ATC130328: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training on its site visit to the Stellenbosch University (Tygerberg Campus) Stag Student Lodge, dated 20 March 2013
Higher Education, Science and Innovation
REPORT
OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON ITS SITE VISIT
TO THE
The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, having
conducted the site visit to the
1. Introduction
The Committee conducted a site visit to the
2. Background
The Committee visited the STAG Student Lodge
at
Tyberberg
Campus which was a joint partnership
between the
3. The following were present:
a) Portfolio Committee on Higher Education &
Training:
Present:
Ms D
Chili
(ANC), Adv I
Malale
(Chairperson) (ANC), Mr S
Makhubele
(ANC), Prof S
Mayatula
(ANC), Mr C
Moni
(ANC),
Ms D
Sibiya
(ANC), Dr L Bosman (DA) and Mr A
Mpontshane (IFP).
Apologies:
Ms N Gina
(Whip) (ANC), Mr S Radebe (ANC), Prof A
Lotriet
(DA),
Mr N
Bhanga
(COPE) and Mr J
Dikobo
(AZAPO).
Support Staff:
Mr A
Kabingesi (Committee Secretary), Ms M Modiba (Content Advisor), Mr L
Komle
(Researcher), Mr F Mohale (Media Officer) and Ms T
Majone
(Committee Assistant).
b) Department of Higher Education and Training:
Mr S
Makgoba
:
Chief Director Financial Planning, Mr N
Nqandela
:
Chief of Staff Ministry, Mr S
Zondi
: Parliamentary
Liaison Officer Deputy Ministers Office, Ms N
Sofoyiya
:
Regional Coordinator Western Cape, Ms G
Umeh
: Deputy
Director, Mr L
Cloete
: Deputy Director Infrastructure
and Ms P
Sekgobela
: Parliamentary Liaison Officer
Director-Generals Office.
c)
Prof R
Botman
:
Vice-Chancellor, Prof C
Volmink
: Dean Faculty of
Medicine and Health Sciences, Prof L van
Huyssteen
:
Executive Director Operations and Finance, Prof N van
Pittius
:
Deputy Dean Research, Dr T Fish: Deputy Dean Community Service and Interaction,
Mr C
Munnik
:
Facilities Management, Mr S
Bernado
: Facility
Manager, Mr S
Opperman
: Director Planning and
Development, Ms M Walters: Senior Planner, Ms G Jacobs: Manager Facilities
Planning, Mr E Mouton: Director Business Management, Mr J Groenewald: Residence
Coordinator and Mr P
Kloppers
: Director Centre for
Student Community.
d) STAG
Mr J Schooling: Managing Director,
Mr Z Burns-
Ncamashe
: Director and Mr D Palm: Project
Manager.
4. Summary of presentations
4.1
Input
by the Vice-Chancellor
(VC).
Prof R
Botman
:
VC made the following input.
·
The VC
acknowledged that transformation of diversity profile of the university was
slow and a continuous work in progress. The university had 800 black students
in 1994 and 9000 black students in 2013 and majority of these black students
were at post-graduate level.
·
The university
believed in enhancement of rural areas. Rural development formed part of the
university strategic plan to improve the lives of disadvantaged communities. A
number of rural development partnerships had been implemented in the rural
towns of Bredasdorp, Worcester and 10 other towns where the university assisted
with legal aid clinics.
·
Student successes was
contributed by a good learning and living space.
Retention of first year students at the
university was 70% compared to the national average of between 40 to 50%. The
STAG partnership came as result of the universitys quest for innovative cost
efficient student housing.
4.2 Student Housing
Mr P
Kloppers
:
Director Centre for Student Community led the presentation which highlighted
the following key issues:
·
The STAG Student
Lodge could accommodate up to 150 students in each residence. The idea of
partnering with STAG properties came as a result of huge demand for student
accommodation in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Owing to time
constraints and lack of capital, the university had to find means of providing
student accommodation for the 2013 intake. The Lodge was then constructed in
August 2012 and by January 2013 it was ready to accommodate students. On
average it would have taken two years to complete a brick and mortar structure
as compared to six months to complete the STAG Student Lodge.
·
The STAG Student
Lodge was a more affordable student housing alternative for the university.
There was no direct charge from the
university for
construction
. The 15 year lease agreement between the university and
STAG properties was cost effective as compared to building a new residence from
the universitys budget. Maintenance costs of the Lodge were covered by STAG
properties during the 15 year lease agreement period.
·
The durability of
the building was equally good as compared to the brick and mortar structures.
It was guaranteed to last more than 50 years and was able to withstand bad
weather conditions.
4.3 STAG Student Lodge
Mr J Schooling: Managing Director
led the presentation which highlighted the following key issues.
·
The STAG Student
Lodge was a 21
st
century, green, alternative, cost and time
effective solution based on international best practices, product innovation,
optimal architectural design and customised for
students of
Stellenbosch
University.
·
The architectural
design criteria included 8 single bed pod design which was not just about
providing a bed, but rather creating a student community. The building
structure was developed using cladding (cement and wood fibre panel) and light
weight steel.
·
The benefits of
this innovative student housing included; lower cost, speed, quality, low
combustibility, lower maintenance, reduced carbon footprint and good sound
insulation.
4.4. Department of Higher Education and Training
Mr S
Makgoba
:
Chief Director Financial Planning highlighted the following:
·
The Department
officials visited the STAG Student Lodge on 30 January 2013.
·
Since the release
of the Report on Student Housing universities were approached by various
developers who considered the STAG approach in building their student
residences.
·
R240 000
cost per bed construction excluded the purchase of land, furniture, Information
Technology.
·
The Department
requested an opportunity to present a detailed report on student housing to the
Committee.
5. Observations
The Committee made the following
observations:
·
The overall
impression of the Committee was that the building structure of the STAG Student
Lodge looked strong and well designed.
·
Although the
project was not complete during the site inspection of the Committee, the
completed rooms were fully equipped with furniture and the ablution services
were functional.
·
Students with
special needs could only be accommodated at the ground floor as the building
did not have elevators.
·
The building was
a 15 year lease contract between the university and STAG properties and the
university financed this lease through the payment made by students living in
the residences. The university would take ownership of the buildings after
lease contract came to an end.
·
The average cost
of students living at the STAG Student Lodge was R26 000 per annum.
·
The construction
of the STAG Student Lodge did not require any use of water and all the material
used during the construction could be recycled. There was reduced carbon
footprint produced during construction process.
·
The eight single
bed unit floor plan with recreational hall facilitated cultural transformation
among students as they could easily interact with each other in that type of
setting.
·
All the rooms in
the building were fully equipped with fire sensors and the building structure
had low combustibility levels as compared to the brick structure.
·
Access to the
rooms was through an accredited student card only, making the rooms safe from
outsiders or intruders.
·
Sound insulation
in the building was good as noise levels could be very frustrating to a
learning environment.
6. Recommendations
The Committee having conducted a
site visit to the STAG Student Lodge recommends the following:
·
The Department
should consider the use of alternative modes of student housing which was more
efficient to address the challenge of student housing.
Report to be considered
Documents
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