A MESSAGE TO 1ST YEARS
FROM THE DEAN OF STUDENTS
Dear Students of 2012
A warm welcome to all our new first-year students, and an equally warm welcome BACK to all our returning students as well. You have registered at an excellent University, and our office aims to help you make the best of your time with us. First-years, please take a close look at our new orientation page at http://www.ru.ac.za/orientation2012/
As you embark on a new year of studies at Rhodes, I’d like to remind all of you that the main reason you are at Rhodes is academic: you are here to get a degree. So please do make your academic courses the very centre of your lives, and then add the ‘extras’ on the edges of the circle, taking on only those extramural activities which you really can manage. It’s all about keeping that balance between work and play.
The choices are enormous, the leadership opportunities are amazing, and it’s all up to you: work hard, play hard, ‘live smart’, and care about each other.
When things go wrong, please come to our office for help and advice in relation to any issues that are causing undue stress and negatively affecting your life. In particular we will support you if you have been affected, either directly or indirectly, by violence or assault, harassment of any kind, family crises, disability or issues relating to substance abuse. We do not handle University discipline, but will offer advice if you find yourself in trouble. Academic matters are handled by the Academic Deans.
So please remember: if you experience a serious problem, and you have tried the usual channels in seeking a solution without success, do not give up. Make an appointment with someone at the Office of the Dean of Students, and share the problem, or email dean.students@ru.ac.za . We will explore options with you, and do our best to ensure that you are treated fairly and justly.
While we always respond to email queries, and welcome personal appointments, I also invite all students to become my Facebook ‘friend” – simply ask and I will accept you, I promise! I write a daily ‘tweet’, commenting on issues of current importance at Rhodes, and announcing recent Rhodes news or forthcoming events.
Follow me on http://twitter.com/#!/ViviandeKlerk or http://www.facebook.com/vivian.deklerk
Good luck to each of you for 2012 – I hope you enjoy the year, and make the most or this precious opportunity.
Vivian de Klerk
Dean of Students
