Laptops

John Moffat Building. Image by H. Tarmahomed

STUDENT LIFE & SUPPORT

Student Support

Architecture student life is recognised as particularly demanding and may sometimes feel overwhelming in its intensity. The academics and administrators are mindful of the work and life pressures on students and will advise where requested with regard to creating lighter workloads through reducing coursework loads or deregistration, referrals to campus health resources, and mentorship suggestions.

Students are encourage to use their elected class representatives to bring issues to the attention of the programme directors and Head of School where relevant. It is, however, important that students themselves actively navigate these pressures. Students should not take on too much, particularly in relation to part time work, family obligations, or daily travel.

Some of the more common support mechanisms offered to students are outlined here. For information on general Wits student issues and resources, consult the ‘Students’ section of the University website: https://www.wits.ac.za/students

Mandatory Vaccination Policy

All University members have from 1 Jan 2022 to 1 Mar 2022 to be vaccinated. If in the circumstances of staff and students who are unable to be vaccinated on medical grounds or choose not to on Constitutional grounds must apply for and be granted reasonable accommodation. Further information on the policy can be found on the University website: https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/ general-news/2021/2021-11/covid-19update-76-council-approves-wits-covid19-mandatory-vaccination-policy.html

Student Accommodation

Students who live beyond a 45km radius of campus are eligible to apply to rent places in University-owned residences, which cost approximately R3,000 - R6,000 per month. Accommodation details can be found on the Wits website here: https://www.wits.ac.za/accommodation

Places in residence are not guaranteed to all eligible applicants, and not all residence rooms are large enough to accommodate the working space that architecture students require. It is also important to be able to travel to and from accommodation well into the evening, as many students work late on campus. Incoming students are to contact the Wits Central Accommodation Office if the conditions of an offered residence room do not meet these requirements so that alternatives can be sought.

For off-campus options, students are encouraged to seek housing near the university. There is a sizable market of student housing available in Braamfontein just to the east of the Wits campus.

Class Representatives

Each incoming class elects two class representatives who can attend programme meetings and pass issues of common concern on to lecturers, course convenor and programme directors. The class representatives also sit on the National

Architectural Student committee that is convened by the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) at the annual Architecture South Africa (AZA) conference. Formal communication from the The class representatives will set up WhatsApp groups, and each course will have a website on Sakai.

Communication

Students will receive an official Wits student email address (ending in @students.wits. ac.za) to which formal communication from the School and the University will be sent to. Any information conveyed by email will be assumed to have been received and read within a reasonable time (typically within one working day), and thus it is important for students to check this email daily. Students are also to use their official Wits email addresses to contact lecturers, rather than messaging apps, and should not call them directly unless previously agreed.

Security

The entity charged with security on campus is Campus Control, which is headquartered in Robert Sobukwe block, room 1, but many staffed posts on the Wits campus. While the School makes all possible efforts to maintain complete security, including through swipe-card access to certain spaces and rotation Campus Control security guards inside the building, full security, especially from petty theft, cannot be guaranteed. Students are to keep valuables on their persons at all times, or in the lockers provided inside their studios. To report crime or request a 24 hour escort service, use Protection Services Division of Campus Control. They can be reached at: (011) 717 4444 or (011) 717 6666.

Digital Work

Most submissions of student work will be collected in digital formats during term and/ or after examinations in a manner specified by each course’s lecturer. It is essential that students create regular backups of their work and store them in more than one place; the loss of work due to laptop crashes or theft is not an excuse for nonsubmission (though theft may warrant a deferral, as outlined in the Assessment Policy).

Office Hours

Office hours are specific times academic staff have set aside to be available for students to drop in for consultation and/ or assistance related to their classes. All course coordinators and full time lecturers are to include regular office hours on their course outlines, and keep these posted on their doors. Students who are unavailable during the posted times may make an appointment with the relevant lecturer. In doing so, students are expected to follow normal professional protocols, meaning last-minute requests or requests which do not take into consideration the lecturer’s schedule may be denied.

ADU

Unique to the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment, the Academic Development Unit (ADU) offers various forms of academic support for our students The ADU was established in an effort to boost student success rates and provide assistance for anyone in the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment who