UFH COVID-19 READINESS Update: Week 20 - 24 July 2020

The information captured in this report has been sourced from and verified by the relevant departments/units or faculties.  All enquiries should be directed accordingly or raised via the SRC.

STAGGERED RETURN OF STUDENTS (Registrar’s Office: Examinations):

The following groups have been issued with permits and are in the process of returning to campus during the course of this week (20 - 25 July):

CERTIFICATES AND ACADEMIC TRANSCRIPTS (Registrar’s Office: Examinations)

• Certificates for the May 2020 graduates are ready.  For collection or delivery, kindly refer to the Registrar’s Notice dated 20 July 2020:

Graduation Certificates: May 2020 Ceremonies and follow instructions accordingly

STUDENT AFFAIRS: (Office of the Dean of Students)

• Peer Helpers: assist with screening of students in residencies
• Returning Students: Students have been placed in residences at both campuses (East London and Alice). Number will continue to increase as more students arrive every day of the week.
• Student Counselling Unit:  Has commenced with tele-counselling services.  SCU members do call back students who contact the unit.

COVID-19 INFECTIONS, RECOVERIES and FATALITIES (Covid-19 Task Team)

As at 21 July, UFH has recorded:

 30 Infections: (28 Staff, 1 Student)

• One fatality (a lecturer)
• We have 16 active cases and
• 14 recoveries

PROPERTIES AND SERVICES: (Office of the Director – Properties and Services)

• PPEs for Staff: Everything is on track.  Distribution of masks and sanitisers to returning staff across all campuses took place on 8July and again on 17 July
• Daily Screening: Everyday staff go through a stringent health and safety protocol.  This is administered by security personnel at every building across all campuses.

MULTI-MODAL REMOTE TEACHING AND LEARNING: University Recovery and Assessment Plan (Office of the Director – Teaching and Learning)

• The plan will be discussed and adopted by the Senate Teaching and Learning Committee which is scheduled to meet on Friday 24 July.  The outcomes of that meeting will be communicated in the soonest thereafter or flighted in the next edition. 

ICT TOOLS (Office of the Chief Information Officer)

• Student Laptops:  When the call was made, a total of6102 applied for a laptop. Approximately 3000 of the gadgets will arrive in the county by Friday next week.  Thereafter, they will be couriered, either to a central collection point or to the student’s home.  The modalities are still being worked out. The remainder will arrive in the country during the month of August.
• Student Data:   As at today, a total of 12288 (out of 15 857) registered students are receiving data from the four network providers (Cell C, Vodacom, Telkom and MTN).  Since last week, staff in ICT have been calling students and assisting them to register their details on the university system.  That exercise has helped 1139 students. More will be assisted every day until every student receives data. 

 MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION (Institutional Advancement)

• Covid-19 Updates:  Ongoing -  via internal  notices, UFH website (dedicated webpage), all official social media platforms and internal newsletter (This Week @FortHare)
• Posters and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs):  Posters are have been displayed at strategic spots across all three campuses (EL, Bhisho, Alice).