25 October 2021
News | 3
Vaccines and returning to campus News Bites Thabang Moloi
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outh Africa moved to an adjusted alert level one on 1 October, following an address by the President, who highlighted the reason for the move to a lower lockdown level being the decline in the average number of COVID-19 cases recorded daily. This means many social activities will be resumed and less restricted. However, the highlight was the “gatherings” numbers, which now allows a maximum of 750 people in an indoor venue capped to 50% of the venue’s capacity. What this means for students is that they might be seeing campus sooner than they expected. There has been no official statement by the Department of Higher Education and Training, or from Minister Dr Blade Nzimande to this regard. This can be accredited to the fact that higher education institutions are allowed to implement their own risk-free strategies of allowing students back on campus. However, in his statement last year when the country was under the same adjusted alert level, Dr Nzimande said, “following the President’s announcement that the country would move to Level 1, I am pleased to say that we are now in a position to welcome back 100% of our university students, including all those international students who are currently outside the borders of South Africa”. With the vaccine rollout proving to be a success in the country, this may be an approaching reality. While mandatory vaccine programmes are being discussed nationwide, UP has not implemented mandatory vaccines. The UP executive released an announcement regarding the university’s position
on vaccines and the return to campus in 2022. The response from the executive explains that UP is “committed to reopening its campuses in 2022”, dependent on the progression of the pandemic and government regulations. Some on campus activities have already resumed for “some programmes [such as for] final year students, selected courses with laboratory- and field practicals and other priority courses”. UP aims to have all students begin on campus in 2022 and is “currently doing a risk assessment for the safe return of students and staff”. They also “strongly urge everyone who is not yet fully vaccinated to do so. It is not only the right decision for every individual’s health but also important for the collective health of everyone”. While vaccinations are not mandatory for UP staff and students, everyone is strongly urged to get vaccinated. UP adds that the executive “might change our approach [to mandatory vaccinations] should it become necessary to ensure the health and safety of UP students and staff. We strongly believe in the benefits of being vaccinated and the role it can play in preventing people from falling seriously ill or dying”. Prof. Tawana Kupe
hinted to the prospect of returning to campus in an email sent to students on 6 October. He said “With the move to risk-adjusted level 1, the university will make certain adjustments in line with the plans that were developed by each of the faculties and professional service departments”. While vaccines are voluntary, UP also notes the need for high vaccination levels, as “owing to the evolution and mutation of the virus, the threshold for reaching herd immunity keeps on rising”. The university will continue to consult with and be guided by “the health experts and authorities” and adds that “ the more people that are vaccinated, the safer it will be for us as a community to return to some form of normality.”
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r. Michael Barnes was conferred with his PhD qualification during the spring graduation. Barnes is a meteorology student whose Master’s dissertation was converted to a PhD. His thesis studies the dynamics of cut-low pressure systems- upper tropospheric lows which have a great impact on our country’s weather and it focuses on the processes that lead to these weather systems extending to the surface by case study, climatology and idealised numerical experimentation. When asked why he chose meteorology Barnes said that he has always had a love for physical geography and particularly a fascination with the weather and how it works. “If you are Capetonian and have seen the weather shift completely within an hour or someone in Gauteng who has seen a thunderstorm grow in front of your eyes - it’s hard not to be fascinated as to how these processes unfold. On top of this, to be able to predict weather and climate - processes which are so complex and inherently chaotic and unpredictable - is a
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n 29 September, #SpeakOut UP ran an Anti-Discrimination Week. AntiDiscrimination Week is the anniversary and continuation of nitiatives from 2016 when UP had started the process of revising its Anti-Discrimination Policy by setting up an Anti-Discrimination Policy Working Group. The new policy was necessary to address all forms of discrimination and their intersections at UP. The policy has the objective of shaping a future where discrimination is avoided from first occurance to establish an inclusive and affirming community. Five years later, SpeakOut UP continues to celebrate Anti-Discrimination Week and moving towards these objectives by informing students of the Anti-Discrimination Policy, their rights contained within, and what they should do if they have been discriminated against. The #SpeakOut UP Anti-Discrimination and Social Solidarity Webinar had two segments which focused on different topics with different guests. The first segment consisted of guests from societies at UP such as Beyond Our Limiting Disabilities (BOLD), UP&OUT, and the Legal Shebeen who spoke at length about their thoughts on what discrimination is, including being inconsiderate
towards people and their needs; unlearning certain ways of thinking about discrimination by creating new societal norms and respectfully calling people out when they are acting in a discriminatory manner; the importance of solidarity in acknowledging each other’s diversity and celebrating our humanity as people. The societies spoke about the support system that they offer their members such as having support groups to ensure the wellbeing of their members. In the second segment, the speakers from the Transformation Office and the Centre for Human Rights spoke about the UP Anti-Discrimination Policy (ADP). The UP ADP is detailed in terms of the procedures to be followed when reporting any form of discrimination experienced by students and staff members. The UP ADP was passed in 2019 to address issues of discrimination within the university space and how it can be accessed through the UP website and on ClickUP. The Trans Protocol was also discussed. It is a document that works with the ADP to enable transgender, gender diverse people, and non-binary individuals to navigate the university in a manner in which they are protected. The influence of the Trans Protocol in enabling students from UP to change their pronouns on ClickUP was also discussed. #SpeakOut UP spoke to PDBY about the webinars. Was there anyone from outside the UP
Science Oscar winner: Prof. Stephanie Burton
UP’s Fine Arts Division hosts the opening for “Light for Art’s Sake” exhibition
Photo: Ruth Versfeld
challenge I had to be a part of!”, he added. Barnes started studying meteorology in 2011 as an undergraduate and completed his Honours in Meteorology in 2014. He further completed a weather forecasting postgraduate qualification at the South African Weather Services in 2015 and started his Master’s/PhD studies in 2018. One of the challenges he had to overcome was working as a full-time weather forecaster and completing his postgraduate studies. “Working and studying is tough. So I really had to persevere through those initial few months where you are still getting to grips with the literature and trying to figure out how to get some results out of the data. Luckily I had great supervisors in Dr. Ndarana and Prof. Landman and a great support network of friends and family who were able to keep me motivated”, says Barnes. He further added that perseverance got him through these challenges. This is what he said when asked about his plans in his academic career: “I am not sure yet really. I am looking at a few different opportunities at this stage and will make more definite decisions about my future next year!”.
#SpeakOut UP Anti-discrimination Week
Amukelani Makamu
During the month of October, the UP Student Counselling unit runs a Mental Health awareness month. This initiative aims at raising awareness about mental health. For any mental health care support, students or staff can contact the 24-hour UP Careline on 0800747747.
UP has congratulated Prof. Stephanie Burton who has won a NSTF Management Award. This kind of award is considered to be a “Science Oscar”.
Master’s thesis turned PhD Manelisi Magoro
Your mental health matters the UP Counselling Unit
community who attended? “We were not joined by anyone outside the UP community but we hope that as we continue celebrating Anti-Discrimination Week in the future, we can continue our anti-discrimination awareness initiatives beyond the University of Pretoria”. #SpeakOut Up further explained that they are thankful to have been joined by different structures at UP to provide insight on discrimination and the support offered at UP. These structures included Legal Shebeen, UP&OUT, BOLD, the Transformation Office and the Centre for Human Rights. Did you get the desired outcome from the event? “We got the desired outcome from the AntiDiscrimination Week as we were able to inform people about the UP Anti-Discrimination Policy and the Trans Protocol. Through the initiative #SpeakOut UP received a new perspective on the South African Constitution in terms of combating discrimination and got to hear stories from students about anti-discrimination, combating discrimination and ensuring social solidarity”. “We as #SpeakOut UP [...] urge students and staff members to read and use the Anti-Discrimination Policy and Trans Protocol where necessary so that they do not suffer in silence when experiencing discrimination”.
11 October saw the Link Gallery at UP host the opening exhibition for “Light for Art Sake” Exhibition. This is a first of its kind in this division. The exhibition was on Pin-hole and multi-modal photography at and beyond the University of Pretoria. Some of the photographs that were on display were by first and second year students in the Fine Arts Department. The artist, Carla Crafford, says the title of the exhibition was inspired by the Pin-hole box camera that each student had to use to create their photographs and for perfect images there needs to be perfect sunlight. One of the photographs that Crafford spoke highly of is by a second year student, Themba Nhlapo. The photograph is titled “Three Views” - Nhlapo can be seen in the photograph topless and wearing a face mask; this photograph was shot in March 2020 when cases of COVID-19 were reported in South Africa. All of the photographs that were on display have been inscribed in a book with the same title as the exhibition.
UP photo competition open to students
UP is running a #UniversitySocialResponsibility Competition that closes on 30 October. This hashtag serves to show that UP uses its skills, knowledge and research to make a positive and lasting difference in the environment and society. Students are encouraged to enter the competition on their student portal by submitting a photo. Students that enter stand a chance to win prizes.
UP architecture lecturer takes top spot in global abstract writing contest
A UP architecture lecturer has won the World Building Congress (WBC) 2022 abstract competition. Karen Botes’s submission was chosen out of 900 abstracts submitted to the contest, which challenged applicants to write a 300-word abstract that relates to building for the future. “I feel extremely blessed, honoured and grateful that my abstract was accepted and selected as winner of the competition,” Botes says. Botes’s abstract is in line with the literature review for her PhD study in Landscape Architecture, the title of which is ‘An efficiency analysis of selected traditional African vegetable species and modular living wall systems for food security for Gauteng, South Africa’.
Second Honorary Doctorate: for Prof. Tawana Kupe Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof. Tawana Kupe, has earned his second honorary doctorate from the University of Montpellier. This was for his work in “building academic partnerships across the African continent and the globe”.
