Submit input on SU’s draft revised Language Policy by 12 April 2021

7 April 2021

Interested parties are reminded that comments on the first draft of Stellenbosch University’s (SU) revised Language Policy (2016) may be submitted up to this coming Monday, 12 April 2021.

Comments can only be submitted via a digital platform. A link on the University’s language webpage (www.sun.ac.za/language) provides access to this submission platform. It should be noted that no comments will be possible on the first draft on the digital platform after the closing date for submissions.

SU earlier announced that it was revising its Language Policy (2016) during 2021 as part of the five-year revision cycle prescribed in the policy itself. Section 10 of the Language Policy (2016) stipulates that the policy “lapses five years after the date of its implementation” and that it “must be reviewed during its fifth year of operation”. The current policy was implemented at the beginning of 2017. 

With the current Language Policy (2016) as its point of departure, the Language Policy Revision Task Team compiled a first draft of a revised policy for public consultation. A second public participation process is planned for later this year.

Staff, students, alumni and other interested parties were invited via email, statements on the SU website, media articles and advertisements in newspapers to participate in the first public participation period that started on 20 March 2021.

The SU Statute stipulates that the SU Council must determine the language policy of the institution with the concurrence of Senate and in accordance with section 27(2) of the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act 101 of 1997, as amended). The revision process was initiated in October 2020 by convening a task team, and proposing a timeline based on the University Almanac for 2021. Our objective is to table a final revised Language Policy (2016) for approval at the Council meeting of 2 December this year.

Since the Constitutional Court in 2019 found the Language Policy (2016) to be constitutionally justified and the University’s process in adopting the policy “thorough, exhaustive, inclusive and properly deliberative”, the current policy has been used as the point of departure for the revision process. The revision will be informed further by, amongst others, the SU Vision 2040 and Strategic Framework 2019–2024 which has been adopted and implemented after the Language Policy (2016) was approved, as well as the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions determined in terms of section 27(2) of the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act 101 of 1997 as amended).

The task team also considered various other documents and pertinent factors in compiling a first draft, including amongst others the current national policy context; the findings of student and staff satisfaction and language proficiency surveys; demographic information; Language Day reports; language reports to Senate and Council; the implementation costs of the Language Policy (2016) and the role of augmented remote teaching, learning and assessment (ARTLA).

In addition to input from institutional statutory bodies such as the Rectorate, Council, Senate, Institutional Forum and Faculty Boards, as well as legal counsel, the revision also includes two public participation processes. The Language Policy Revision Task Team will collate all input uploaded to the digital platform and compile a response report. All submissions will be considered but it may not be possible to include all comments in the second draft of the revised Language Policy (2016) that will be made available for further input in the second semester of the year. 

The full revision timeline with milestones, more information and relevant documents have been uploaded to the language webpage (www.sun.ac.za/language) and will be updated as the process progresses during the year.

Text of draft document:

Language Policy of Stellenbosch University First draft (for public consultation)

The essence of the Policy

1.  Introduction

At SU our focus is on engagement with knowledge. As part of this engagement, SU takes into account the diversity of our society, including its linguistic diversity, and the intellectual wealth inherent in that diversity.

The Constitution grants official status to eleven languages and regards all these languages as assets that should be used as a means of developing human potential. The Constitution determines that no-one may be discriminated against unfairly on prohibited grounds. It further determines that everyone has the right to receive education at public education facilities in the South African official language or languages of their choice, taking into account equity, practicability and the need to redress the results of past racially discriminatory laws and practices.

The Language Policy aims to increase equitable access to SU for all students and staff, and to ensure that language practices facilitate pedagogically sound learning and teaching.

2.  The multilingual context

SU follows a dynamic process to attract outstanding students, employ talented staff and make the institution inclusive and diverse, including the use of more than one language. As a research-intensive university, SU creates opportunities for the development of academic literacies and the advancement of multilingualism.

SU is a national asset with global reach, and SU’s students and staff represent most of the language groups in South Africa. Although we acknowledge that all South African and international languages function as resources for communication, we choose to focus our institutional commitment on the users of Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa, which are the three official languages of the Western Cape Province. This we do in the spirit of collaboration, especially within the regional Cape Higher Education Consortium (CHEC).

The contextual considerations for using these languages are as follows:

Afrikaans

Afrikaans has developed an academic repertoire over decades, to which SU has contributed significantly. Applying and enhancing the academic potential of Afrikaans is a means of empowering a large and diverse community in South Africa.

English

Speakers of the various South African languages use English to communicate with each other, and English has significant academic, professional and international value. Therefore, SU uses English routinely, but not exclusively, in its academic, administrative, professional and social contexts.

IsiXhosa

IsiXhosa is an indigenous language used by one of the largest language communities in South Africa. By means of specific initiatives, SU is contributing to the advancement of isiXhosa as a developing academic language in addition to using isiXhosa as a language to convey all official internal communication as prescribed by the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions (2020).

3.  Application of the Policy

The Language Policy applies to the entire University, including all faculties, professional academic support service divisions, governance and management bodies, and staff and students of SU in their capacity as persons connected to SU.

4.  Purpose of the Policy

The purpose of the Language Policy is to regulate, manage and govern language use in all aspects of the University.

5.  Aims of the Policy

5.1  To give effect to section 29(2) (language in education) and 29(1)(b) (access to higher education) read with section 9 (equality and the prohibition against direct and indirect unfair discrimination) of the Constitution.

5.2  To give effect to the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions (2020), made in terms of sections 3 and 27(2) of the Higher Education Act 101 of 1997.

5.3  To contribute to achieving SU’s vision, as contained in the University’s Vision 2040 and Strategic Framework 2019-2024 so as to enable inclusivity and equitable access to SU for all prospective and current students and staff in pursuit of excellence.

5.4  To facilitate effective learning and teaching, research, and service delivery at SU in terms of the institution’s core strategic themes: a thriving Stellenbosch University; a transformative student experience; purposeful partnerships and inclusive networks; networked and collaborative teaching and learning; research for impact; and employer of choice.

5.5  To promote multilingualism as an important characteristic of SU, as to how the University operates, how students learn, and the differentiated graduate attributes developed in academic programmes and co-curricular activities.

6.  Policy principles

The Language Policy is based on the following foundational normative principles, which must guide all aspects of the interpretation and implementation of this Policy:

6.1  In line with the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions (2020), individual and societal multilingualism should be seen as “a resource to facilitate cognitive development, epistemic access, inclusiveness, transformation, social cohesion and respect for all languages”.

6.2  Language at SU should broaden access to and enhance success in academic, administrative, professional and social contexts, and should not constitute a barrier to students or staff. This is particularly important given the constitutional imperatives to redress the results of past racial discrimination and to ensure no direct or indirect unfair discrimination against present or prospective SU staff and students.

6.3  All aspects of the Language Policy and the implementation thereof in learning and teaching should facilitate pedagogically sound learning and teaching.

Building on the three foundational normative principles as stated in 6.1 to 6.3, the following principles must also be taken into account in interpreting and guiding the implementation of this Policy:

6.4  SU respects the languages and language varieties used by students and staff and acknowledges their language preferences and levels of language proficiency.

6.5  SU acknowledges the complex role of language in general and our separate languages in particular in our society. All languages are regarded as resources for the effective construction of knowledge.

6.6  SU applies the institution’s chosen languages in such a way that it includes all students, staff and other stakeholders.

6.7  SU acknowledges that academic literacies and the use of academic languages comprise sets of complex practices which are linked to how disciplines create knowledge. These practices are best developed within the contexts of academic disciplines and their fields of study.

6.8  SU establishes suitable language services and academic staff development services to support the implementation of the Language Policy.

6.9  The Language Policy and its implementation are informed by what is reasonably practicable in particular contexts. Relevant factors to be considered include, but are not limited to, the three foundational normative principles set out in 6.1 to 6.3 above; the number of students who will benefit from a particular mode of implementation; the academic language proficiency of the students involved; the availability and academic language proficiency of staff members; timetable and venue constraints; and SU’s available resources and the competing demands on those resources.

6.10 The Language Policy implementation adapts to the changing language demographics and language preferences of students and staff.

7.  Policy provisions

The policy principles in paragraph 6 give rise to the following binding policy provisions:

7.1 Learning and teaching

7.1.1 Afrikaans and English are SU’s languages of learning and teaching. SU supports their academic use through a combination of facilitated learning opportunities for students, including lectures, tutorials and practicals, as well as learning support facilitated by means of information and communication technology (ICT). In the spirit of translanguaging, space can be provided for the use of other languages in, e.g., tutorials and practicals.

7.1.2 Undergraduate modules are offered by any of the measures set out in paragraphs 7.1.3, 7.1.4 and 7.1.5 below.

7.1.3 For undergraduate modules where it is reasonably practicable and pedagogically sound to have more than one class group:

7.1.3.1 There are separate lectures in Afrikaans and English.

7.1.3.2 Learning opportunities, such as group work, assignments, tutorials and practicals involving students from various language groups, are utilised to promote integration within programmes.

7.1.3.3 Students are supported in Afrikaans and English during a combination of appropriate, facilitated learning opportunities (e.g., consultations during office hours or routinely scheduled tutorials and practicals).

7.1.4 For undergraduate modules where both Afrikaans and English are used in the same class group, the combination of facilitated learning opportunities is as follows:

7.1.4.1 During each lecture, all information is conveyed at least in English and summaries or emphasis on content are also given in Afrikaans. Questions in Afrikaans and English are, at the least, answered in the language of the question.

7.1.4.2 Students are supported in Afrikaans and English during a combination of appropriate, facilitated learning opportunities (e.g., consultations during office hours, or routinely scheduled tutorials and practicals).

7.1.4.3 For first-year modules, SU makes simultaneous interpreting available on-site or online during each lecture, as well as a recorded version of the original unedited lecture and the real-time interpretation (if the interpreting took place online). During the second and subsequent years of study, SU makes on-site or online simultaneous interpreting available upon request by a faculty, if the needs of the students warrant the service and SU has the resources to provide it. A recorded version of the original unedited lecture and (if interpreting was provided and took place online) the real-time interpretation will also be provided. If two weeks have passed with no students making use of the interpreting service in a module, it may be discontinued.

7.1.5 In the following instances, lectures will be offered in one language only:

7.1.5.1 Where the nature of the subject matter of the module justifies doing so, for example where the module is on the language itself.

7.1.5.2 Where the assigned lecturer is proficient to teach only in Afrikaans or English. For these modules additional support is provided:

(a) If the lectures are in Afrikaans, SU makes simultaneous interpreting in English available on-site or online during each lecture, as well as a recorded version of the original unedited lecture and the real-time interpretation, (if the interpretation took place online). If the lectures are in English, SU makes simultaneous interpreting of the first- year modules available in Afrikaans on-site or online during each lecture, as well as a recorded version of the original unedited lecture and the real-time interpretation (if the interpretation took place online). During the second and subsequent years of study, SU makes simultaneous interpreting available in Afrikaans on-site or online upon request by a faculty, if the needs of the students warrant the service and SU has the resources to provide it. A recorded version of the original unedited lecture and (if interpreting was provided and took place online) the real-time interpretation will also be provided. If two weeks have passed with no students making use of the service in a module, it may be discontinued.

(b) In addition to lectures, there are appropriate, facilitated learning opportunities (e.g., consultations during office hours, or routinely scheduled tutorials and practicals) in Afrikaans and English.

7.1.5.3 Where all the students in the class group have been invited to vote by means of a secret ballot, and those students who have voted, unanimously agree to it, the module will be presented in Afrikaans only or English only, provided that the relevant lecturers and teaching assistants have the necessary academic language proficiency and agree to do so.

7.1.6 In addition to lectures, based on students’ needs and practicability, SU provides a variety of ICT-enhanced learning strategies, including educational (audio and/or video) recordings of lecture material, which are made available to students in Afrikaans, English and, in some cases, isiXhosa for self-directed learning, the further reinforcement of concepts and for revision.

7.1.7 The learning materials for undergraduate modules are made available as follows:

7.1.7.1 All compulsory reading material is provided in English except where the module is about the language itself.

7.1.7.2 Compulsory reading material (excluding published material) is also provided in Afrikaans where reasonably practicable.

7.1.7.3 SU module frameworks and study guides are available in Afrikaans and English.

7.1.7.4 Where reasonably practicable and where there is a pedagogical need, isiXhosa and other languages are used to further reinforce concepts by, e.g., the inclusion of multilingual glossaries of key concepts and academic terms.

7.1.8 In postgraduate learning and teaching, including undergraduate modules at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level 8 and postgraduate qualifications at NQF level 7, any language(s) may be used provided the lecturer(s) and all the students are academically proficient in the language(s).

7.1.9 Question papers for tests, examinations and other summative assessments in undergraduate modules, excluding undergraduate modules at NQF level 8 and postgraduate modules at NQF level 7, are available in Afrikaans and English. Question papers for tests, examinations and other summative assessments in postgraduate modules, including undergraduate modules at NQF level 8 and postgraduate modules at NQF level 7, are available in English only. Students may answer all assessments and submit all written work in either Afrikaans or English.

7.1.10 Where students or staff need alternative texts such as Braille or enlarged texts as a means to communicate and understand information and these are not available, the relevant member of staff should liaise with SU’s Braille Office to arrange the timeous availability of the alternative texts.

7.1.11 As South African Sign Language is the primary language of some Deaf people, a Sign Language interpreter and/or real-time captioning is available during lectures, tutorials and principal SU public events, where it is required and it is reasonably practicable to do so.

7.1.12 Faculties may deviate from the policy provisions in this paragraph 7.1 in particular instances only if the deviation is:

7.1.12.1 Consistent with the principles of this Policy; and

7.1.12.2 Justified by the human and physical resources made available by the University, by pedagogical concerns or by faculty-specific considerations; and

7.1.12.3 Approved by the relevant faculty board, and reported with the justification to Senate and approved by Senate, or, when urgent, by the Executive Committee of Senate.

7.2 Internal institutional communication

7.2.1 All official internal communication will be conveyed in Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa, as prescribed by the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions (2020). In an emergency, such communication shall be in the language(s) likely to be most effective.

7.2.2 The language(s) used during internal meetings must be aimed at ensuring that everybody is included.

7.2.3 Oral or written enquiries and requests by students and staff are, where reasonably practicable, dealt with in the language of the enquiry or request.

7.2.4 Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa are used judiciously at official events, such as official meetings, ceremonial occasions and inaugural lectures.

7.2.5 In residences and other living environments, language is used in such a way that, where reasonably practicable, no stakeholder is excluded from participating in any formal activities in these environments.

7.2.6 The following provisions apply to information technology (IT) software applications’ and mobile application user interfaces, and web content management systems:

7.2.6.1 Where multilingual operation is reasonably practicable (e.g., where SU is able to influence the development of a software application, or where an application supports it, or SU builds an application), SU supports Afrikaans and English based on the user’s language preference.

7.2.6.2 Where commercial software applications that do not support multilingual operation are employed, the operation defaults to English.

7.2.6.3 Where the user’s language preference is unknown, the default is English.

7.2.7 The following provisions apply to information system or software application data:

7.2.7.1 Where reasonably practicable, data pertaining to an individual should be multilingual.

7.2.7.2 Where the data design accommodates multilingualism and where feasible, the associated user interfaces for capturing the data should support multilingual data capture.

7.2.7.3 Where the data design only caters for a single language, English is used.

7.2.7.4 For all other data, English is used.

7.3 External communication

7.3.1 Afrikaans and English and, where reasonably practicable, isiXhosa are SU’s languages of external communication.

7.3.2 SU respects the language policies and preferences of its stakeholders, partners and external correspondents. This means that official communication and meetings with them are generally in their language of preference, or that the necessary language services (e.g., translation or interpreting services) are provided.

7.3.3 Where SU does not have the capacity to accede to the language preference, the medium of communication is English.

7.3.4 IT system or application user interfaces for stakeholders are treated as in

7.2.6. Examples would be user interfaces for alumni, donors and parents or guardians.

7.4 Language planning

7.4.1 Annually, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) agrees with the deans of the faculties the mechanisms to ensure accountability for the implementation of this Policy, which include at the least the annual report on the realisation of the language implementation plan to each faculty (see 8.1) and the compliance report submitted after each semester (see 8.2), with due regard to the policy principles detailed in paragraph 6 and to paragraphs 7.4.2.1 to 7.4.2.3. No later than the last meetings of Council and Senate of each year, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) reports to Council, via the Rectorate and Senate, on the accountability mechanisms agreed with the deans of the faculties for the next ensuing year.

7.4.2 Each faculty and professional academic support service division describes its implementation of this Policy in its language implementation plan, which must be aimed at ensuring that:

7.4.2.1 the English offering is revised upwards so as to achieve full accessibility to SU for academically deserving prospective and current students who prefer to study in English;

7.4.2.2 the Afrikaans offering is managed so as to sustain access to SU for students who prefer to study in Afrikaans and to further develop Afrikaans as a language of tuition where reasonably practicable; and

7.4.2.3 isiXhosa is used where and to the extent that this is pedagogically sound and reasonably practicable.

7.4.3 Every faculty reviews its use of language for learning and teaching, and records the language arrangements in its language implementation plan annually, at the least. This plan is reported to Senate via the faculty board and Senate’s Academic Planning Committee. Senate has the power either to accept the faculty’s Language Implementation Plan or to refer it back to the faculty. Once accepted, the language arrangements for learning and teaching of a particular module are published in the relevant module frameworks.

7.4.4 Changes to the language arrangements in a faculty’s language implementation plan that fall outside the regular review process, but are necessitated by, for example, a specific student group’s preferred language of tuition, pedagogical considerations or the unavailability of a lecturer with the necessary language proficiency, can be made by the relevant departmental chairperson and dean after consultation with the faculty’s academic affairs student committee. These changes are reported at the following faculty board and Senate meetings. The students of the specific modules are informed of the changes and the reasons for these changes as soon as practically possible.

7.4.5 Every professional academic support service division regularly reviews its use of language in their environment and records the language arrangements in the language implementation plan for that particular division. These plans are approved by the relevant line managers and the Rectorate.

7.5 Promotion of multilingualism

7.5.1 The Language Centre, faculties, the language departments, professional academic support services, and governance and management bodies are co-responsible for the advancement of multilingualism at SU. This responsibility includes considering all possible options to accentuate the use of isiXhosa in official communication and ceremonies.

7.5.2 SU promotes and incentivices innovative multilingual and translanguaging practices by providing institutional funding for, for example, expanding teaching in more than one language in faculties; conducting research; sharing multilingual and translanguaging good practices; providing the infrastructure and professional development to employ ICT-enhanced learning strategies; supporting discipline-specific academic literacies initiatives; and fostering inter- and trans-institutional collaborations, especially collaborations aimed at developing and strengthening those South African official languages which are indigenous languages.

7.5.3 SU advances the academic potential of Afrikaans by means of, for example, teaching, conducting research, holding symposia, presenting short courses, supporting language teachers and hosting guest lecturers in Afrikaans; presenting Afrikaans language acquisition courses; developing academic and professional literacies in Afrikaans; supporting Afrikaans reading and writing development; providing language services that include translation into Afrikaans, and editing of and document design for Afrikaans texts; developing multilingual glossaries with Afrikaans as one of the languages; and promoting Afrikaans through popular-science publications in the general media.

7.5.4 IsiXhosa as an indigenous language and an emerging formal academic language receives particular attention for the purpose of its incremental introduction into selected disciplinary domains, prioritised in accordance with student needs in a well-planned, well-organised and systematic manner. The academic role and leadership of the Department of African Languages, through its extensive experience in advanced-level teaching and research in language and linguistic fields will be harnessed to the full. In certain programmes, isiXhosa is already used with a view to facilitating effective learning and teaching, especially where the use of isiXhosa may be important for career purposes. SU is committed to increasing the use of isiXhosa, to the extent that this is reasonably practicable, for example through basic communication skills short courses for staff and students, career-specific communication, discipline-specific terminology guides (printed and mobile applications) and phrase books.

7.5.5 As per the Language Policy Framework for Public Higher Education Institutions, the Department of African Languages and the Language Centre will be strengthened to enable it to develop South African official languages other than Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa into languages of learning and teaching, scholarship and research in South Africa. The University will also explore and document strategies for intellectualising indigenous languages in higher education in South Africa and studying and developing the Khoi, Nama and San languages.

7.6 Support

The Language Centre provides language support services aimed at the effective implementation of the Language Policy, in collaboration with the faculties, professional academic support services divisions and management bodies, by providing, for example, reading and writing development support, language services that include translation, interpreting and editing services; modules in professional communication, academic literacies and language acquisition; and research. The faculties, professional academic support services divisions, and governance and management bodies may, after consultation with the Language Centre, also provide language support of their own.

8.  Feedback, monitoring and conflict resolution

8.1  Each faculty and responsibility centre, and the Student Representative Council submit a report to the Rectorate once a year, by a date determined by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching), detailing:

8.1.1 Any difficulties that it has experienced with implementing the Language Policy;

8.1.2 Any mechanisms, strategies or techniques that have improved the implementation of the Policy, or may better advance the goals of the Policy; and

8.1.3 Any suggestions for amendments to the Policy.

8.2  Each faculty reports in writing to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) after the end of each semester on its compliance during that semester with the relevant faculty’s language implementation plan. In each instance where there has been non-compliance, the report describes it and the reasons for it fully and the steps the faculty is or will be taking to avoid future deviations from the language implementation plan.

8.3  The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) may appoint a Language Planning and Management Advisory Committee at his/her discretion to perform functions assigned to the Committee. These functions could include: assisting with the processing of language implementation plans and implementation reports to identify good practices and issues for further deliberation and make recommendations for improvement by faculties and/or professional academic support services. These recommendations can be considered by the Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) to include in the annual Learning and Teaching report to the Council.

8.4  The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) prepares an annual report on matters concerning the Policy to the Council, via the Rectorate, Senate and the Council’s Language Committee. When preparing the report the Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) takes into account the reports described in paragraphs 8.1 and 8.2 as well as the feedback from the Language Planning and Management Advisory Committee (8.3). The aims of the report include addressing areas of concern and sharing knowledge within the University.

8.5  Students who feel negatively affected by the implementation of the Language Policy should adhere to the following procedures:

8.5.1 In the case of implementation by faculties, complaints are lodged as prescribed by the relevant faculty’s appeals/complaints procedure or, in the absence of such a procedure and in order of preference, with the relevant staff member, the relevant departmental chairperson or head, or the dean. If the complaints are not satisfactorily resolved at faculty level and the complaints are related to academic contexts, students can refer the complaints to the Academic Planning Committee (APC), via the Student Academic Affairs Council (AAC), and if not resolved at the APC, the APC refers the matter to the Senate, with a recommendation.

8.5.2 In the case of implementation by professional academic support services, complaints are lodged within the relevant line management function or, in the case of the broader University, with the Rectorate via the Student Representative Council’s executive.

8.5.3 In the case of implementation in student living environments, complaints are lodged with the house committee or the relevant resident head. If the complaints are not satisfactorily resolved at university residence or private student organisation (PSO) level, students may refer the complaints to the Director of the Centre for Student Communities or escalate it to the Senior Director: Student Affairs, if needed.

8.5.4 In cases where the use of the mentioned structures is not suitable, complaints may be submitted to the SU ombud for settlement in consultation with the relevant structures.

8.6  Staff members who feel negatively affected by the implementation of the

Language Policy should adhere to the following procedures:

8.6.1 In the case of implementation by faculties, complaints are lodged, in order of preference, with the relevant departmental chairperson, or the dean.

8.6.2 In the case of implementation by professional academic support services, complaints are lodged within the relevant line management function or, in the case of the broader University, with the Rectorate via the Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Learning and Teaching).

8.6.3 In cases where the use of the mentioned structures is not suitable, complaints may be submitted to the SU Ombud for settlement in consultation with the relevant structures.

9.  Policy governance

9.1 Roles

9.1.1 The owner of this Policy is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) who is responsible for performing the functions conferred upon the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) by the other provisions of this Policy as well as the further functions below:

9.1.1.1 Giving guidance regarding the interpretation and implementation of this Policy;

9.1.1.2 Initiating and overseeing the revision of this Policy;

9.1.1.3 Appointing a curator for this Policy from the Division for Learning and Teaching Enhancement and overseeing the functioning of the curator;

9.1.1.4 Releasing and communicating this Policy and monitoring its effective implementation; and

9.1.1.5 Overseeing the functioning of the Language Planning and Management (LPM) Advisory Committee, if appointed.

9.1.2 The curator of this Policy referred to in paragraph 9.1.1.3 is responsible for:

9.1.2.1 Chairing and managing the Language Planning and Management Advisory Committee, if appointed;

9.1.2.2 Coordinating, overseeing and monitoring the University’s language planning and management processes; and

9.1.2.3 Convening one or more task teams for revising this Policy, when such a revision process is initiated.

9.1.3 The Language Committee of Council is responsible for assisting the Council in exercising its general supervisory responsibility in respect of language issues at the University including the implementation of this Policy, and in considering any proposed amendments to or replacements of this Policy.

9.1.4 The Council has general supervisory responsibility in respect of language issues at the University including the implementation of this Policy, and approves the Language Policy with the concurrence of Senate and after consultation with the Institutional Forum.

10. Revision

10.1 Language policy-making and implementation are dynamic processes.

10.2 The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching):

10.2.1 Facilitates the testing of the Language Policy against changing circumstances through research on the implementation, monitoring and impact of the Policy.

10.2.2 Facilitates regular consultation with the broader SU community about matters concerning the Language Policy.

10.2.3 Publishes information gained from such research and consultations.

10.2.4 Initiate at discression and oversee a review of the Language Policy with a view to its possible amendment or replacement.

10.3 The Language Policy lapses five years after the date of its implementation. Subject to paragraph 10.2.4, it must be revised during its fifth year of operation.

11. Disclosure

The Language Policy is a public document and is published on the University’s website.

12. Repeal

The Language Policy repeals and replaces the Language Policy adopted by Council on 22 June 2016.

13. Related and supporting documents

14. Glossary of terms, abbreviations and acronyms

This glossary is an addendum to the Language Policy and may be updated with the most relevant language-related terminology and acronyms used at Stellenbosch University, with approval by the Academic Planning Committee.

ENDS

Issued by University of Stellenbosch, 7 April 2021