Notice to the University Community

8 August 2008

A review of the Centre for Civil Society was undertaken and a report produced in February this year by Peter Krumm. The review Panel was comprised of: Dr Thabisile Buthelezi(Education), Dr Peter Krumm (Physics), Prof Gerhard Maré (Sociology), Prof Relebohile Moletsane (Education), Karen Read (Diakonia) and Prof Derek Wang (Architecture). On the basis of the Review Report and discussions held between the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of College (Prof Fikile Mazibuko), the Dean (Prof Donal McCracken), and the Head of School (Prof Vishnu Padayachee) in which the Centre for Civil Society is located, it was recommended that the Centre for Civil Society cease to exist in its current form at the end of 2008 due to questions surrounding the sustained financial viability of the Centre and the appropriateness of the way in which it is currently structured as an academic unit. It was recommended that a refocused Civil Society Programme be established and integrated into the School of Development Studies. All Programmes within the University are located in Schools and are led by Programme Coordinators.

It was further recommended that obligations to contracts of all the staff at the Centre for Civil Society are to be honored until they expire at the end of this year. They may then apply for other positions within the University should they choose to do this.

These recommendations are presently being discussed in University structures, notably, the Centre for Civil Society, the Faculty Board, the Academic Affairs Board and Council. After following these internal processes, Council will take the final decision on the Centre. Only Council has the power to establish and dissolve Centres of the University.

Professor Dasarath Chetty

Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Corporate Relations