The role of the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Registrar is a complex and unique one, in that the Registrar plays a critical and often invisible support role in advancing and achieving the strategic objectives of the University.

The portfolio evolves from one year to the next. In 2022, the responsibilities of the Department of Enrolment and Student Administration (DESA) moved from the Executive Director: Finance to the Registrar, and all but administrative responsibilities of the Department of Institutional Advancement and the Transformation Office was moved from the Registrar to the Vice-Chancellor and Principal.

In 2022, the Registrar and her team’s responsibilities encompass the following:

Governance, compliance, and information and knowledge management

Working with the Manager: Information Governance (IG), the Registrar oversees the implementation of sound policies and procedures to facilitate a healthy regulatory context across the institution. This is a dynamic and continuous process that requires the ongoing attention and cooperation of all policy owners across UP. The Registrar is implementing the Information Governance Framework produced by the Information Governance and Privacy Protection project (iGaPP) (2018 – 2021) and is Chair of the Steering Committee for the Research Data Management Project (RDM), an off-shoot of the iGaPP project that is directed towards ensuring UP compliance with the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) code. This project will be completed in the second semester of 2022. Many staff members will be involved in this project, and the Registrar is excited about working with them to ensure that UP’s research information is appropriately managed and fully compliant.

Together with the Secretariat and her Senior Executive Assistant, the Registrar is finalising revisions to the University statute for approval by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The Registrar has also overseen the filling of Council and Convocation vacancies, and ensured that all mid-year Council reports were submitted to the DHET timeously. Additionally, in the first semester, the Registrar completed the process for the appointment of a new Chancellor. The installation of a new Chancellor will be a priority in the second semester.

Associated with governance and compliance responsibilities, the Registrar also oversees the provision of secretarial services to Council, Senate and Executive and their various committees. This role covers not only minute-taking in meetings, but also the compilation of agendas, distribution of packs, management of logistics associated with meetings, recording of resolutions, compilation of action lists and following up on the progress of action lists, and the maintenance and archiving of accurate, current and accessible records in a manner that is compliant with the applicable regulatory framework.

In addition to records management in the Secretariat, the Registrar exercises oversight of the UP Archives, which is headed by Professor Karin Harris. This is a phenomenal repository with invaluable information that can be used for research purposes. The quality of the UP Archives is such that it significantly enhances the University’s reputation. Going forward, digitisation of the archives’s holdings is a priority.

The Department of Enrolment and Student Administration

While she has worked closely with Prof Carolina Koornhof with regard to aspects of DESA over the years, this is a relatively new area of direct responsibility for the Registrar. Assuming responsibility for the department has proven to be a baptism of fire in the first six months of the year, with the resignation and/or retirement of the Director and two Deputy Directors in the department. Finding appropriate staff has been and continues to be a priority, given the importance of a fully functioning and agile DESA to achieve the University’s objectives and delivery of its core mandate.

A new Director, Dr Abbey Mathekga, has been appointed, and one of the two vacant Deputy Director posts has been filled. The other position will be filled early in the second semester. The position of Deputy Director: Student Administration, vacated by the new director, will be advertised.

Despite the challenges, 39 in-person graduations were hosted successfully in 2022. This was a highlight for the department, given that only online graduations had taken place in the past two years. DESA also hosted the Cuban medical student graduation on Mamelodi campus on 8 July 2022, with great success. The event was arranged at extremely short notice and served the students placed across all South African medical schools for their clinical rotations. There were 595 graduates, the largest cohort in the history of the Fidel Castro-Nelson Mandela programme. This was a historic moment for UP and did much to enhance its reputation with the South African Minister of Health and his Deputy and the Cuban Minister of Health, as well as that of the Cuban Ambassador and the Acting Chancellor of the University of Havana, who were included on the programme.

Ensuring that UP is the institution of choice for first-time entering and postgraduate students is among DESA’s priorities this year. The admissions and registrations processes for 2022 were successfully completed and applications for 2023 have been opened, with staff at the ready to enhance the student experience at every step. While there will be challenges – mostly associated with limited capacity and stretched human resources, not just centrally but also in faculties – the commitment and dedication of DESA staff speak to our ability to overcome challenges to deliver on our promise to offer students exceptional service. Issues of effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness are being discussed at every opportunity with a view to improving our service delivery.

A further priority for DESA this year will be the implementation and integration of the Post Graduate (PG) project into the department. New staff members have been engaged to facilitate this process, and this ambitious project might require further capacitation in the future to address all of its elements. This has been an extremely consultative project, and its success will depend upon the continued support and inputs from across the institution.

UP Museums and Javett-UP
It is the Registrar’s responsibility to work with Dr Sian Tiley-Nel, Head of UP Museums, to ensure that UP Museums maintain visibility and engage in both in-person and digital activities. The Museums have been especially active online, and their social media presence is increasing daily. Notably, the Alexis Preller artwork Discovery was installed in the Museums and served as the backdrop for the VC’s Giving Day launch.

The Registrar is the Chair of the Heritage Committee and is actively involved in ensuring the management, maintenance, preservation and conservation of UP’s extensive collections, which are an invaluable and irreplaceable research resource for the University community and other stakeholders globally.

The Registrar is also engaged in establishing the footprint of the Javett Art Centre at UP (Javett-UP) in the South African, African and global arts context. She is the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Art Centre Foundation Trust and a member of the centre’s Finance Committee, Audit Committee and the Nominations and Governance Committee, safeguarding the extensive investment of the University. The Registrar is also involved in the management and oversight of Javett-UP, and supports UP’s strategic imperatives to use Javett-UP as one of the University’s transdisciplinary platforms in the humanities and the sciences.

Legal services and student discipline

The Registrar provides the University with accurate and informed legal advice where required. This is done through a number of resources available to her office. The Registrar is responsible for managing UP’s relationship with external legal services provider Inlexso, which UP makes use of, and acts as a conduit for all legal matters referred to Inlexso. In addition, she has oversight over the Legal Services Division, which renders some general legal services and handles the University’s trademarks, Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) requests as well as student disciplinary matters.

This year, the Legal Services Division has been training law interns to support faculties in the management of minor disciplinary matters. This programme, which was introduced as a pilot by the Vice-Principal: Academic in 2021, is proving to add considerable value to faculties.

As indicated, the Legal Services Division currently manages requests for access to information in consultation with the Information Governance Office, which welcomed an additional staff member in 2022. PIA requests are increasing significantly and are demanding more attention for staff in both Legal Services and IG.

Internal audit, compliance and risk management

This is yet another area that the Registrar is responsible for. The Internal Audit Department reports directly to Council; however, the Registrar works closely with the Director of the department, especially with regards to whistle-blowing, compliance and risk management tasks. The first six months of 2022 have focused, among others, on the risk management process and procedure, with a view to overhauling them to ensure increased awareness of risk and its management being integral to all University processes.

The Registrar is also overseeing the production of the Ad Destinatum VI publication under the editorship of Ms Hanlie Griesel and co-editorship of Prof James Ogude. The project is anticipated to be completed at the end of 2022 and launched in the first quarter of 2023. In the first semester, graphic design students were invited to submit designs for the cover of the volume; the Registrar and the editorial board were delighted with the submissions.

The Registrar is also the Chairperson of the Board of Governors of the TuksSport Study Centre (Tuks High School). This is an exciting role, given the exceptional level of performance of the students in the National Senior Certificate as well as in the various sports represented at the school. The school’s support of young aspiring athletes significantly enhances UP’s reputation.

The Registrar is involved behind the scenes in a significant number of areas at the University. Her role is supportive, advisory and regulatory, and she depends on the  cooperation of staff and students in order to facilitate various processes, which, in turn, will facilitate UP’s efforts to achieve its many objectives.

The reimagining process for the University and the finalisation of its Strategic Plan 2022 – 2026 have created the need for much work to be done on processes, procedures and policies to foster the agile, flexible and responsive framework within which the University can achieve its desired outcomes. The Registrar depends on each member of the UP community to support the various projects currently underway in order to deliver on her mandate. She is deeply grateful to all who have contributed to her endeavours to date, especially the trusted members of her diverse team, and is looking forward to engagement with all of you in the second semester of 2022.