7 March 2024
TO DONORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
Invitation to nominate persons to be members of the UCT Council for the term 2024–2028
The voters’ roll for donors consists of:
- all natural persons who were members of the constituency of donors prior to January 1997
- all natural persons who have given R5 000 or more to the University, directly or via the UCT Foundation
- all corporate bodies, partnerships, un-incorporated associations or trusts, which have given R25 000 or more to the University in the ten calendar years preceding the year of the election.
The term of office of the members of the current University Council elected by donors will expire on 30 June 2024.
You are invited to nominate candidates for election to the Council, to hold office for four years from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2028. Donors elect two members to the UCT Council.
Nominees in this category may not be current UCT staff or students, and do not themselves have to be donors, but must be able to attend regular Council and committee meetings and be willing to commit time and energy for this purpose. Membership of Council does not carry any remuneration. Each nomination must be accompanied by the nominee’s written acceptance of nomination and a one-page curriculum vitae listing name (and, optionally, former names), address, academic and professional qualifications, occupation, offices held now and in the past, a statement of intent (not exceeding 200 words), and an ID photo of the nominee in jpeg format. Statements of intent exceeding two hundred words will be edited.
Please ensure that you download the form to your computer or other electronic device before filling in any information. Any information filled in while the form is open in a web browser will not be retained when the file is saved. Completed nomination forms should be e-mailed to donorelection@uct.ac.za. Nominations signed by three donors must be received not later than 28 March 2024. No late nominations will be considered.
If more than two nominations are received, an electronic election will follow.
The curricula vitae of nominees will be posted on the University website: www.uct.ac.za. The results of the election will also be posted on the website after the voting process has been concluded.
The Council is responsible for the governance of the university under the Higher Education Act. By law, the Council may not exceed thirty members of whom 60% must be external members. Council meets four to six times annually. Members are usually also involved in standing committees of Council. The UCT Annual Report for 2022 gives some idea of the work of the university and of the Council.
The qualities sought in Council members include personal integrity, a commitment to ethical conduct and decision-making, familiarity with the higher education sector, a capacity to advocate for the university’s interests, and a sound understanding of governance principles. Council members should have a record of professional and personal accomplishments and be dedicated to the mission and values of the university.
Specialist competencies that should also be represented in Council include expertise in the following areas: finance, legal, audit and risk, physical and spatial planning, human resources, information communication technology, and diversity and inclusion awareness.
The UCT Statute requires that any person or body appointing a person, or nominating a candidate for election to the Council, the Senate, the Institutional Forum or a committee, must have regard to the historic under-representation of women, in particular black women, and black people in general on such bodies and the need to redress that.
Where you are submitting a nomination in the category of a corporate body, partnership or trust, by submitting a nomination in that capacity you are confirming that you are duly authorised by the corporate body, partnership or trust that you represent.
Royston Pillay
University Registrar
