Since the suspension of physical activities on Stellenbosch University’s (SU) main campus, on 16 March, student leaders have needed to resort to online platforms, such as Microsoft Teams and social media to continue with their duties remotely.
For students who hold leadership positions in residences and private student organisations (PSOs), support structures such as meetings with residence heads have moved to online platforms, confirmed Pieter Kloppers, director at the Centre for Student Communities (CSC).
“Student leaders find the same support structures as in the past – organisationally speaking – but in a very different physical environment,” Kloppers said.
According to Lewis Mboko, chairperson for SU’s student representative council (SRC), SU student leaders within SU structures also continue to receive honorariums as “a token of appreciation for the work they do”, while leading remotely.
Support for students in the SRC has come in the form of check-in sessions with the Centre for Student Governance, said Mboko.
“Because of the nature of my responsibility, I have [also had] frequent contact sessions with the rector, prof Wim de Villiers,” Mboko said.
The SRC is also hoping to start online competitions that will complement their Fitness Fridays campaign, to increase student engagement, said Mboko.
Student leaders in SU’s PSOs are familiar with leading and engaging with dispersed students, said Cacee Jochems, primaria at Equité PSO.
Cacee Jochems, primaria at Equité private student organisation (PSO), said her leadership team, her PSO coordinator and her cluster coordinator are her main sources of support as she continues to lead remotely. PHOTO: Supplied/Cacee Jochems
“As a PSO, we never had the advantage of having everyone in the same place. Our duty now is to keep [our] community engaged and [to do] so virtually,” she said.
According to Jochems, Equité’s house committee’s (HK) focus continues to be ensuring that members of their PSO know that their leaders are available to help.
Remote efforts
Some leaders have restructured some of their leadership portfolios and moved some of their campaigns online.
This includes Afua Duah, an outreach coordinator for Amnesty International SU and a member of the BA Student Committee (BASC).
“In collaboration with UNASA [United Nations Association of South Africa] Stellenbosch and QueerUS, I have been able to do a weeklong social media campaigns educating people about the queer community,” said Duah.
Although many of their plans were halted by the lockdown, some student leaders have adapted and found ways to continue with their efforts online through education and advocacy campaigns. POSTER: Instagram/BA Student Committee (BASC)
Despite having to postpone and cancel some plans for their portfolios, Duah said student leaders should continue with their duties, using the reasons why they applied for the leadership positions as a source of motivation.
Afua Duah, BA student committee (BASC) and Amnesty International SU executive member, said that lockdown has negatively affected many of her plans for her term, as some of them cannot be adapted to online platforms. PHOTO: Instagram/BA Student Committee (BASC)
Leaders in residences are also adapting their portfolios to ensure that they still serve the house, said Gosego Dibate, an SU student and resident at a Minerva Ladies Residence.
“[The leaders] are trying to remain as active as possible by checking in and trying to continue with [the residence’s] tutoring programme online,” Dibate said.