Through their revised residence placement policy, Stellenbosch University (SU) hopes to broaden access for students who could potentially face barriers to higher education by considering the socio-economic profile and disability status of students.
This is according to Dr Celeste Nel, director of admissions and residence placement at SU, via email correspondence with MatieMedia. While access for students with disabilities and students who are socio-economically disadvantaged are included in the current Residence Placement Policy, SU now wishes to expand on the socio-economic profile of residence applicants, stated Nel. This will be done in order to further acknowledge the transitional challenges and barriers affecting first year students with disabilities and students from a socio-economically disadvantaged background, she explained.
Huis Russel Botman House, a senior residence, is situated in Marais Road. “Placement in specific residences aims to provide opportunities for strengthening social cohesion through diversity. The diversity profile will be spread throughout the residences based on academic performance, socio-economic status, race, and nationality,” stated Martin Viljoen, spokesperson of Stellenbosch University. PHOTO: Liam Abercrombie
“The socio-economic status of applicants [to residences] is determined upon application and includes aspects such as generation status, school quantile, school fee, scholarship and social grant with priority to be given to applicants with a high socio-economic score,” stated Nel.
The SU Residence Placement Policy is being revised for the first time since 2013, as part of its revision cycle, which takes place at least every five years.
The revision is currently taking place and the second draft will be concluded on 21 April. The policy ensures that students experience a transparent and reasonable process for residence placement and allocation to Private Student Organisations (PSO). This is according to Martin Viljoen, spokesperson for SU, via email correspondence with MatieMedia.
“The university appointed a task team to revise the policy, submit a first draft, and present it to various internal stakeholders,” said Viljoen. The internal stakeholders include the Rectorate, the Residence Head Forum, the Student Representative Council (SRC), the Prim Committee, the Senior Prim Committee and the Senior Living Space Forum, Viljoen added.
“The policy seeks to facilitate access to ensure a diverse and thriving student community that provides opportunities for – in line with the university’s vision – a transformative student experience that will build social cohesion and enhance success,” stated Viljoen. “Placement in specific residences aims to provide opportunities for strengthening social cohesion through diversity.”
All Stellenbosch University (SU) residences will be affected by the revised Residence Placement Policy. PHOTO: Liam Abercrombie
Private Student Organisations
Oude Molen PSO’s primarius, Stephen Southway, is optimistic about the revision of the policy because the second draft provides a new section specifically focused on PSOs.
“The majority of the rules [in the 2013 policy] were made with residences in mind and are not relevant to PSOs or PSO spaces,” stated Southway. About 75% of SU students belong to PSOs, therefore, the policy should reflect this and be inclusive of these students, explained Southway.
Previously, students were randomly allocated to a PSO but now have the freedom of providing three options of where they would prefer to be placed, stated Southway. “I think this is great because students will be more invested with their PSO from earlier on and it’ll make the PSOs slightly more competitive,” Southway continued.
“I am very happy that a new section is being added because I think we need our own set of rules to be able to run effectively,” said Southway.
Additions to the policy
“The criteria which will be used to place prospective newcomers has changed to bring the policy more in line with [the 2040 vision] of the university,” stated Christo van der Bank, vice-chairman of the Prim Committee at SU.
One of the changes in the revised policy includes the removal of an “own-placement” provision, according to Van der Bank. The provision meant that students belonging to PSOs had to find private accommodation for themselves.
“Academic performance is still the primary criterion for residence placement of first-year students and is used in all placement categories,” stated Martin Viljoen, spokesperson for Stellenbosch University. PHOTO: Liam Abercrombie
The provision enables the leadership of residences (HCs) to place a certain number of students in residences, however, the rector of the university also has the power to place students in residences, Van der Bank explained.
The revised policy makes no difference to the way undergraduate students are placed in SU residences, stated Viljoen. “Senior residence placements have been refined and the criteria include academic performance as determined in the management guidelines,” said Viljoen. “Race and financial need are the primary placement criteria for placement in senior residences.”