16/08/2021
FROM: POLITICAL HEADS
TO: STUDENT POPULACE
DATE: 16 AUGUST 2021
Revolutionary Greetings Comrades
We hope that this communique finds you well under this difficult period of COVID-19,
This communique is as a result of a meeting that was called by the East London Political Heads and invited the SRC, the main purpose of the meeting was because of the issues that we are facing as students of the University of Fort Hare particularly in East London. Three reports were given based on the Agenda, the first one was the residence related matters report, the second one was academic related matters report and lastly the financial related matters report. This meeting was about trying to bring immediate and permanent solutions for the problems we are currently facing and any probably future
Residence Related Matters
Many issues that are residence related are not uniform, meaning students face different issues in their different residences, the meeting as part of bringing solutions to this office is to elect house committees and bring back the substructure of the SRC which is the Central Hosing Committee (CHC). The above mentioned structures assist the office of the residence in trying to solve issues that are either residence based or otherwise. However, because of COVID-19 regulations by the government, AGM’s can not be sat, however the office of the Residence is to present the way or the approach to be taken in appointing or electing such structures before the end of this week.
Academic Related Matters
Through the report given by the SRC, we learnt that the main reason for the delay was caused by the faculties, they were the ones who were not yet done with the marking. The many issues faced by students as a result of maladministration by the faculties, do not get the necessary attention they need. The solution was that the office of the Academic must is to present the way or the approach to be taken in appointing or electing Faculty Councils before the end of this week, the reason for the delay is still the COVID-19 regulations, so that Faculty based issues get attended to. The other issue the saw crucial to brief students about is that, when students add module(s) on second semester, they incur the debt for that particular module(s), the reason behind is that the Institution had already sent the registration templates to different funding sponsors meaning the Institution had already claimed a fixed amount from sponsors to settle fixed debts for that particular year.
Financial Related Matters
Private Accommodation Fee is one the most immediate matters we are facing in EL, our students that we claim to lead are suffering as a result of not getting their Non-res allowance and some are even getting evicted. The Financial Aid Office requested to be afforded chance load the last two (2) batches over these next two weeks, the next batch which is the second last batch is to be loaded this week by Wednesday, and the last & the final batch is to be loaded for, next week. We must state it categorically clear that we do not even want to understand the reasons for the above request from the finance office, however we expect nothing else outside what they have requested.
The issue of outstanding allowances is a complex issue and it confuses students to a certain extent. First two months of the 2021 Academic Year students received R 3000 but it did not appear on the ITS system and the amount that is visible is R 12000, the reason for that is that the sum of meal allowances is R 15000. Students are now submitted their names during that process of collection of details for students facing outstanding allowances, even though they initially got R 3000, this slowed down the process for those who really have outstanding allowances. The other batch in those with outstanding allowances got an extra amount in the first semester when they first got their allowances, so the finance office in trying to assist students to remain within the cap by their sponsors, they divide the remaining amount from meal allowances, by the number of remaining months.
Students with blocked Intelli profiles, their lists were collected and their profiles were immediately activated by the finance office. Appeals for NSFAS have came back and the finance office is to send the lists of approved appeals to the SRC before the end this week, so that the affected students can be informed whether or not their appeals have been approved. NSFAS has not yet processed the SOP’s for the Fundza Lushaka Beneficiaries, and they are the only ones who can do that process because as much as Fundza Lushaka is sponsor on its own, but it is registered under NSFAS, the SRC reminded the Institution to put pressure on NSFAS.
The other issue that was identified by the meeting was that the financial aid office is understaffed and as a result, students are suffering because of that, the same set of staff at finance that is supposed to be dealing with loading of allowances, is the very same staff that performs various other financial duties for the Institution therefore the meeting said that in the next SRC-MEC meeting it must be proposed that the more staff is hired ate finance solely loading of allowances for students because it is a full time job on its own, even if it is our qualified students from the Faculty of Commerce.
Should the next batch of students not confirm receipt of Non-res allowances by Wednesday as the Financial Aid Office has promised we are calling all students to a Mass Meeting that will decide as to what are we to do, which is arranged to take place as follows:
Date: 18TH August 2021 (Wednesday)
Time: 10:00 am
Again, the above meeting is to seat only if students do not confirm the receival of Non-res allowances whatsoever, also remember not everyone will be getting their allowances this week, the last batch is to be loaded for next week.
We hope that you find the above in order.
Revolutionary Regards
EL Political Heads
