The Central University of Technology (CUT), Free State, envisages compliance and good governance through its internal Legal Service unit.
The institute announced that through the legal unit multiple disciplinary cases of misconduct were resolved, resulting in remedial actions taken against the culprits.
Cases ranged from incidents of assault, incitement during unlawful student protest actions, gender-based violence, sexual harassment, obstruction of governance and proper administration of the university, theft, arson, contempt of a court order, and the defrauding of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
Kwena Mageza, senior director for legal services, said the legal unit now has more power than before.
“Now the legal unit also focuses on general misconduct and holistic governance issues since the establishment of the Legal Section last year. CUT has been able to handle numerous disciplinary hearings internally, especially concerning misconduct,” said Mageza.
She said about 15 general misconduct hearings were handled internally with different outcomes.
Mageza said by ensuring good governance at the university, students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the code of conduct. She said ten graduate attributes will be fostered in CUT students in an environment rich with learning experiences.
These are co-curricular experiences that include formal courses and extra extracurricular activities for sustainable development of skills in community engagement, entrepreneurship, innovation and problem-solving, technological literacy, numeracy, communication, technical and conceptual competence, teamwork, and citizenship and global leadership.
“Our aim is not to be punitive. We want to be corrective and developmental as well. This is an opportunity for all students to familiarise themselves with the code of conduct, and a reminder that if they misbehave they will be charged, and there will be consequences which will impact their futures,” Mageza explain.
Dr Sally Dzingwa, CUT registrar, said discipline was important in ensuring good governance.
“The university is constantly working towards ensuring a safe study and work environment for all students and employees. This starts with a culture of no fear when reporting a misconduct, with the knowledge that an investigation will be conducted, followed by disciplinary hearings should the need arise.”
