43 • Phased return of students to residence Working closely with Faculties, other support departments like the Gender Equity Office and the Transformation Office, Student Affairs ensured that students in difficult home environments were returned to residence as part of the University’s phased return strategy guided by the lockdown regulations as issued by the Minister of Higher Education and Training. This included the return of students on social justice grounds (members of the LGBTQIA+ community, women on gender-based harm grounds, mental health considerations, and difficult home environments, to name a few). The Dean of Student Affairs hosted the Dean’s Leader ship Conversations, aimed at contributing to the leadership development of Wits students, profiling individuals making significant contributions in their respective area, and raising discussion and debate on topical leadership issues. 4.5.3. Campus Housing and Residence Life (CH&RL) This report serves to give a reflection on 2020 priorities within the CH&RL environment, targets achieved and recommendations. The following were identified priorities for CH&RL for the 2020 academic year: approval for the private student accommodation policy by the University Council, filling critical positions in the unit, increasing the number of beds allocation of first-year students in all Wits residence to 40%, and introducing residence academic advisory services in junior residences for the support of first-year students. All residence students received communication from the Vice-Chancellor that they all had to vacate residences by the 19 March because of the increasing concern around Covid-19, as communicated nationally and internationally by our own Ministry of Health and the WHO. The majority of students did vacate, but arrangements were put in place for International students and a limited number of South African students who had no other options and the approvals were granted by the Dean of Students. The process of preparing the residences for the return to campus of staff and students was challenging with no staff on campus at the time, but was successfully completed early in May because CH&RL received the first Health Science students registered in their clinical years of study by 06 May. The residences were cleaned and decontaminated, risk assessments were compiled for the residences following site inspections and guidance from the OHS&E Safety
Officer Evacuation Coordinator. Covid-19 requirements like educational posters, signage, santisers and PPE for staff such as masks, gloves and face shields were procured and supplied to them. Three staff members who were at risk remained at home. Students returned to residence in phases dependent on announcements made by the Ministry of Higher Education which aligned to the level the country was in. Residence students who returned to campus had to receive permits from their faculties before being permitted to return to any Wits residence. In addition, many requests were received from students whose home conditions were not conducive for online learning or academic success and a system was implemented, referred to as the “social justice” cohort, who applied via the Dean of Students Affairs office and the Director of CHRL for consideration to return to campus. Those who were approved through careful selection were sent permits to travel to the University. This continued from the end of June until the middle of October. Although eighteen students were infected with Covid19, none became critically ill and were treated for mild symptoms, if at all. Generally, students and staff complied with the Covid-19 protocols which assisted in keeping the infection rate low. Residence students that tested positive were relocated to self-isolation areas in various residences. All arrangements were put in place to regularly check on the Covid-19 positive students with CHWC staff keeping in touch with them regularly.
