ANNUAL REPORT 2012 - University of South Africa

UNISA ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Changes in all job title levels showed
an increase in African females at
0.2% to 0.4% at professor level,
0.8% to 1.3% at associate professor
level, 3.8% to 3.9% at senior lecturer
level, 5% to 5.6% at lecturer level,
and 1.4% to 1.7% at junior lecturer
level.
African males also witnessed an
increase of 1.1% to 1.9% at
professor level, 6% to 6.5% at senior
lecturer level, and 7% to 7.8% at
lecturer level. Evidence of increases
for coloured males are noted across
all academic levels at 0.2% to 0.3% at
professor level, 0.2% constant at the
associate professor level and 0.5% to
0.6% at senior lecturer level, and
0.2% to 0.3% at lecturer level.
The overrepresentation of white
females and white males in the
academic job titles indicated a slight
decrease in all levels except at
professor (senior academic) and
lecturer (entry) levels. White females
dominated all academic levels except
at junior lecturer level compared to
other members of the designated
groups. While the percentage
representation showed slight
decreases, the proportion of White
staff numbers remained high.
Progress and
challenges
Although noteworthy progress can
be reported for this period, real and
pressing challenges remain for Unisa
in terms of effective and meaningful
employment equity transformation.
In summary, progress was made
with regard to the following:
In summary, progress was made with
regard to the following:
n Academic staff numbers increased
and administrative staff numbers
decreased.
n In terms of race, the number of
staff members in black designated
groups, especially the African
group, increased, while there was a
corresponding decrease in the
number of white staff members.
n The demographic group African
females grew to become the
second largest in senior management
at 21.1%.
n The number of African males
increased significantly in the
categories professionally qualified,
experienced specialist and midmanagement
at 4.1% during this
period.
n The number of African females
and males increased significantly at
skilled technical and academically
qualified levels overall.
n Although the number of African
females increased at all academic
job title levels, this increase was
slight. This needs to be maintained
in order to address serious underrepresentation
of this group.
n African females were best represented
at lecturer level which
usually is the entry level into
academia.
n An increase of the retirement age
from 60 to 65 for all staff might
advantage Unisa in building
research capacity for the future
if combined with a formal skills
transfer programme.
n An optimisation programme
(involving a moratorium on the
appointment of administrative
staff) would assist in decreasing
the ratio of academic staff to
professional/administrative staff.
Challenges that will require attention
include the following:
n During this period under review
the appointment of foreign
nationals increased to 4% of overall
staff numbers.
n In terms of gender, there is a need
to focus on the appointment of
male staff members overall,
especially where this group is
under-represented.
n White females are the largest
single demographic group in senior
management at 26.3%.
n African females at professorial and
associate professorial levels are
grossly underrepresented and
building research capacity at this
level for the black designated
groups, especially African females,
requires urgent attention.
n Although the highest noted
demographic group is white males
at professorial and associate
professorial levels, this “aging
cohort” and potential loss of
research skills and capacity remain
a real concern for the university;
specific and focused measures
should ensure that a research
capacity-building mentorship
initiative is developed and implemented
to build on the current
research skills base.
n A serious retention issue might
develop in the absence of realistic
and sustainable career paths for
black designated group members,
especially in academia.
n The increase in the retirement age
from 60 to 65 for all staff might
impact on opportunities to appoint
black designated group members
(especially concerning professional/
administrative staff).
n The optimisation programme
presents a barrier to promoting
black designated group administrative/professional
staff.
n The figures regarding persons with
disabilities must be thoroughly
audited and assessed, especially
given that the target for persons
with disabilities at Unisa is set at
2% of all permanent staff members.
Inaccuracies in the statistics
will act as a barrier towards achieving
this important target.
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