Reconvened AGM of the Convocation of the University of Cape Town

Notice of a reconvened Annual General Meeting of Convocation to be held on Tuesday, 28 February 2017 in Lecture Theatre 1, Kramer Law Building, University of Cape Town at 16h30 for 17h00.

The regular AGM as convened on 15 December 2016 was adjourned as the meeting was disrupted and could not conclude its business. Agenda items 1 to 5 as recorded below were dealt with at the AGM on 15 December 2016. The remaining agenda items (#6 and #7 below), including a register of attendance, will be before the reconvened AGM on 28 February 2017.

A meeting of Convocation is restricted to members of Convocation. Please refer to the footnote for confirmation of the composition of Convocation.

The AGM of the Alumni Association will be scheduled for a different time and will not immediately follow the AGM of Convocation.

Agenda

1. Register and apologies

2. Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 15 December 2015

3. Matters arising from the minutes

4. Report of the President of Convocation

5. Vice-Chancellor's report on the state of UCT

6. Motions (where prior notice had been given)

7. Election of a member to be President of Convocation for a two year term to 2018

Please RSVP for catering and logistical purposes.

Royston Pillay
Secretary of Convocation
10 February 2017

Note:

1. Composition of Convocation
The convocation consists of -
(a) the graduates and all holders of diplomas and certificates of the University;
(b) the vice-chancellor, the deputy vice-chancellors and the academic staff; and
(c) those former professors and associate professors elected by the senate to be emeritus professors or emeritus associate professors.

Issued by UCT, 10 February 2017

Text of motion 1:

Brought forward by: Timothy Crowe

Seconded by: Dr Anna A. Crowe (née Teichert)1

Received: 1 December 2016

I am a Ph.D. graduate, alumnus and Elected Life Fellow of UCT and was employed in various capacities (ultimately as full professor) by it for 40 years. I propose that the UCT Convocation be balloted (anonymously and, if willing, by fine-scale ‘selfidentification – by ‘race’, gender, age, etc.) to consider a vote of no-confidence in Dr Max Price and his senior Executive acting as representatives of the interests of the UCT Community as a whole in negotiations with UCT students, staff and others who have been adjudged to have broken the law under the pretext of legitimate protest.

Rather, such lawless actions should be dealt with by fair, speedy and unfettered adjudication according to long-established procedures within UCT and, where relevant, according to South African law, without any further intervention by Price et al. Failing that, I fear that UCT will suffer in terms of:

1. migration of outstanding matriculants to other centres of tertiary education;

2. departure of many of UCT’s best and brightest academics;

3. loss of donations/bequest from all traditional sources; and

4. further erosion of academic freedom as UCT’s raison d’étre.

1 UCT B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc. and Ph.D. graduate and a contract lecturer (mainly in the capacity of “academic support”) over a period of >40 years