This situation enabled us to draw lessons that the collectiveness of all stakeholders to pull in the same direction is very fundamental to serve the students communities. In this context, we have traversed the past six (6) months where the established organisational protocols on how students’ concerns are handled were found to be violated due to complexities of the situation.
The existance of the policy framework for student engagements is still in force as a baseline for students matters to receive attention. This policy must be carried out even in turbulent periods in order to demonstrate our organised institutional culture. This framework is applicable for individual students matters, student organisational matters and the student governance matters that the elected Madibaz SRC must be able to take through. These principles are reaffirmed given the observed practice that students find themselves not following the said protocol. The framework reaffirms that the Dean of Students is the overseer of the student matters. The framework therefore also prescribes that only the SRC President and Secretary General would have open door policy with MANCO members. This would also be enabled by the Dean of Students in order to reaffirm our commitment to organisational effectiveness.
It is also the principle of the policy framework that the local SRC structures must also be utilised for campus related matters with an intention to facilitate devolution model articulated through the current SRC Constitution. In addition, the office of the Acting Director: Student Governance and Development must be utilised together with the Office of Director for Student Housing. This would fashion our effectiveness on the ground as we continue to service students. We will dedicate our time for servicing students, which would make our protocols affirmed.
From the above, the students are informed to follow these protocols in order to cultivate our organisational effectiveness in as far as protocol and communication is concerned. This would also be reiterated with the student’s bodies to ensure that our organisational effectiveness is intact. In conclusion, our commitment for reinforcing this policy practice would affirm our student centricity which we must all commit to.
Regards
Dr Bernard Sebake
Acting Dean of Students