UV Jaaroorsig - University of the Free State

62
Jaaroorsig • 2007
sincerely on the path of ‘high-quality transformation’ that
we have chosen, I am optimistic that out of the people of
this university will emerge an innovative and extraordinary
post-transformation university – perhaps a model for others
struggling with the complexities of diversity in the context
of a painful, divided past.
Transformation and diversity: the residence
diversity challenge
Given how many grounds we have to be optimistic – and,
yes, idealistic – about transformation and shaping a new
university and a new society, one cannot but end this review
of the year 2007 on a note of profound sadness. A unique
opportunity to create a new residence culture for the youth
to really empower them to function as liberated persons in
a world of rich diversity – a new model based on a
sophisticated policy – was all but squandered by the
resistance of the traditionally white residence students.
What is a great cause of concern is the outside
interference of a political party, with its own national
political agenda, that became the main force behind this
well-organised and well-financed resistance. More than
perhaps ever before, senior management was sincerely
involved in the development of and consultations regarding
the new residence policy and its educational rationale.
However, political agendas closed the ears and minds of a
particular group of students and their leaders to the
Gegewe die sensitiwiteit van integrasie in ’n steeds
verdeelde samelewing, was dit nie onverwags dat
teenstand teen die Raadsbesluit geopper is nie. Maar
hierdie was ’n gulde geleentheid om ’n nie-rassige
koshuisbedeling, gebaseer op billikheid en ge balanseerd
heid en waar daar ook plek sou wees vir die wit
Afrikaanse student, te help skep. In plaas daarvan wou
die wit studenteleiers die besluit afwater, vertraag of
omkeer. Die geleentheid is verspeel.
In die proses is ’n beeld geskep van die wit Afrikaanse
Kovsiestudent as rassisties – ’n beeld wat veral
in die Suid-Afrikaanse en wêreldgeheue drama ties
vasgelê is toe die berugte Reitz-video, wat in September
2007 gemaak is om opposisie teen die plasingsbeleid
te demonstreer, in Februarie 2008 be kend geraak het.
Dit is iets wat dalk later, of selfs gouer, nadelige
Terugblik op die koshuise
necessity, logic and benefits of the new policy that was
approved by the management and the Council in mid-2007
for implementation in 2008.
An unfortunate side-effect of the events surrounding
the residences – also those early in 2008 when the infamous
Reitz video became public – followed by a national and
international outcry, was that it ruptured much of the
healing and mutual trust that had begun to develop between
black and white on the campus.
Despite several possible shortcomings in policy design,
implementation management capacity and implementation
detail, my management team and I believed that it was
entirely possible to implement this Council policy
successfully – it was thirteen years after 1994, after all. But
this required everybody to co-operate in good faith and
support the policy free from political interference within
the context of a true commitment to a non-racial South
Africa.
In hindsight it appears that the Council and management
underestimated the depth of resistance to such change – or
at least the degree of skepticism about the workability of
our diversity model – amongst many white students and
parents (and alumni). Despite the discussion and adoption
of all manner of transformation documents and related
policy documents in many inclusive task teams and
decision-making forums, and many policy speeches re-
gevolge kan inhou vir die posisie van Afrikaans as
onderrigtaal en as bestuurs- en admini stratiewe taal
aan die UV. Die weerstand teen diversiteit in koshuise
laat die argument vir parallel-medium onderrig net te
veel klink soos ’n argument vir segregasie eerder as
een vir veeltaligheid. Net die tyd sal leer of diegene
wat alles wou behou, alles sou verloor.
Net so kan tradisionele koshuise dalk ook in die slag
bly. Dit kan wees dat die enigste werkbare model nou
een is waar koshuise amper soos woonstelle bestuur
word deur ’n professionele bestuurspan. Dalk sal daar
vir die tradisionele koshuis met sy tradisies en gebruike
wat gerig was op homogenisering en konformering –
wat in wit én swart koshuise die voorkeur was – nie plek
wees op ’n kampus wat die verdeeldheid van die verlede
en die hede waarlik wil oorbrug nie.