year enrolments.During the extended recess period for students you have been working very hard on the multitude of facets related to online learning and teaching – the only feasible option for continuing with the academic programme under current circumstances. From 20 April we progressed from planning to implementation, with the first opportunity to test our systems and processes.Going online with learning and teaching probably was less of a learning curve for our students – who are part of the digital generation – than for many of our academics. Thank you to all our academic staff members and our professional and administrative support divisions for tackling this challenge under difficult circumstances. We continue to learn together and will have many stories to tell about this year of significant change in higher education and how universities function.Phased re-integration of staffThe risk adjustment from level 5 tot level 4 as from tomorrow will for now have no impact on the remote functioning of our staff. We will continue working from home as per the current arrangements until we have more clarity on the specific regulations for the higher education sector. Our Human Resources division has proactively been working on a protocol for the phased re-integration of staff members which will be finalised as soon as we have clear directives from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology.Line managers should please take note that institutional guidelines will be provided along with timelines for the return of staff members to our campuses. Managers will be required to align divisional guidelines and operational measures with the institutional protocol, including adherence to social distancing and health protocols, and taking the potential medical risks of individuals into consideration. We are also planning the deep cleaning of all buildings before staff members may return.Staff members should therefore only return to the office once clear communication from the DVC: Transformation, Social Impact and Personnel sanctions the return. As a phased return is envisaged, line managers should continue to assist staff members with connectivity via mobile or data allowances if they are required to be functional from home.Restoring the stability of SUNLearnWe are aware of the challenges related to the stability of the SUNLearn platform and share your frustrations and those of our students in this regard. We request your patience for a little longer while our IT Division is giving priority attention to the underlying technical issues.Additional submission date for research Masters’ theses and doctoral dissertationsOur students have been informed of an exceptional arrangement for those Masters’ or PhD candidates who were on a trajectory to graduate in December 2020 or March 2021 but who have lost time due to the COVID-19 nationwide lockdown (for example, being unable to access primary or secondary sources). Accordingly, a special thesis or dissertation submission deadline of 1 March 2021 has been approved. Candidates who want to take up this option have been requested to consult with their supervisor or promotor. They will be required to re-register for the 2021 academic year for administrative and governance purposes, but without paying tuition fees in 2021 for the degree under examination. The tuition waiver would only be applicable to candidates who submit their thesis or dissertation by 1 March 2021 and for the relevant degree. Any outstanding fees from 2020 would remain payable.Once students have met the requirements for their specific qualifications, the successful candidates will receive a letter issued by the Registrar confirming their fulfilment of the requirements for the degree. This confirmation will allow for further study, research or employment opportunities. These students will graduate in December 2021.The thesis and dissertation submission deadlines, as aligned to the adjusted SU calendar for those who aim to graduate in December 2020 and March 2021 respectively, remain applicable.Until the end of 2020 the electronic submission and distribution of postgraduate theses or dissertations will be compulsory. The regulation contained in Part 1 (General) of the 2020 Calendar which determines that theses and dissertations may be submitted either in hard copy or electronic format, depending on the preference of the supervisor(s) or examiner(s) concerned, has been amended for this purpose.Laptop delivery and data bundles for studentsSo far 728 laptops were delivered to students who confirmed their participation in the laptop loan initiative. Unfortunately, some deliveries have been delayed due to limitations imposed by the lock-down regulations and, in some cases, insufficient information provided by students. However, the last deliveries are expected within the next few days.Stellenbosch University offered data bundles for four service providers (CellC, MTN, Telkom and Vodacom) to more than 30 000 of our students via email and two SMS messages last week and over the Freedom Day long weekend. It was emphasised that students would have to opt in and provide accurate contact information in a very specific format to ensure that requests could be captured digitally.The University is glad that we were able to offer data to the large number of students who responded timeously and accurately. Students who applied successfully will be credited with their data bundles over the next few days.SU had to process the applications and hand them to the mobile network operators (MNOs) in one batch of student numbers to activate the data bundles for the next month. If students applied, but do not receive data bundles, it is likely that their applications were in the incorrect format. Regrettably, a large number of students did not respond, or responded with inadequate information. We had hoped that the various communiqués, including posts on Facebook and Twitter, would have ensured accurate responses. However, despite SU’s best attempts to retrieve the data from the incorrect formatting, these applications could not be captured on our system.The offer of free data bundles for May is now closed, as the MNOs will not process additional applications for the next 30 days. Unfortunately, this is a missed opportunity for students and SU cannot enter into any further correspondence on this matter.Irrespective of whether students have opted in for the data allowance offered by Stellenbosch University or not, the zero rating for SUNLearn and other SU digital platforms remain valid. Even without data bundles students will be able to access SUNLearn with a minimum of data costs. Detailed information on the zero-rated websites, as well as tips for containing mobile costs are available on the COVID-19 website.Management in a time of disruptionWhile implementing online learning and teaching, and continuing to provide various forms of support to our students who have remained behind in our residences and in private accommodation, the various work streams of the Institutional Committee for Business Continuity (ICBC) are hard at work planning for the possible scenarios that may play out over the coming months.As many uncertainties remain, we are giving consideration to various possible options, for example how we could allow students to return to campus in a phased approach, giving priority to those degree programmes that require clinical rotations or practical assessments to successfully complete the 2020 academic year. This is one of a number of scenarios currently under consideration by the ICBC, including a scenario whereby SU would complete semester 1 fully online, with a phased return to campuses as from July, a scenario for a return to contact teaching from October 2020 and even a scenario where the entire 2020 academic year would have to be completed without students returning to our campuses.We emphasise that all the mentioned options form part of possible scenarios that are being considered to facilitate our planning. All of these remain subject to national regulations and risk assessment at SU. Even if national regulations should allow students to return to campuses in principle, Stellenbosch University has the responsibility to ensure that such a return be conducted in a manner that takes the health and well-being of staff, students and the local community into consideration. Students who travel back to campus may be required to stay in quarantine for up to two weeks prior to the start of lectures. Even then strict health protocols and restricted movements may still apply.In conclusionBeing under lockdown could create distance between us and others. Balancing our prof​essional and home lives from the same space, fears about the future, additional responsibilities of home schooling and financial and medical concerns are some of the biggest factors impacting on our ability to remain positive and focussed. It may seem overwhelming at times, but remember that various support services are available, even under lockdown. Please refer to the COVID-19 website​ for information and contact details.What we are doing currently, is not merely our job. Each of us is a link in a chain of activity to ensure that our students complete their academic year successfully despite the COVID-19 pandemic.With our sincere gratitudeProf Wim de VilliersRector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Stan du PlessisChair: ICBC​