Cape Town - UCT’s Students’ Representative Council (SRC) says university management has breached the terms of an agreement by sending letters of financial exclusion to some students.
The SRC alleged some students had been left stranded and sleeping in lecture theatres and bathrooms and on benches.
The institution refuted the claim, saying the agreement was supported by the number of implementation steps already taken.
The university came to an agreement with students last month following an external mediation over fee block issues.
UCT said: “Under the agreement, which came into effect on March 15, the UCT management shall, in a consultative manner, ‘conduct a review in respect of its fee policy, with specific reference to the application of a ‘fee block’ on the grounds of the financial means of the university and the needs of each student, the socio-economic conditions affecting each student, the academic performance of each student, and so forth.”
UCT said the agreement was applicable to academically eligible UCT students who were registered in 2022, including Graduate School of Business students, but excluding international students due to visa restrictions.
In a statement issued by the SRC at the weekend, the leaders said they were alerted to the exclusion practice weeks after meaningful engagements between themselves and management.
“Council is not innocent in this matter. They have failed to carry out their legally binding mandate to hold management accountable.
“The agreement clearly stated that, ‘The parties are committed to reasonable measures to ensure academic success of each student (and) provide full access to the educational resources and academic activities at UCT for the 2023 academic programme.’
Each one of these clauses and many more were breached by management. They had presented their own recommendations to the council without the SRC.”
The student leaders said management had dragged its feet when providing access to educational resources and had victimised students.
The SRC said: “The institution has continued with its incompetence. The fight has not ended and will not end until free education has been realised and the forces that seek to exclude us have been dismantled.
“Should the institution continue in this manner, they will meet relentless students on the ground. We will not be intimidated by scare tactics.”
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said: “Management conducted a survey on a cohort of students who were registered in 2022 and are academically eligible to continue this year.
Through this survey, students who wished to register for the 2023 academic year were able to indicate their wish to do so.
Management was guided by two key principles, the feasibility of academic progression in 2023 and the outcome of a financial assessment of each student.”
According to Moholola, following the process management and the SRC jointly tabled a report and proposal at a special UCT council meeting on April 5.
“The mediation agreement states, ‘All students in this grouping of academically eligible students will be presented to council with a recommendation. The format of the presentation will be by category, not on an individualised basis, and will be presented as a joint recommendation by the executive and the SRC.’ This joint proposal was approved by council.
“The proposal requested council to lift the fee block for students identified through the combined academic and financial assessments. After council’s approval, the outcome was communicated by management individually to students,” he said.
Cape Times