Jaaroorsig - University of the Free State

Jool bring groterintegrasieKovsie-jool se nuwe benadering om meer regstreeksby gemeenskappe betrokke te raak, het in2005 tot die Ubuntu-joolprojek gelei, wat terselfdertydgroter integrasie tussen die swart en wit koshuisebehoort te bewerkstellig. As deel van die projekhet sowat 250 studente van die Hoofkampusskoolgeboue in swart woonbuurte geverf en opgeknap.Senior studente is ook so by die joolpogingbetrek. Jool het in die verlede grootliks op geldinsamelingsprojektevir liefdadigheid gekonsentreer.Groter multikulturele interaksie het ook die jaarliksejooloptog en gepaardgaande bedrywighedegekenmerk.Phase four of the university’s transformationis about getting beyond “merelyaccommodating” and getting to true inclusivity.It is about creating a sense of belongingfor all. It is about black and white takingnon-racialism seriously, literally unlearningold habits of racism, discriminationand racial thinking patterns.Faculties, realising that managementcannot achieve this goal on its own, initiatedtheir own projects to nurture a commonunderstanding.Prof. Pieter Verster, Head of the Departmentof Missiology in the Faculty ofTheology, travelled with a group of blackand white students to Durban where thestudents were introduced to a variety ofcultures and religions, particularly Islamand Hinduism. Congregations of the ReformedChurch in Africa were also visited.Two busloads filled with a multiculturalmix of students from the Faculty ofthe Humanities undertook a history tourof Bloemfontein at the end of August. Thebuses took them to the War Museum ofthe Boer Republics, the Women’s Memorialand the black townships. One of thehighlights was the visit to MapikelaHouse, where the founder members ofthe ANC met in the early 1900s. Apartfrom the cultural interaction, the sightsalso proved to be an eye-opener for bothblack and white students.In the Faculty of Natural and AgriculturalSciences, the Vice-Dean, Prof. NeilHeideman initiated the establishment of anumber of student associations. Besidesserving as a mouthpiece on academic matters,these associations promote interactionbetween the various cultural groups andserve as discussion forums for transformationissues in the faculty.Billikheid teenoorswart én witOm die toonbeeld van ’n ware Suid-Afrikaanse universiteit te wees het dieUV die komplekse taak om voort te bouop die pad van uitnemendheid, billikheidStudents on a cultural tour.55