Water crisis and other updates

26 January 2018 | Campus Announcement

Dear students and colleagues

This campus announcement aims to inform members of the University of Cape Town community about:

1. Water crisis

UCT is appealing to staff and students to step up water-saving measures as Cape Town is experiencing the worst drought in recorded history. Day Zero, when Cape Town is predicted to run out of water if current consumption of 608 million litres per day continues, has been moved forward to 12 April. If water-saving efforts are not intensified by each and every member of the campus community, and Cape Town, the consequences will be dire. The university executive have issued a communication providing an update on the institution’s plan to continue operations should the city reach Day Zero.

2. Update on executive positions

As announced late last year, Professor Lis Lange has been appointed as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC): Teaching and Learning, and Professor Anton le Roex has been appointed as acting DVC: Institutional Innovation. Both will begin their terms of service from 1 February 2018.

Professor Susan Bourne has been appointed as the interim Dean of Science from 1 January 2018 to 30 June 2019. Professor David Wardle has been appointed acting Dean of Humanities from 7 December 2017 to 31 December 2018.

Associate Professor Suellen Shay, Dean of the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED), is returning to her post on a full-time basis after recovering from a protracted illness. Professor Shay will be back in her post from 1 February until the end of her five-year term on 31 August 2018.

Read more about the executive appointments...

3. Vice-Chancellor attending the World Economic Forum 2018

Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price is attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, until 26 January 2018. Dr Price’s visit is in line with UCT’s mission to advance the status and distinctiveness of scholarship in Africa through building strategic partnerships across the continent, the global south and the rest of the world.

4. Deferred exams

UCT’s deferred examinations were successfully concluded between 15 and 19 January 2018. A total of 4 384 students wrote 473 examinations during 113 sessions and 7 761 sittings. Of these students, 46 wrote 82 deferred exams at the Disability Service, 125 wrote 264 deferred exams at extra-time venues, and 53 wrote 73 deferred exams off campus.

5. Parent Orientation

The Parent Orientation programme, which is hosted by Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price, will take place at Memorial Hall on Saturday, 3 February 2018, at 09:00 and 14:00.

The programme provides parents with information on how the university is structured to offer students the best possible environment in which to learn, and details what students can expect in their first year of study. Parents are also offered an opportunity to meet some of the university’s senior leadership, including the deans of the various faculties.