Download the Annual report 2011 - Unisa

The university also has an Ethics Hotline (which is externally
situated) and an Ombudsman’s Office to enable
stakeholders to raise issues that they may have. The
Ethics Hotline has been reasonably successful; however,
the Ombudsman’s Office was almost non-functional in
2011 due to unforeseen circumstances. An investigation
into the value of the office was finalised in 2011 and accordingly,
Council approved the continued operation of
the Office. A new Ombudsman will be appointed in
2012.
Continued professional
development of Council members
Over the two days of the annual strategic Council workshop,
members were challenged on various aspects of
ethics, governance and leadership within a strong higher
education framework and also other best practice parameters.
The aim of the workshop was to develop a
common understanding and corporate culture amongst
the Unisa leadership. A further important initiative,
aimed at new Council members, was the Council induction
workshop to ensure that new members were properly
familiarised with the ethics and ethos of the Unisa
Council and their roles and responsibilities as Council
members, as well as enhancing their skills and knowledge
to ensure that they maintained compliance during
their tenures. The workshops entailed engagements at
a strategic level and allowed members to share their
thoughts inter se, but there were also external presenters
to bring extension and an added dimension to the discourse.
During 2009 the focus of the Council annual strategic
workshop was on cultural diversity and transformation
imperatives; in 2010 the Council took up the challenge
of understanding its obligations in terms of the King III
Code; and in 2011 ethical leadership as a specific obligation
of the Council was the basis of the strategic engagement
of the Council. An area that has not received
adequate emphasis is an in-depth and clear understanding
of risk assessment, appetite and tolerance – and this
is on the agenda for 2012 as the university moves
towards a more clearly defined risk-based planning
framework.
Co-operative governance
The university structures comply with the legislative
strictures for co-operative governance. The Council,
Senate and Institutional Forum are good exemplars of
effective co-operative governance and are further discussed
in the stakeholder report.
UNISA ANNUAL REPORT 2011
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New institutional structure
During 2011, Council approved the new institutional
structure that will better facilitate governance imperatives
and appropriately place accountability. (See page
8-9). The academic project of the university continues
successfully. I believe that the amended institutional
structure – with a dedicated Vice-Principal: Academic:
Teaching and Learning and a Vice-Principal: Research
and Innovation – will place appropriate emphasis on
strategic areas of the university’s core business and
simultaneously allow us to grow in the direction of
research and innovation. A detailed Senate Report is
included in this report reflecting on the highlights (and
lowlights) of the year.
Additionally, Council approved the establishment of a
dedicated Compliance Department that will focus the
university’s activities on proactive assurance and internal
obedience to the necessary and benchmarked responsibilities
and obligations.
Financial sustainability
In an institution as complex and diverse as Unisa, fiscal
prudence and probity are always highlighted. A full report
on Unisa’s financial standing is included and follows
later in the Annual Report together with the Financial
Statement from the Chairperson of the Finance, Investment
and University Estates Committee. At this point,
suffice it to say that I am satisfied that the appropriate
measures are in place to assure and ensure the integrity
and rectitude of our financial processes. Council is, however,
aware that there are challenges with the dwindling
state subsidy and, consequently, responsible measures
will need to be implemented if Unisa is to remain sustainable
in the near future. In particular, Council is on
record as requiring Management to investigate how it
can increase its third-stream income to bolster the institutional
coffers.
Appointments
During 2011, two new Council members joined the
team as the ministerial appointees. Unfortunately, one
of the new appointees resigned in August. A further vacancy
on the Council was created when the tenure of
the representative for Local Government reached the
workplace age of retirement. However, he remained on
the Council in the category ‘persons with broad skills
and expertise’. The Council bade farewell to four members
– one external and three internal – who reached
their end of tenure in September 2011. The positions
will be filled by the beginning of 2012. One member of
Council was removed after a disciplinary process. In