inauguration of Professor Russell Botman as Rector and Vice-Chancellor of
Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch
11 April 2007
The Chancellor, Professor Elize Botha
The Chairperson of Council Dr Edwin Hertzhorg and members of Council
The Vice-Chancellor elected, Professor Russell Botman
Vice-Chancellors and representatives of other universities
Representatives of local, provincial and national government
Staff and students of Stellenbosch University
Ladies and gentlemen
Today, I come to celebrate the installation of a friend as
Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Botman, when you were a member of the Student Council of the
University of the Western Cape in 1976, you almost certainly never dreamed that
this day would come.
Today's event represents a watershed in the history of the University. It
marks a real opportunity for the university to embrace transformation firmly
both in and outside the university.
Given the historic significance of your appointment and the important place
the university occupies in our system of higher education, you as the first
black Vice Chancellor of Stellenbosch University, will be faced with many
critical issues and questions.
Some will ask whether your appointment will make a difference, while others
will hope that your appointment makes no difference at all, will change nothing
or very little. I am able to assert with some confidence that you will strive
to make a difference.
It is important that you do make a difference for three vital reasons.
First, universities are intellectual and cultural spaces. They change
society and communities. They do not mirror them.
Second, leadership implies the development of an identity for the
institutions we lead, not our subordination to them.
Third, the university has much to offer South Africa in the areas of
teaching, research and responsiveness.
Your concern for the quality of teaching and learning, your sensitivity to
the needs of disadvantaged students, and your understanding that the curriculum
will need to be reformed to address these challenges is fundamental.
You have the ability to mend and build bridges across different communities
and interest groups; you have shown this during periods of strife and turmoil.
This places you in a strong position to lead this institution successfully
towards a brighter future.
Now a few things about the university itself
First, I am a Matie and I have a keen interest in the university's
progress.
Second, the university is too important to us to have it lagging behind
other universities in having the worst student and staff equity profile in the
country.
Third, contrary to the best efforts of some of our leading thinkers, the key
challenge is not solely about the place of language in the intellectual
progress of the university.
Rather it is the more intractable task of developing a framework and
response that will map out the university community's plan for playing a
decisive role in moving South Africa beyond apartheid in human and social
terms.
Language is, of course, an important consideration, and for any South
African university all our languages and their place in higher education are
worthy of consideration and attention. I have been disappointed that the genius
and the intellect we have here and in other institutions have failed to find
models and solutions that promote diversity in the service of all.
Fortunately, the university has adopted a progressive strategic framework, a
new language policy, and a new model for encouraging the access of
non-traditional students.
I urge the Vice Chancellor, staff, and students to support these initiatives
and to use them to achieve success.
I firmly believe the challenge of transformation here is not just about
language.
Technology can assist with multi-lingualism. Technology can make the
learning of languages a joy rather than a hurdle. The internet has encouraged
the spread of languages, facilitated the academic use of different languages,
and made translation from one language to another easier than ever before.
The key challenge is not just language.
The key challenge is the task of accelerating the slow transformation of an
exclusive institutional culture into one that is truly inclusive, diverse, and
fully South African.
I know the university will continue to lure the brightest and the best, but
it will do so with the necessary imperative to ensure access and success for
students from disadvantaged backgrounds as well.
Using the wealth of capacities, influence and resources that this university
has, it must embrace the challenge of identifying talented students, who have
the potential to benefit from university studies. It can provide them with the
higher education experience needed to succeed.
Developing its own graduates to senior research levels will begin to assist
in addressing the equity profile of academic staff.
The university realised some time ago that it had to play a role in
improving the quality of schooling locally and throughout the province. I trust
these efforts will continue. I hope that the university will work in close
partnership not only with the provincial education department but also with the
other universities in this province.
While the transformation of our higher education institutions includes
addressing the equity profile of our students and staff, it also has to
contribute to research and community engagement.
While I have no doubt that you, Professor Botman, will contribute to
improving research and community engagement, your contribution is likely to
reach beyond the self-evident role of a higher education institution.
During periods of transition and transformation moral guidance is critical
to ensuring that the vision and mission is shared. Shared morals, values and
principles are essential to developing such a shared vision. Cultivating a new
institutional and national identity is the all embracing and greatest challenge
of all.
This university can count on my support in its efforts to locate itself at
the heart of educational transformation and renewal in our country and more
broadly.
Professor Botman, I look forward to the unfolding of this next phase of your
career, as Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University. I wish you every success
with the agenda that you have begun to set for yourself and the university. I
have no reason to doubt that you are the right person for the job.
My warm wishes and congratulations.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Education
11 April 2007
