I will be leaving Rhodes soon, with very mixed feelings. While I am sad that my long and very rewarding association with Rhodes will be ending, I made this decision 6 months ago, and I anticipate my future with excitement.
My close association with Rhodes for 35 years (6 as a student (1971-76), 21 as an academic and Head of the Linguistics Department(1984-2007), and 8 as Dean of Students) has been fantastic, but I need new challenges, and it’s time for me to live a little more. After a full research career, which involved writing many academic articles and books, I can’t wait to try my hand at creative writing and see whether I can produce a novel or two. I need to get to know my 4 delightful little grandchildren better, and I want to do a lot of travelling.
There is so much that I will miss: being greeted by happy and friendly students around campus (they’ve been my inspiration); giving students advice, and helping them during crises (I hope I was able to make a real difference); sending out regular messages to all my Twitter followers; working closely with student leaders and wardens (it’s been a privilege); and the exhilaration and excitement of Orientation and Graduation.
But there are also things I most definitely will not miss: Intervarsity (a special nightmare for Deans of Students); dealing with complaints about drunken students; long meetings; disciplinary issues; the lack of water or electricity (not my job!); and fighting the scourge of AIDS.
I hope that Rhodes can eventually find sufficient funds in order to enhance our campus recreational and sporting facilities, and build an attractive space in the Biko Building to relax over a cup of coffee at night, so that students don’t head for bars, and contribute to our infamous ‘drinking culture’.
It would also be great if the University can provide safe, affordable transport off campus, and up and down the ‘hill’, and I believe we are ‘nearly there’.
I am very proud of Rhodes and its students, and shall follow future developments closely. Naturally I look forward to the news that students have miraculously realised that alcohol and drugs are quite harmful, and have decided to devote themselves to their studies, resulting in 100% pass rate.
More seriously, I hope the DoS Challenge, the Leadership Awards, Pocket Money fund, Mentorship programme, Get Home Safe service and Top 100, in which I have taken a deep personal interest, will flourish, and that Rhodes continues to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of our really amazing students.
Goodbye all ‘my’ students. I shall miss you. And good luck - I hope you make Rhodes proud.
By Dr Vivian de Klerk
Dean of Students
First published by the Oppidan Press newspaper