The Ministerial Committee on Transformation and Social Cohesion and the Elimination of Discrimination in Public Higher Education Institutions final Report was recently released to South African universities and to the general public.

The Report is currently being debated in the media and within higher education institutions. Dr Blade Nzimande, the new Minister of Higher Education, has been interviewed extensively by the media which has also sought to solicit comments from the general public.

The debates have in part focused on how best to confront the challenge of racism, sexism and class discrimination among others, which continue to manifest in the core activities of teaching, learning and research. This challenge, as understood by the Committee, is a result of the sector having inherited the full complexity of the country’s apartheid and colonial past.

Rhodes University for its part:

? Has made available the full Report to the University’s community by placing it on the intranet and alerting staff and students to its availability.
? Encouraged staff and students to read and engage with the Report, and also read and engage with the original Rhodes submission to the Committee and their views on that submission.

The Report, together with comments of staff and students, will be discussed by a special meeting of the University's Equity and Institutional Culture committee.

Through this Committee, engagement with the Report will be facilitated in other university structures such as faculties, Senate, Council and the Institutional Forum. Appropriate decisions can then be made and strategies developed and implemented as required.

Once this exercise has been completed there will then be an official institutional response to the Report.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Saleem Badat, the process outlined is required so that there can indeed be a widely canvassed institutional response rather than just that of the VC or senior administration. In addition, this process will enable the University to reach general agreement as to what needs to be done.

Issued by Rhodes Communication Department
22/05/09