Welcome message from the Dean of Students
Date Released: Tue, 1 November 2011 00:00 +0200
Dear Students of 2012
You have made an excellent choice in coming to Rhodes, and we aim to help you make the best of your time with us. Your official ‘welcome’ to Rhodes will start during Orientation week, and I urge you to try to complete your registration on Saturday 4th February, so that you and your parents / sponsors can participate fully in the pre-Orientation programme which is scheduled for Sunday 5th February.
Your formal orientation starts on Monday 6th, and you will find that it is intense, exciting and occasionally overwhelming. There will be numerous distractions and delights, and I ask you to try to remain focussed on learning how to ‘navigate’ your life while at Rhodes, and to get the balance right between the academic and everything else.
Firstly attend to the practical academic things:
- find out about possible academic courses, so that by Friday you will be able to select the right subjects for you this year.
- get to know your way around the campus and discover where and when your lectures will take place
Secondly give some time to the personal things:
- meet as many new people as you can, and have some fun
- find out about extramural opportunities - sport, societies and things like that
- and get enough sleep!
The choices at University are enormous, the leadership opportunities are amazing, and it’s all up to you. You are now joining a community of people who work hard, play responsibly, and care about each other. Good luck as you start off atRhodes– enjoy these precious years, and make the most of them.
The Dean of Students Office is in the Main Administrative building, to the left of the main stairs entering the University. We offer help and advice in relation to any issues that are causing undue stress and negatively affecting your life, and 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.
Remember: if you experience a serious problem, whether it is academic or personal, 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 deanstudents@ru.ac.za . We will explore options with you, and do our best to ensure that you are treated fairly and justly.
I invite all new 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 the Dean on http://twitter.com/#!/ViviandeKlerk or http://www.facebook.com/vivian.deklerk
Vivian de Klerk
Dean of Students
